Mark 12:16

16 They brought one; and He asked them, "Whose is this likeness and this inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied.

Mark 12:16 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 12:16

And they brought it
The penny, which was a Roman one, and worth seven pence halfpenny of our money:

and he saith unto them, whose is this image, and superscription;
for it had the head of an emperor upon it, very likely the image of the then reigning emperor Tiberius, and a superscription on it, expressing his name, and perhaps a motto along with it:

and they said unto him, Caesar's;
one of the Roman emperors, Augustus, or Tiberius; most probably the latter; (See Gill on Matthew 22:20), (See Gill on Matthew 22:21).

Mark 12:16 In-Context

14 So they came to Him. "Rabbi," they said, "we know that you are a truthful man and you do not fear any one; for you do not recognize human distinctions, but teach God's way truly. Is it allowable to pay poll-tax to Caesar, or not?

15 Shall we pay, or shall we refuse to pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, replied, "Why try to ensnare me? Bring me a shilling for me to look at."

16 They brought one; and He asked them, "Whose is this likeness and this inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied.

17 "What is Caesar's," replied Jesus, "pay to Caesar--and what is God's, pay to God." And they wondered exceedingly at Him.

18 Then came to Him a party of Sadducees, a sect which denies that there is any Resurrection; and they proceeded to question Him.