Taxes

Pharisees Ask Jesus About Paying Poll Tax - Mark 12:13 – 12:17 (commentary)

Herod the Great ruled all of Palestine as a Roman King. When he died in 4 B.C. his kingdom was divided into three parts of which Archelaus was given Judea and Samaria. He was a failure and in 6 A.D. the Romans stepped in and made Cyrenius governor with direct rule. This placed th …

Jesus Pays The Temple Tax - Matthew 17:24 – 17:27 (commentary)

When Jesus and His disciples arrived back at Capernaum, the tax collectors were waiting for them (v. 24). Every Jew 20 years or more of age was required to pay a temple tax of half a shekel (Exodus 20:13-24). Apparently Peter and Jesus had not yet paid their tax for that ye …

Paying Taxes to Caesar - Luke 20:19 – 20:26 (commentary)

These religious leaders knew that they were the ones Jesus had just referred to as murderers in the parable He had given (v. 19). Jesus comments were veiled, but the religious leaders had no trouble interpreting them. They immediately wanted to arrest Him. When they had p …