"They sent to JESUS some Pharisees with members of Herod's party, with the purpose of trapping HIM by HIS own words. They came and said to JESUS, 'Master, we know that YOU are truthful; YOU are not influenced by anyone, and YOUR answers do not vary according to who is listening to YOU, but YOU truly teach GOD's way. Tell us, is it against the law to pay taxes to Caesar? Should we pay them or not?'
But JESUS saw through their trick and answered, 'Why are you testing ME? Bring ME a silver coin and let ME see it.' They brought HIM one and JESUS asked, 'Whose image is this, and whose name?' They answered, 'Caesar's.' Then JESUS said, 'Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to GOD, what is GOD's.'
And they were greatly astonished." - Mark 12:13-17
(What is Caesar's can be understood: "what belongs to Caesar." Rather it means: "the kind of things which fall under his rule." With HIS answer "to Caesar what belongs to him, to GOD..." JESUS separates religion and politics in cultures--Jewish and Roman alike--where politics always looked for religious justification. From now on, religion should not be manipulated for political purposes, nor should religion confuse its political opponents with the enemies of the kingdom.)
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