Matthew 22:19

19 Show me the coin for the tax. ”And they brought him a denarius. ^[a]

Matthew 22:19 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 22:19

Shew me the tribute money
Not any money, or any sort of coin that was current among them; but that in which the tribute was usually paid, which was Roman money: and they brought unto him a penny; not as, being what was the usual sum that was paid for tribute at one time, but as a sample of what sort of money it was paid in, in Roman pence; one of which was seven pence halfpenny of our money.

Matthew 22:19 In-Context

17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? ”

18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?

19 Show me the coin for the tax. ”And they brought him a denarius.

20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this? ”

21 They said, “Caesar’s. ” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. ”

Footnotes

• [a] 22:19 A 'denarius' was a day’s wage for a laborer