Mark 12:14

12:14 taxes: The Greek word refers to a poll tax or head tax; cp. Luke 2:1-2; Acts 5:37.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 12:14. Ἀλλʼ, but) The truth is not consistent with having respect to persons.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 12:14 . The flattering speech is differently and more logically (Schanz) given in Mt. Vide notes there on the virtues specified. ἔξεστιν , etc.: the question now put, and in two forms in Mk. First, as in Mt., is it lawful, etc.; second, in the added words, δῶμεν ἢ μὴ δῶμεν ; These have been distinguished as the theoretical and the practical form of the question respectively (Meyer, Weiss, Schanz), but there is no real difference. Yet it is not idle repetition. The second question gives urgency to the matter; They speak as men who press for an answer for their guidance (Holtz., H. C.).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The way whereby we come to God.

Thou dost not so judge by outward appearance, that the truth is thereby darkened any whit at all.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(14) Thou regardest not the person of men.—The phrase is essentially Hebrew in its form, but had been made familiar by the Greek Version of the Old Testament.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. Master, we know] This was said in a spirit of hypocritical flattery, as though they were ready to pay Him honour as the Messiah. We find Nicodemus saying the same thing in a spirit of sincerity (Joh_3:2).

and carest for no man] This was a cunning temptation to lift Himself above all respect for the Roman authorities.

Is it lawful to give tribute …?] The snare was no longer laid in the sphere of ecclesiastical questions, but in the more dangerous area of political duty. The tribute-money alluded to was a capitation tax levied by the Roman government, and keenly resented by Judas the Gaulonite (Act_5:37) and his followers. If our Lord held the payment unlawful, He would compromise Himself with the Romans; if He sanctioned it, He would embroil Himself with the national party.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they brought it,.... The penny, which was a Roman one, and worth seven pence halfpenny of our money:

and he saith unto them, whose is this image, and superscription; for it had the head of an emperor upon it, very likely the image of the then reigning emperor Tiberius, and a superscription on it, expressing his name, and perhaps a motto along with it:

and they said unto him, Caesar's; one of the Roman emperors, Augustus, or Tiberius; most probably the latter; See Gill on Mat 22:20, Mat 22:21.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

Ver. 14. To give tribute] This tribute the Jews then paid to the Romans as now they do to the Turks, for the very heads they wear. And yet they had the face to say to our Saviour, "We never were in bondage to any man," Joh 8:33. But perhaps these Jews were of the sect of Judas Gaulonites, who would not be drawn by any torments to acknowledge any lord upon earth; believing that God only was to be held their Lord and King. (Joseph. Ant. xviii, c. 2.)

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The disciples of the Pharisees said this in order to induce our Saviour to answer them, "that they were not to pay tribute to Cæsar, being the people of God; an answer they confidently anticipated, and which the Herodians hearing, might immediately apprehend him, and thus remove the odium from themselves to Herod. (Ven. Bede)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

14. καὶ ἐλθόντες ([2704][2705][2706][2707][2708][2709]) rather than οἱ δὲ ἐλθόντες ([2710][2711][2712][2713][2714]). See on Mar 1:14.

[2704] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[2705] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[2706] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mar 1:17 to Mar 6:31, Mar 8:5 to Mar 12:29, Mar 13:19 to Mar 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[2707] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[2708] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mar 1:1 to Mar 10:15; Mar 10:30 to Mar 15:1; Mar 15:20 to Mar 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[2709] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

[2710] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to King Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. The whole Gospel. Photographic facsimile, 1879.

[2711] Codex Purpureus. 6th cent. Full text in Texts and Studies v. No. 4, 1899. Contains Mar 5:20 to Mar 7:4; Mar 7:20 to Mar 8:32; Mar 9:1 to Mar 10:43; Mar 11:7 to Mar 12:19; Mar 14:25 to Mar 15:23; Mar 15:33-42. See below on Ψ.

[2712] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mar 6:47 to Mar 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[2713] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mar 3:35 to Mar 6:20.

[2714] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

14. ἀληθὴς εἶ. They did not believe this, but they knew that Jesus professed it (Joh 8:14; Joh 8:16; Joh 8:18; Joh 8:40); and we have here indirect confirmation of the Fourth Gospel, in which ἀληθής and the cognate words are freq., whereas ἀληθής occurs nowhere in the Synoptic Gospels, except in this saying.

οὐ μέλει σοι. Cf. Mar 4:38; Luk 10:40; Joh 10:13.

βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον. In LXX. we have ὁρᾶν εἰς πρ. (1Sa 16:7), but more often θαυμάζειν πρ. (Lev 19:15; Pro 18:5; Job 13:10; cf. Jud 1:16) or λαμβάνειν πρ. (Mal 1:8-9; Mal 2:9; Sir 4:21; Sir 4:27; cf. Luk 20:21; Gal 2:6).

ἐπʼ ἀληθείας. On a basis of truth, or according to truth (Luk 4:25; Luk 22:59; Act 10:34). Cf. ἐπʼ ἀδείας, ἐπὶ σχολῆς, ἐπʼ ἴσης, sc. μοίρας.

τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ θεοῦ. Cf. Act 18:26. The opposite of “evil ways,” “ways of sinners,” “false ways” (Psa 119:101; Psa 119:104; Psa 119:128).

ἔξεστιν δοῦναι. “Does the Law allow it?” Cf. εἰ ἔξεστιν (Mar 10:2), οὐκ ἔξεστιν (Mar 2:24; Mar 2:26, Mar 6:18). Since the deposition of Archelaus, Judaea had paid a poll-tax to Rome, and this question about the lawfulness of paying tribute had been raised by Judas of Galilee (Act 5:37), whose rebellion, about A.D. 7, is often mentioned by Josephus (Ant. xviii. 1. 1, etc.). Like the question about authority, this was in itself a fair one to put to a public teacher; it was one about which the Pharisees (Mt.) and the partisans of Herod might feel perplexed. How could the payment of a poll-tax, which went to the fiscus of a heathen Emperor who had robbed the Jews of their freedom, be reconciled with the Law?

κῆνσον. Census from meaning the valuation of a person’s estate came to mean the tax which depended on the valuation, and then any kind of impost, which is the meaning here. The impost being a poll-tax, [2858] and some other authorities have ἐπικεφάλαιον, k capitularium.

[2858] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

ἢ οὔ; The alternative is not otiose; they wish to tie Him down to a plain Yes or No, either of which would land Him in difficulty.

ἢ μὴ δῶμεν; Deliberative subj. (Mar 4:30, Mar 6:24; Mar 6:37), and hence the change from οὐ to μή. This second question is omitted by Mt. and Lk., also by Syr-Sin. in Mk., as superfluous fulness, as in Mar 1:32; Mar 1:42, Mar 6:25, etc.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14.] ἐπʼ ἀληθ., truly,—indeed,—see reff. and ver. 32.

δῶμεν ἢ μὴ δ.; the originality of the report is shewn by these words. They wish to drive our Lord to an absolute affirmation or negation.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. Καὶ ἐλθόντες λέγουσιν αὐτῷ—and coming, they say to him.

καὶ instead of οἱ δὲ, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BCDL Δ 33, mss. Lat. Vet. Egyptt.

This address of his artful enemies is well described in the ἀγρεύσωσι. The question which they have to propose is one bristling with dangers, but then, they tell him, that is just what you do not care for. You have a sole regard for the truth, not for consequences nor persons. Διδάσκαλε—Teacher. They said Rabbi. ἀληθὴς—true, i.e. truthful. καὶ οὐ μέλει σοι περὶ οὐδενός—and carest not for any one. This shows the particular kind of regard for the truth which they had in mind. It was one which did not stand in fear of man, would not be hindered by awe of kings, not even of the Roman emperor. οὐ γὰρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον—for thou dost not look at the person of men; dost not pay attention to those things which belong to outward condition, such as rank or wealth. This is a widening of the meaning of πρόσωπον, belonging to the Heb. τὴν ὁδὸν τ. Θεοῦ—the way of God, the course prescribed for men by God.2 ἔξεστι κῆνσον3 Καίσαρι4 δοῦναι ἢ ου;—Is it right to give tribute to Cæsar or not? This question took on a special form among the Jews, who claimed to be the members of a theocracy, so that paying tribute to a foreigner would seem like disloyalty to the Divine government. The question of policy, or necessity, is kept in the background, and the problem is confined to the rightfulness of paying such tribute. ἢ οὔ—ἢ μὴ.5

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Tribute. See on Mt 22:19.

Person [προσωπον] . Lit., face.

Shall we give, etc. A touch peculiar to Mark.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.