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 Form 2 CRE lessons: Jesus teaches in Jerusalem

Paying taxes to Ceaser(Luke: 20: 19-26)

 (6m 26s)
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Answer Text:
After telling the parable of the wicked tenants, the scribes and the chief priest were annoyed because they knew the message in the parable was about them and they wanted to seize Jesus but they were afraid of the people.
They therefore sent spies to him who pretended to be sincere.
They wanted to trap him. So they asked him a question whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not.
Jesus resented the payment of taxes to the Roman authority because.
1. The coins used had the emperor’s image which according to them was a violation of Jewish law which forbade the use of images
2. It was also a symbol of their oppression by the Romans.
The question put Jesus on dilemma for if Jesus said yes then they would accuse him of being a collaborator with the roman rulers. If Jesus would tell them not to pay, they would accuse him of treason. Jesus knew their trick and asked them to produce a coin and state whose name and image was on it. Whey they said emperor’s name, Jesus told them to render to Caesar what belonged to Caesar and to God the things that are God’s. He wanted his questioners to make their own decision about the issue.


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