Mark 12:17 — Community Reflections

MARK 12:17 — KING JAMES VERSION 1 0

“And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cesar the things that are Cesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.”

Then Jesus said to them, give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. And they were amazed at him — the answer deconstructs the false binary of the question. The tribute question assumes you must choose between Caesar and God; Jesus' answer says: give each what belongs to each. Caesar's coin with Caesar's image belongs to Caesar — return it. But what bears God's image (human beings, Genesis 1:26–27) belongs to God — give that to God. The answer is simultaneously a political teaching (civic obligations are real) and a theological challenge (are you giving yourself — God's image — to God?).

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

Publish a note on this verse

0/2000

Adam Smith (test user)5h ago

Lessons in obedience — Mark 12

God is faithful in every circumstance.. It implies covenant loyalty, steadfast love that never wavers.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. This is one of those passages that reads differently in ...