1. Dual Citizenship

2. Mark 12: And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?”

3. But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test
But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “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.

4. And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk.
Herodians- Pragmatic activists- supported Herod’s family in getting favor from Rome
Pharisees- Conservative Jewish Patriots- hated Rome’s occupation of the holy land

5. Mark 3: The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

6. Worldly men and religionists despise one another
Worldly men and religionists despise one another. They dislike one another's principles, and despise one another's ways. But there is one thing which they both dislike even more, and that is the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ. And hence, whenever there is a chance of opposing the Gospel, we shall always see the worldly man and the religionist combine and act together.
- J. C. Ryle

7. “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God.

8. John 11: So they gathered the Council and said, "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, the high priest, said to them, "You do not understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish."

9. John 11: He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

10. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not
Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?”

11. But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test
But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”

12. Silver Denarius = One Day’s Wages
Front: picture of Tiberius, with text: “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, Son of the Divine Augustus”
Rear: picture of a goddess with text: “Pontifex Maximus” (i.e., the chief priest of the Roman religion).

13. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.”
eikOn
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

14. They said to him, “Caesar's
They said to him, “Caesar's.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”

15. 1 Peter 2: Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme

16. Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities
Romans 13: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Romans 13: Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

17. The earthly city is always Babylon
The earthly city is always Babylon. Like Daniel, believers pray for the city, work in the city, contribute to the city’s general welfare, and even fight in its armies. However, they never forget that they are exiles and pilgrims. Babylon is never the promised land.
– Michael Horton

18. And they marveled at him.

19. There is no one who perplexes Jesus
There is no one who perplexes Jesus. No thought or action is unintelligible to him. He knows its origin and end. The most convoluted psychotic and the most abstruse genius are open and laid bare to his understanding. Therefore, let us bow down and worship Jesus Christ.

20. Even if we are impressed with the scholarship of man and the achievements of scientific knowledge, let us not play the fool by trumpeting the wonder of these tiny chirps while ignoring the thunderclap of Christ’s omniscience.
- John Piper