662 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. I.A. and teachestrightly.BEUE. Thissmoothand artfulquestion was to enticethe answererto saythatHe fearsGod rather thanCaesar,foritfollows,NeitheracceptestThou theperson ofany,butteachesttheway ofGod truly.Thistheysay,to enticeHim totellthem thattheyoughtnot to pay tribute, in orderthatthe servantsof the guard,(who accordingto theotherEvangelistsaresaidto have been present,)might immediatelyupon hearingitseizeHim as the leaderofa seditionagainstthe Romans. And so theyproceedtoask, Is itlawfultogivetributetoCaesar,ornot? For therewas a greatdivisionamong the people,some sayingthatforthe sake of securityand quiet,seeingthattheRomans fought forall,theyought to pay tribute; whilethePharisees,ou the contrary,declared,thatthe peopleof God, who gave tithesand firstfruits,oughtnot to be subjecttothelawof man. THEOPHYL. Thereforeit was intended,in caseHe saidtheyoughttogivetributeto Caesar,thatHe shouldbe accusedby the people,as placingthenationunder theyoke of slavery,but ifHe forbadethem to pay thetax thatthey shoulddenounceHim as a stirrerup of divisionstothego vernor. But He escapestheirsnares,as it follows,Per ceivingtheircraftiness,He saiduntothem,Why temptyeMe ? Shew Me a penny. Whose imageand superscriptionhasit? AMBROSE. Our Lord hereteachesus,how cautiouswe ought to be in ouranswersto hereticsorJews; as He saidelse- Matt.10,where,Be ye wiseas serpents.b' BEDE. Let thosewho imputethe questionof ourSaviour to ignorance,learnfrom thisplacethat Jesus was well ableto know whose image was on the money ; but He asks the question,thatHe might givea fittinganswerto their words; foritfollows,They answeredand said,Caesar's.We must not supposeAugustusistherebymeant,but Tiberius, forallthe Roman kingswere calledCaesar,from thefirst CaiusCaesar.But from theiranswerour Lord easilysolves the question,foritfollows,And He saiduntothem,Render unto Caesarthethingswhich be Caesar's,and unto God the thingswhich be God's. TITUS.As ifHe said,With your words ye tempt Me, obey Me in works. Ye have indeed Caesar'simage,ye have undertakenhisoffices,to him there foregivetribute,toGod fear.For God requirethnotmoney.