What device stemmed from the Pharisees in Matthew Chapter 22 verse 15 was futilely used to ensnare Jesus' words?

Answer 1

The answer is found in the verses following verse 15.

In these verses we read an attempt by the Pharisees and Herodians to lure Jesus into making a political statement with dangerous implications. These two parties were bitter foes but they were brought together by a common hatred of the Saviour. They took advantage of the Jews' division over allegiance to Caesar. They asked a loaded question, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"

If Jesus answered, "No," He would not only antagonize the Herodians, but would be accused of rebellion against the Roman government. The Pharisees would have pressed charges against Him. If He said, "Yes," He would run offend the Jews' intense nationalistic spirit. Support from the common people had so far hindered the leaders in their efforts to dispose of Him.

The Pharisees had hoped to trap Jesus on the question of tribute to Caesar. He exposed their failure to give tribute to God.

Answer/

The fulcrum of the wicked device of the Pharisees was the Latin superscription of Tiberius Caesar on his tribute aurei and denarii coins which read TI CAESAR DIVI F AVGSTVS, the abbreviated of Tiberius Caesar Son of the Divine Augustus when it is Anglicized.

Devised specifically for Jesus as the Son of God and therewith the promised Messiah destined for the throne of David, the unbelieving Pharisees planned to charge him with insurrection if his answer was to not render to Caesar the tribute, or if his answer was to render to Caesar the tribute, to charge him with blasphemy for his advocating paying homage to Tiberius who deified himself Son of God (son of the deity Augustus) as the superscription on the coins read.

Therewith Jesus took the denarius and after he had confirmed with the conspirators that the superscription was engraved TI CAESAR DIVI F AVGSTVS 'blotted out the words and wrote Give to God the things that are God's and give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's' - Coptic Gospels, Bohairic Accounts of the Falling Asleep of Mary.

And so the conspirators marveled and were unable to take hold of his words to charge him before the people of insurrection against the Roman Empire, blasphemy against God or blasphemy in his ministry .