S – ²² Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 

²³ But detecting their craftiness, he said to them, ²⁴ “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” 

“Caesar’s,” they said. 

²⁵ “Well then,” he told them, “give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 

Luke 20:22–25 CSB

O – Commentary:

Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? But this question was not merely about money. It pertained to politics and religion as well. If Jesus gave either a yes or a no answer He would lose support. If He said it was proper to pay taxes to Caesar, a foreign ruler (viz., Tiberius Caesar, a.d. 14–37), the zealots (who opposed Roman rule and favored Jewish autonomy) would be offended by His answer. If He answered that it was not proper to pay taxes (which the religious leaders might have suspected because He had been teaching about the kingdom), then the Romans would be displeased and the religious leaders would be able to turn Him over to their authority.

Jesus, pointing to the portrait and inscription of Caesar on a denarius coin (cf. 7:41; 10:35), answered in the affirmative: Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But He also used the occasion to teach that one should give to God the thing that bears His image—oneself (and to God what is God’s).

“Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – The wisdom to navigate such a precarious question is amazing.  Jesus speaks the truth, teaches principles and guides the listeners through the spiritual and physical realm.  It is remarkable!  We need to ask God to give us the wisdom and discernment to do the same as we go through our day.

R – Heavenly Father, you are the King of Kings and you have no rival.  Please grow wisdom and discernment in us to navigate today’s challenges.  We want to see how things are in the physical and spiritual realm.  We want to honor you and value others as we go through our day.