Mark 12:14

14 They came and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you tell the truth and are not concerned with what people think about you, since you pay no attention to a person's status but really teach what God's way is. Does Torah say that taxes are to be paid to the Roman Emperor, or not?"

Mark 12:14 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 12:14

And when they were come
Unto Jesus in the temple:

they said unto him, master;
they saluted him in like manner, as they did their doctors and Rabbins, calling him "Rabbi", though they were not his disciples; but one part of them were the disciples of the Pharisees, and the other had Herod for their master;

we know that thou art true;
an honest, sincere, and upright man,

and carest for no man, for thou regardest not the person of men;
no, not Caesar himself;

but teachest the way of God in truth;
instructest men in the word, will, and worship of God, with all integrity and faithfulness; answer therefore this question,

is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?
The Syriac and Persic versions read, "head money"; and so it is read in Beza's most ancient copy; a tax that was levied on the heads of families; or on every particular head in a family; (See Gill on Matthew 22:16), (See Gill on Matthew 22:17).

Mark 12:14 In-Context

12 They set about to arrest him, for they recognized that he had told the parable with reference to themselves. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.

13 Next they sent some P'rushim and some members of Herod's party to him in order to trap him with a sh'eilah.

14 They came and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you tell the truth and are not concerned with what people think about you, since you pay no attention to a person's status but really teach what God's way is. Does Torah say that taxes are to be paid to the Roman Emperor, or not?"

15 But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why are you trying to trap me? Bring me a denarius so I can look at it."

16 They brought one; and he asked them, "Whose name and picture are these?" "The Emperor's," they replied.