Matthew - 22:20

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20 He asked them, "Whose is this image and inscription?"

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Matthew 22:20.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and inscription is this?
And he says to them, Whose is this image and superscription?
"Whose likeness and inscription," He asked, "is this?"
And he said to them, Whose is this image and name on it?
And Jesus said to them, "Whose image is this, and whose inscription?"
he asked, "Whose head and title are these?"

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

This image - The likeness of the reigning prance was usually struck on the coins.
Superscription - The name and titles of the emperor.

Whose is this image and superscription? - He knew well enough whose they were; but he showed the excellency of his wisdom, 3dly, in making them answer to their own confusion. They came to ensnare our Lord in his discourse, and now they are ensnared in their own. He who digs a pit for his neighbor ordinarily falls into it himself.

And he saith unto them,.... Having the penny in one hand, and pointing to it with the other,
whose is this image and superscription? or inscription? for the penny that was, brought him had an image upon it, the form of a man's head struck on it, and round about it an inscription, or writing, showing who it was the image of, and whose money it was, and when it was coined: this is enough to show, that this penny was not a Jewish, but a Roman one; for the Jews, though they put inscriptions, yet no images on their coin; and much less would they put Caesar's thereon, as was on this: it is asked (r),
"What is the coin of Jerusalem? The answer is, David and Solomon on one side, and Jerusalem the holy city off the other side, i.e. as the gloss observes, David and Solomon were "written" on one side, and on the other side were written Jerusalem the holy city.''
It follows,
"and what was the coin of Abraham our father? an old man and an old woman, (Abraham and Sarah,) on one side, and a young man and a young woman, (Isaac and Rebekah,) on the other side.''
The gloss on it is,
"not that there was on it the form of an old man and an old woman on one side, and of a young man and a young woman on the other, for it is forbidden to make the form of a man; but so it was written on one side, an old man and an old woman, and on the other side, a young man and a young woman.''
(r) T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 97. 2. Vid. Bereshit Rabbas sect. 39. fol. 34. 4. & Midrash Kohelet, fol 95. 4.

The tribute money - A Roman coin, stamped with the head of Cesar, which was usually paid in tribute.

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