Render to Caesar: Taxes and Allegiance
Mark 12:13-17
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Mark.12.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- αποστελλουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- προς: PREP
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- τινας: PRON,acc,pl,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- Φαρισαιων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- Ηρωδιανων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- ινα: CONJ
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- αγρευσωσιν: VERB,aor,act,sub,3,pl
- λογω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 22:15 (thematic): Pharisees conspire to entangle Jesus in speech — parallel context of sending representatives to trap him with a question.
- Matthew 22:16 (verbal): Explicit mention of Pharisees and Herodians sent to ensnare Jesus — closely parallels Mark's wording and actors.
- Luke 20:20 (verbal): Opponents send spies/false-claimants to catch Jesus in his words; same modus operandi of entrapping him by question.
- Mark 3:6 (thematic): Earlier account of Pharisees cooperating with the Herodians against Jesus (plot to destroy him), showing recurring collusion between these groups.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians to trap him in his speech.
- Then they sent to him some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to entrap him in his words.
Mark.12.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ελθοντες: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,pl,m
- λεγουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω·Διδασκαλε: PRON,dat,sg,m
- οιδαμεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- αληθης: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- ου: PART,neg
- μελει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- περι: PREP
- ουδενος: PRON,gen,sg,m
- ου: PART,neg
- γαρ: PART
- βλεπεις: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- εις: PREP
- προσωπον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- αλλ᾽επ᾽αληθειας: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,gen,sg,f
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- οδον: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- διδασκεις·εξεστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg+VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- δουναι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- κηνσον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- Καισαρι: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ου: PART,neg
- δωμεν: VERB,pres,act,sub,1,pl
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- μη: PART
- δωμεν: VERB,pres,act,sub,1,pl
Parallels
- Matthew 22:16-22 (verbal): Direct parallel account: Pharisees and Herodians pose the same trap-question and open with the same complimentary formula about Jesus’ truthfulness and impartial teaching; includes the same coin-and-Caesar exchange.
- Luke 20:20-26 (verbal): Parallel narrative with nearly identical strategy and wording; the question about paying taxes to Caesar and the attempt to trap Jesus are presented the same way.
- Mark 12:17 (structural): Immediate literary continuation in Mark: Jesus’ famous reply ‘Render to Caesar…’ answers the question posed in 12:14 and resolves the trap.
- Romans 13:6-7 (thematic): Paul’s instruction that authorities collect taxes and believers should pay what is owed parallels the issue at stake—obligation to civil authorities and payment of tribute.
- Romans 2:11 (thematic): ‘God shows no partiality’ echoes the commendation in Mark 12:14 that Jesus does not show favoritism (‘you do not look at people’s faces’), linking impartiality with divine justice.
Alternative generated candidates
- They came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion; for you do not regard the face of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay, or shall we not?"
- When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and show no partiality; you neither regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay tax to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay, or shall we not?”
Mark.12.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ειδως: PART,perf,act,nom,sg,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- υποκρισιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Τι: PRON,dat,pl,m
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- πειραζετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- φερετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- δηναριον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- ινα: CONJ
- ιδω: VERB,aor,act,subj,1,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 22:18-21 (quotation): Parallel account of the same episode: Jesus, aware of their malice/hypocrisy, asks why they test him and requests a denarius, answering about rendering to Caesar.
- Luke 20:23-25 (quotation): Synoptic parallel: Luke records Jesus perceiving their craftiness, asking to see a denarius and replying about giving to Caesar what is Caesar's.
- Mark 12:14 (structural): Immediate narrative context—the Pharisees and Herodians pose the question about paying tribute to Caesar that prompts Jesus' request for a denarius.
- Romans 13:6-7 (thematic): Early Christian teaching about paying taxes and rendering to governing authorities echoes the issue raised by the denarius question and Jesus' response about obligations to secular rulers.
Alternative generated candidates
- But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it."
- But he, perceiving their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it.” And they brought one.
Mark.12.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- ηνεγκαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Τινος: PRON,dat,pl,m;PRON,gen,sg,m
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- εικων: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- αυτη: PRON,dat,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- επιγραφη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- ειπαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω·Καισαρος: PRON,dat,sg,m;NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 22:20 (verbal): Uses the identical question (’Whose image and inscription is this?’) in the same trick-question about paying tribute, a direct verbal parallel to Mark 12:16.
- Luke 20:24 (verbal): Same wording and context as Mark 12:16—asks whose likeness and inscription are on the coin, leading to the famous reply about giving to Caesar.
- Matthew 22:21 (structural): The immediate follow-up in Matthew (’Render therefore to Caesar...’) corresponds to Mark 12:17 and completes the pericope’s point about civic obligation and divine duty.
- Romans 13:1 (thematic): Discusses submission to governing authorities and the legitimacy of civil authority, thematically related to Jesus’ teaching about giving to Caesar what belongs to him.
Alternative generated candidates
- They brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's."
- He said to them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.”
Mark.12.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Τα: PRON,dat,pl
- Καισαρος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αποδοτε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- Καισαρι: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θεω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εξεθαυμαζον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- επ᾽αυτω: PREP+PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 22:21 (quotation): Near-verbatim parallel in Matthew's account of the same incident: Jesus' line 'Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's...' appears here as the same response to the question about paying taxes.
- Luke 20:25 (quotation): Luke's version of the pericope preserves the same saying; the wording and setting parallel Mark's report of Jesus' answer about duties to Caesar and to God.
- Matthew 17:24-27 (thematic): Jesus addresses the Temple tax, providing a coin to pay it; the episode raises the broader issue of obligations to human authorities and when exemptions apply, thematically linked to 'give to Caesar...'.
- Romans 13:7 (verbal): Paul instructs believers to 'render to all what is owed' (including taxes and respect for authorities), echoing the language and principle of giving to secular authorities their due.
- Psalm 24:1 (allusion): Declares 'The earth is the LORD's,' supporting the theological underside of Jesus' saying—what belongs to God ultimately belongs to God, grounding the call to 'give to God the things that are God’s.'
Alternative generated candidates
- Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at him.
- Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.
Then they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his speech.
They came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you speak truly and show no partiality; you do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay, or shall we not?" But Jesus, perceiving their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it."
They brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They answered, "Caesar's."
Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at him.