Tribute
Summary
Tribute denoted either taxes paid by a conquered people to their overlords, or the half-shekel Temple tax paid annually by every adult Jewish male for the maintenance of sanctuary services.
☩Temple Tribute
Every adult male Israelite paid an annual half-shekel (about fifteen pence) for the maintenance of the Temple services, acknowledging God's sovereign claim over His people. This practice originated in the wilderness (Exodus 30) and continued throughout Israel's history. When asked whether Jesus paid this tribute, Peter affirmed that He did, though Jesus explained that as the Son of the heavenly King, He was properly exempt—yet paid to avoid causing offense. After AD 70, Vespasian diverted this tax to the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus in Rome.
☩Tribute to Foreign Powers
Throughout their history, the Israelites paid tribute to foreign conquerors—Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and Romans. After Judea became a Roman province, Augustus instituted a poll tax levied on all males from fourteen and females from twelve up to sixty-five years of age. This taxation sparked Judas the Galilean's insurrection, as many Jews considered it unlawful to acknowledge any master but God. The Romans farmed out tax collection, leading to notorious abuses by publicans.
☩The Tribute Question
The Pharisees and Herodians sought to trap Jesus by asking whether it was lawful to pay tribute to Caesar. A 'yes' would alienate Jewish nationalists; a 'no' would invite charges of sedition against Rome. Jesus' brilliant response—'Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's'—acknowledged civil obligations while asserting God's higher claim. By their use of Caesar's currency, His questioners had already implicitly acknowledged Roman authority.
Related Verses40 mentions
References
- 1.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Tribute," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 2.George Morrish, "Tribute," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Tribute," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 4.John Kitto, "Tribute," in A Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature, vol. II (Mark H. Newman, 1845).
- 5.American Tract Society, "Tribute," in American Tract Society Bible Dictionary (American Tract Society, 1859).