Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/659

 they could  lay  hold  of  some  of  His  words,  in  order  to  accuse Him publicly. For this  purpose  they  sent  some  of  their  disciples, with the  Herodians,  to  ask  Him,  by  way  of  satisfying  their  doubts, whether it  were  lawful  to  pay  tribute  to  Caesar,  or  not. Now, by Caesar,  was  meant  the  Roman  Emperor,  to  whom  Judaea  was then subject. They thought  that,  if  He  answered  “Yes",  He  would make  Himself  odious  to  the  Jews,  and  that,  on  the  other  hand, if  He  answered  “No",  He  would  draw  down  on  Himself  the revengeful hatred  of  Herod  and  the  Romans.

But Jesus,  knowing  their  malice,  said: “Why  do  ye  tempt Me, ye  hypocrites? Show Me  the  coin  of  the  tribute."  They showed  Him  a penny  (Fig.  82).  And  He  said  to  them:  “Whose image  and  inscription  is  this?" They said: “Caesar’s".  Then  He  said  to them:  “Render,  therefore,  to  Caesar the  things  that  are  Caesar’s,  and  to God  the  things  that  are  God’s." The messengers could  find  no  opening  for accusing Him,  and  went  away. But again  the  Pharisees  laid  a snare  for  Him. One of  them,  a doctor  of  the  law,  asked  Him, tempting Him:  “Master,  which  is  the  great  commandment  of  the law (i..  e.  the  greatest  of  the  six  hundred  and  thirteen  command-