The Jewish leaders continue in their effort to trap Jesus so they can arrest Him and put Him to death. In this account they seek to trap Jesus with an either/or question that will put Jesus at odds with Rome if He answers one way, and at odds with the crowd, if He answers the other. The question is simply, "Is it right before God to pay the Tribute Tax to Caesar?" The Jews were overwhelmingly against the tax, because it was a visible reminder that they were under Roman rule. It was also a problem, because Caesar claimed to be a deity, and thus raised the possibility that to pay the “tribute” tax to Caesar was in fact idolatry. But, anyone who spoke out against paying the tax would be seen by Rome as defying Caesar and guilty of insurrection. Thus, if Jesus refuses the tax, they can have him arrested and handed over to Pilate. If He upholds the tax, the crowd would turn on Him as one who was a traitor of Israel, and an idolater.
