The Meaning of Matthew 22:22 Explained

Matthew 22:22

KJV: When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

YLT: and having heard they wondered, and having left him they went away.

Darby: And when they heard him, they wondered, and left him, and went away.

ASV: And when they heard it, they marvelled, and left him, and went away.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When  they had heard  [these words], they marvelled,  and  left  him,  and went their way. 

What does Matthew 22:22 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 22:22 mean?

And having heard they marveled having left Him they went away
Καὶ ἀκούσαντες ἐθαύμασαν ἀφέντες αὐτὸν ἀπῆλθαν

ἀκούσαντες  having  heard 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
ἐθαύμασαν  they  marveled 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐκθαυμάζω 
Sense: to wonder, wonder at, marvel.
ἀφέντες  having  left 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀφίημι 
Sense: to send away.
ἀπῆλθαν  they  went  away 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀπέρχομαι  
Sense: to go away, depart.