Psalms 2:2
Context2:2 The kings of the earth 1 form a united front; 2
the rulers collaborate 3
against the Lord and his anointed king. 4
Mark 12:13-17
Context12:13 Then 5 they sent some of the Pharisees 6 and Herodians 7 to trap him with his own words. 8 12:14 When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality 9 but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 10 Is it right 11 to pay taxes 12 to Caesar 13 or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” 12:15 But he saw through their hypocrisy and said 14 to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius 15 and let me look at it.” 12:16 So 16 they brought one, and he said to them, “Whose image 17 is this, and whose inscription?” They replied, 18 “Caesar’s.” 12:17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 19 And they were utterly amazed at him.
Luke 20:20-26
Context20:20 Then 20 they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. 21 They wanted to take advantage of what he might say 22 so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction 23 of the governor. 20:21 Thus 24 they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, 25 and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 26 20:22 Is it right 27 for us to pay the tribute tax 28 to Caesar 29 or not?” 20:23 But Jesus 30 perceived their deceit 31 and said to them, 20:24 “Show me a denarius. 32 Whose image 33 and inscription are on it?” 34 They said, “Caesar’s.” 20:25 So 35 he said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 36 20:26 Thus 37 they were unable in the presence of the people to trap 38 him with his own words. 39 And stunned 40 by his answer, they fell silent.
[2:2] 1 sn The expression kings of the earth refers somewhat hyperbolically to the kings who had been conquered by and were subject to the Davidic king.
[2:2] 2 tn Or “take their stand.” The Hebrew imperfect verbal form describes their action as underway.
[2:2] 3 tn Or “conspire together.” The verbal form is a Niphal from יָסַד (yasad). BDB 413-14 s.v. יָסַד defines the verb as “establish, found,” but HALOT 417 s.v. II יסד proposes a homonym meaning “get together, conspire” (an alternate form of סוּד, sud).
[2:2] 4 tn Heb “and against his anointed one.” The Davidic king is the referent (see vv. 6-7).
[12:13] 5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:13] 6 sn See the note on Pharisees in 2:16.
[12:13] 7 sn Pharisees and Herodians made a very interesting alliance. W. W. Wessel (“Mark,” EBC 8:733) comments: “The Herodians were as obnoxious to the Pharisees on political grounds as the Sadducees were on theological grounds. Yet the two groups united in their opposition to Jesus. Collaboration in wickedness, as well as goodness, has great power. Their purpose was to trip Jesus up in his words so that he would lose the support of the people, leaving the way open for them to destroy him.” See also the note on “Herodians” in Mark 3:6.
[12:13] 8 tn Grk “trap him in word.”
[12:14] 9 tn Grk “and it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”
[12:14] 10 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
[12:14] 11 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
[12:14] 12 tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.
[12:14] 13 tn Or “the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[12:15] 14 tn Grk “Aware of their hypocrisy he said.”
[12:15] 15 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.
[12:16] 16 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.
[12:16] 17 tn Or “whose likeness.”
[12:16] 18 tn Grk “they said to him.”
[12:17] 19 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
[20:20] 20 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[20:20] 21 tn Grk “righteous,” but in this context the point is their false sincerity.
[20:20] 22 tn Grk “so that they might catch him in some word.”
[20:20] 23 tn This word is often translated “authority” in other contexts, but here, in combination with ἀρχή (arch), it refers to the domain or sphere of the governor’s rule (L&N 37.36).
[20:21] 24 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the plans by the spies.
[20:21] 25 tn Or “precisely”; Grk “rightly.” Jesus teaches exactly, the straight and narrow.
[20:21] 26 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
[20:22] 27 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
[20:22] 28 tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence – ‘tribute tax.’”
[20:22] 29 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[20:23] 30 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:23] 31 tn Or “craftiness.” The term always has negative connotations in the NT (1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:2; 11:3; Eph 4:14).
[20:24] 32 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.
[20:24] 33 tn Or “whose likeness.”
[20:24] 34 tn Grk “whose likeness and inscription does it have?”
[20:25] 35 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ pronouncement results from the opponents’ answer to his question.
[20:25] 36 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
[20:26] 37 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ unexpected answer.
[20:26] 38 tn On this term, see BDAG 374 s.v. ἐπιλαμβάνομαι 3.