Give to Caesar what is Caesars
Most interpretations of this text (and the parallel text in Luke 20:25) give Jesus credit for being crafty and then argue that Jesus supports the dualistic status quo. Our lives can easily be divided between our duty to the state (Caesar) and our duty to God.
But what if the point Jesus was making was this: Caesar is a sorry pretender. If the world is divided between what belongs to God and what belongs to Caesar, what would there ever be left over for Caesar?! All creation belongs to God, and we are only truly obliged to give to God what is his, since Caesar's power is merely an illusion.
There is evidence that at least some of the people interpreted Jesus this way, but used his teaching to denounce him before the Romans. See Luke 23:2
Luke 23:2
And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”
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