The Meaning of Matthew 22:17 Explained

Matthew 22:17

KJV: Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

YLT: tell us, therefore, what dost thou think? is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?'

Darby: tell us therefore what thou thinkest: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

ASV: Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Tell  us  therefore,  What  thinkest  thou?  Is it lawful  to give  tribute  unto Caesar,  or  not? 

What does Matthew 22:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 22:15-22 - Duties To God And Society
This reading begins a marvelous cycle of interviews between our Lord and His questioners. First the Herodians, then the Sadducees, and finally the Pharisees were answered and silenced. What inimitable wisdom there was in His replies! How masterfully He turned the battle from the gate and slew them with their own swords!
Theoretically God was King in Israel. Were, then, the Jews justified in paying tribute to Caesar? If our Lord had said so, His enemies would have accused Him of treachery to the theocracy. If He had forbidden it, they would have accused Him of treachery to their Roman conquerors. Our Lord answered with marvelous wisdom. He tore aside the veil and revealed their hypocrisy. That coin indicated that the Romans were responsible for maintaining law and order. It was surely right that Caesar's dues should be paid. But it was equally right to give to God the souls that He had redeemed. Are we as careful in rendering to God our hearts and lives as we are in paying our taxes and serving the state? [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 22

1  The parable of the marriage of the king's son
9  The vocation of the Gentiles
12  The punishment of him who lacked a wedding garment
15  Tribute ought to be paid to Caesar
23  Jesus confutes the Sadducees for the resurrection;
34  answers which is the first and great commandment;
41  and puzzles the Pharisees by a question about the Messiah

What do the individual words in Matthew 22:17 mean?

Tell therefore us what You think Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not
εἰπὸν οὖν ἡμῖν τί σοι δοκεῖ ἔξεστιν δοῦναι κῆνσον Καίσαρι οὔ

εἰπὸν  Tell 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
ἡμῖν  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
δοκεῖ  think 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δοκέω  
Sense: to be of opinion, think, suppose.
ἔξεστιν  Is  it  lawful 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔξεστι 
Sense: it is lawful.
δοῦναι  to  give 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
κῆνσον  tribute 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπικεφάλαιον 
Sense: census (among the Romans, denoting a register and valuation of property in accordance with which taxes were paid), in the NT the tax or tribute levied on individuals and to be paid yearly.
Καίσαρι  to  Caesar 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Καῖσαρ  
Sense: the surname of Julius Caesar, which adopted by Octavius Augustus and his successors afterwards became a title, and was appropriated by the Roman emperors as part of their title.