Matthew 22:20

And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

Matthew 22:20 (KJV)

Context

This verse belongs to the encounter often called the question about paying taxes. The Pharisees and the Herodians came to Jesus with a trap: they asked whether it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar. If Jesus said yes, He would seem to endorse Roman rule and alienate the Jewish people who resented it. If He said no, He could be accused of rebellion against Rome. They brought Him a denarius, the Roman coin used for the tax, and Jesus asked them whose image and superscription it bore. His question turned their scheme back on them, exposing the contradiction in their own position and leaving them amazed at His answer.

Meaning

Jesus’ question forced His questioners to state the obvious. The coin in their hands carried the likeness and title of Tiberius Caesar, the Roman emperor. By making them say it aloud, Jesus drew attention to the visible reality they already accepted: they were using Caesar’s money and living under Caesar’s authority. The word “superscription” refers to the inscription on the coin, which identified the emperor and his claims. The question was not merely about a piece of metal; it was about what the coin represented and what its presence in their hands implied about their daily life under Roman government.

Biblical connections

The question of authority runs through this passage. Earlier in Matthew’s Gospel, the religious leaders challenged Jesus’ authority (Matthew 21:23), and here they tried to trap Him over political allegiance. Jesus’ response in the following verse, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21), establishes the principle of dual allegiance. Earthly government has a legitimate but limited claim, while God’s claim is absolute. The coin bore Caesar’s image, but human beings bear God’s image (Genesis 1:27), and that higher likeness defines where ultimate loyalty belongs.

Application

Jesus’ question calls us to examine what bears whose image. The coin belonged to Caesar because it carried his image and inscription. In the same way, we belong to God because we are created in His likeness. This truth shapes how we live: we fulfill our earthly responsibilities, including obedience to governing authorities (Romans 13:1), but we never let those duties displace our supreme allegiance to God. The religious leaders failed to recognize Jesus’ authority because their hearts were set on their own position. Their example warns us to examine our motives and to seek God’s glory above every other loyalty.

Reflection

Every day we handle things that carry the marks of earthly power, and we also bear the image of our Creator. Jesus’ question invites us to consider which claim governs our choices. When we acknowledge what belongs to Caesar, we are not excused from giving God what is His. The coin in the hand of Jesus’ questioners exposed their divided hearts. Our own lives present the same question: whose image do we reflect, and to whom will we give ourselves?