Show Don't Tell: Mark 12:13-17

Instead of saying "Jesus answered the tax question wisely," feel the trap closing. They send Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in his words—strange bedfellows, united against him. "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity... Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?" Perfect trap: say yes, lose the crowds who hate Rome; say no, commit treason. But Jesus knows their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." They bring the coin. "Whose image is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's." "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." The coin bears Caesar's image—give it to Caesar. But you bear God's image—give yourself to God. They are amazed. The trap lies sprung and empty.