Most Foolish Questions Ever Asked In The Bible And The Wisdom Of Jesus Replies

Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and are swayed by no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Now then, is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?” very very silly Question. 

But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.” 16So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose likeness is this?” And whoseinscription? “Caesar’s,” they answered. 17Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him.…

Lets further expatiate the stupidity of this question.

Whose image and inscription is this? It is important to remember that the Hebrews would rarely quote Scripture in its entirety, much less its entire context. It was not necessary to do so. They were raised to know the Scriptures by memory. By referencing just a phrase, or even just a word, the entire passage would immediately come to mind, and everyone knew what was being said. That was the culture in Jesus’ day. Far more Old Testament scriptures are quoted, or referenced, in the Gospels than we recognize, because we look for the whole thing, when they only needed a part of it.

So Jesus asked them a two-part rhetorical question, referencing (1) the image on the coin and (2) the inscription on the coin. 

First, He referenced the image. Note, not the picture. He did not ask, “Who’s picture is on the coin?” but “Who’s image is this.” He is referencing the second of the ten commandments, which is a prohibition on forming any image of a false god for adoration. (We consider these commandments the first and second, but the Jews numbered the opening commandments differently. Actually, they didn’t call them commandments,but rather the sayings.) In any case, when Jesus asked who’s image it was, the commandment against worshiping any other god or making an image of a false god would have immediately come to the Pharisee’s minds.

Second, He referenced the inscription. In the Jewish mind, His use of the term inscription was a reference to the Shema: "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God – the Lord alone,” stressing Israel’s worship of God as exclusive of all other gods. The Shema then commands the person to love the Lord with all his heart, soul and strength. The Shema then required them to keep those words inscribed in the hearts, on their doorposts, and on the gates of the city.

So those two words, image and inscription carried a significant amount of weight, which significance escapes us in the western world today.

Then Jesus gave them the ultimate mic-drop answer. “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” In this response, Jesus is challenging the Pharisees to determine what rightfully belongs to God vs what rightfully belongs to Caesar. That put the Pharisees between a rock and a hard place. By referencing the second commandment and the Shema, Jesus has already reminded them that God was owed exclusive allegiance and total love and worship. 

A lot of us still ask very silly Questions on tithes, on offerings and on paying our taxes. Common, do we expect God to come down to provide the basic amenities we need to survive as humans? Without paying of taxes how else would the government run its affairs? I am not talking about the high and excessive impose of taxes that harm the masses, of which must be agitated against by any country's citizens. We must play our parts as humans and God in his infinite mercy when we give him what belongs to him has a way of blessing us through obedience.

So with one simple answer, Jesus drives home the message that the claims of God and those of Tiberius are mutually exclusive. “If you claim the Lord God as your God, then you owe everything to God. Caesar’s claims are not legitimate, and you owe Caesar nothing. On the other hand, if your faith is in Caesar, then God’s claims are illegitimate; you owe God nothing and you owe Caesar, at the very least, the coin which bears his image."

The result? "When they heard this they were amazed, and leaving him they went away." They were reduced to bewildered silence. hahahahaha!

I pray for the wisdom of Jesus Christ upon you and i...So mote it be.