Mark 12:16

16 And they brought to him. And he said to them [And he saith to them], Whose is this image, and the writing above? And they say to him, The emperor's [They say to him, Caesar's].

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 Which came, and said to him [Which coming say to him], Master, we know that thou art soothfast, and reckest not of any man; for neither thou beholdest into the face of any man, but thou teachest the way of God in truth. Is it leaveful that tribute be given to the emperor [Is it leaveful to give tribute to Caesar], or we shall not give?

15 Which witting their privy falseness, said to them, What tempt ye me [What tempt ye me, hypocrites]? bring ye to me a penny, that I [may] see.

16 And they brought to him. And he said to them [And he saith to them], Whose is this image, and the writing above? And they say to him, The emperor's [They say to him, Caesar's].

17 And Jesus answered and said to them, Then yield ye to the emperor those things that be the emperor's; and to God those things that be of God. And they wondered of him. [Forsooth Jesus answering said to them, Therefore yield ye to Caesar those things that be of Caesar, and to God, those things that be of God. And they wondered on him.]

18 And Sadducees, that say that there is no resurrection, came to him, and asked him, and said, [+And Sadducees, that say that no rising again is, come to him, and they asked him, saying,]