Why did Jesus say render unto Cesar what is Cesar and to god what is god's if he is against taxation?

Answer 1

In the section of Matthew 22 15-22 the Pharissess and the Herodians are trying to trap Jesus into making a statment that they could use against Him. So they ask Jesus the 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 hustled Him off and pressed charges against Him. If He said, "Yes," He would run afoul of the Jews' intense nationalistic spirit. He would lose much support among the common people-support which so far hindered the leaders in their efforts to dispose of Him.

Jesus knows what they are trying to do: Matthew 22:18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?

Jesus asked them to show Him a denarius, the coin used to pay taxes to the Roman government. Then Jesus asked them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They were forced to answer, "Caesar's." Then Jesus told them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

Annoying as it was, they did give Caesar his due, but they had disregarded the claims of God on their lives. They had hoped to trap Jesus on the question of tribute to Caesar. He exposed their failure to give tribute to God.

Jesus was not against taxation he said do what is right