Mark 12:17 — Community Reflections

MARK 12:17 — KING JAMES VERSION 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?).

Church Fathers on Mark 12:17

The Chief Priests though they sought to take Him, feared the multitude, and therefore they endeavored to effect what they could not do of themselves, by means of earthly powers, that they might themselves appear to be guiltless of His death.
Bede · 8th century

We have said elsewhere of the Herodians, that they were a certain new heresy, who said that Herod was the Christ, because the succession of the kingdom of Judah had failed. Others however say that the Herodians were the soldiers of Herod, whom the Pharisees brought as witnesses of the words of Christ, that they might take Him, and lead Him away. But observe how in their wickedness they wished to deceive Christ by flattery; for it goes on: 'Master, we know that thou art true.'
Theophylact · 11th century

For they questioned Him with honied words, and they surrounded Him as bees, who carry honey in their mouth, but a sting in their tail.
Pseudo-Jerome · 5th century

Read all 10 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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