Daily Writing

Friday, 28 August 2026

Show Me the tax money.”
So they brought Him a denarius. Matthew 22:19

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“‘You display to me the ‘coin, the census’.’
They also offered to Him – denarius.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus knew that they were setting a trap for Him with their question about paying the census. Therefore, He challenged them on it, calling them hypocrites. In order to give them a response, He next says, “You display to me the ‘coin, the census’.”

Instead of directly answering their question, He asks for the coin used when paying the Roman census. As this was the approved coin, it means that every person in the country had their census paid for with it.

Whatever they hand Him, therefore, will provide His answer to their question. If He sides with the Herodians, the Pharisees will be able to accuse Him. If He sides with the Pharisees, the Herodians will be able to accuse Him. How will He get out of this? Not yet knowing His intent, “They also offered to Him – denarius.”

The denarius is a Roman coin. Depending on what the census tax was referring to in Matthew 17, this may help us understand the didrachma mentioned there –“When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, ‘Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?’
²⁵ He said, ‘Yes.’
And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, ‘What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?’
²⁶ Peter said to Him, ‘From strangers.’
Jesus said to him, ‘Then the sons are free. ²⁷ Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.’” Matthew 17:24-27

Regardless of the meaning of that tax, the denarius was a standard coin, known to be widely used among the people. It has already been noted in two parables, indicating that it was the standard coin used by the people when dealing with such matters –

“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’” Matthew 18:28

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.” Matthew 20:1, 2

As this is so, Jesus will make a point about the matter based on this.

Life application: If you are planning on making an accusation or a defense about a matter, one sure way to bolster your side of the argument is to have a physical prop at hand. In a trial, something with fingerprints on it is a certain way of proving that a person’s hand was on whatever is presented.

Having photos of a person doing something, legal or illegal, can be used to prosecute or defend. Such things work because people can see them. They become undeniable pieces of evidence to support one’s position.

Instead of just saying what is on His mind, Jesus uses a physical, tangible prop to support what He is about to say. Depending on what is said, and also who says it, an air-tight case can be made, beyond which there can be no contestation.

Remember this as you deal in such matters. If you have such a prop available to you, be sure to include it. Words can have strength, but physical evidence of some sort can be the final nail in the coffin when it is presented.

Lord God, help us to think matters through so that we will take the right avenue that is needed to resolve the difficult matters that arise in our lives. May this be especially true when we deal in matters which include our relationship with You. May our lives and actions always bring glory to You. Amen.

Thursday, 27 August 2026

But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?” Matthew 22:18

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Having known, also, the ‘Jesus’, the ‘depravity, theirs’, He said, ‘Why, Me, you test, hypocrites?’” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus was questioned whether it was right to give a census to Caesar, or not. In response, it says, “Having known, also, the ‘Jesus’, the ‘depravity, theirs’.”

A new word is seen here, ponéria, depravity. It is derived from ponos, toil, and by implication anguish or pain. HELPS Word Studies defines it as pain-ridden evil. These men were working out evil like a criminal would. Spending their effort on what would benefit them at the expense of others.

In Mark, it says that Jesus knew their hypocrisy. Luke uses a word signifying craftiness. Jesus was able to know, without a moment’s hesitation, that they were trying to trap Him. As such, “He said, ‘Why, Me, you test, hypocrites?’”

They were presenting one face while getting ready to put on another, as the term hypocrite implies. As soon as they heard Him give an incorrect answer, which they thought would come from any answer He gave, they would pounce on Him like rabid animals.

But that seems less likely now that He has demonstrated that He is aware of their wicked intentions.

Life application: How often does it happen that you have something occur in your life and you’re not sure what to do about it, but then a few days later, the pastor preaches on exactly what you needed to know? Or maybe, you read the Bible a couple days later, and there is the answer that you could have used to resolve your difficulty.

Likewise, how often does something happen which would otherwise be difficult for you to handle, but just the day before, or maybe that very morning, you had read something in the Bible that mirrors the situation in which you find yourself?

When this happens, what does that tell you? In the first instance, you might say to yourself, “I need to read the Bible more often. If I had just spent my time there, this wouldn’t have been a problem.” In the second instance, you might say, “I sure am glad I spend each day reading the Bible. If I had skipped this morning’s reading, I may not have had a clue about what to do!”

The Bible is a book of many types of instruction, one of which is life in general. As you go through your life, you are bound to have instances like these come up because God created mankind. His word is a blueprint for the proper operation of human beings.

Marriage, work ethic, saving money, raising children, etc., are a part of what we engage in during our lives. The Bible gives sound advice, whether implicit or explicit, on such matters. Therefore, it is natural that we will find the answer to difficulties in such matters there.

Jesus’ example provides us with the knowledge that we should consider what people are up to when they ask various questions. Some people may seem like they are asking about one thing, when their ulterior motives are kept hidden away for a later time. The people Jesus interacted with are real people, not characters in a book.

As such, when we see how they interact with Jesus, we can learn from that. Consider this as you read the Bible. We can learn so much as we consider the words before us, one aspect of which is human behavior. Great stuff from the Creator to those willing to engage with His word, our blueprint for a properly run life.

Lord God, it is always a joy to read Your word and then find that what we read fits into the next things we are doing in our daily lives. It is like a wink from You that You have ordained our days and are directing us according to Your wisdom. Thank You for Your wonderful word. Amen.

Wednesday, 26 August 2026

Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” Matthew 22:17

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“You tell, therefore, us what You, it seems? It permits to give census to Caesar or not?” (CG)

In the previous verse, it was noted that the disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians went to Jesus, buttering Him up with platitudes. Now that they feel He is primed for a fall into the trap they have set, they say, “You tell, therefore, us what to You, it seems.”

Here it goes. In the previous verse, they said to Jesus, “Teacher, we have known that true, You are, and the ‘way, the God’ in truth You teach, and not it concerns You about anyone. Not, also, You look to ‘appearance, men’.”

Now, instead of asking what Scripture (the ‘way, the God’) says, they ask for an opinion that is surely intended to trap Him in a moral, religious, or cultural dilemma. One can see them salivating over the answer He will give, knowing that they have Him in a box. And so, with this in mind, they ask their question, “It permits to give census to Caesar or not?”

The kensos, census, was introduced in Matthew 17:25. It is a poll tax that was not paid in their Jewish currency but in Roman coin. This is a problem and a dilemma that the people faced. Should they obediently submit to those who ruled them, or should they rebel against their authority?

This is where they feel that they have trapped Him. If He says to not pay it, the Herodians are standing there, ready to report Him to the Roman authorities for being a rebel against their duly set authority.

On the other hand, if He says that they were to pay the poll tax, the Pharisees, as the religious authorities over the people, would be able to tell the masses that Jesus was a traitor to the nation, placing the authority of the Romans above supposed allegiance to God, who established them as a people.

The idea of “supposed” is not that the people could be disobedient to God, but that there may be a contingency not suggested in the presentation of their false dilemma that had nothing to do with disobedience to God.

Life application: As noted in a previous commentary, fallacies are mistakes in reasoning that render an argument weak, unsound, or invalid. The content of the fallacy is based on an already broken structure of argumentation.

The problem is that people quite often do not know what fallacies are or when they are presented. Instead, they hear what is being presented and, without thinking the matter through, assume that what is stated is valid.

And there are a seemingly endless number of fallacies to contend with. Some, like the false dilemma, are often so seemingly innocuous that they are hard to pin down, especially when one is under pressure to give a response.

A few common fallacies are: Ad Hominem – Attacking the person making an argument instead of the argument itself. Straw Man – Changing or exaggerating an opponent’s argument to make it easier to knock down. False Dilemma – Pretending there are only two choices when there are more options. Appeal to Authority – Claiming something is true just because an expert or famous person says so, without real evidence. Bandwagon (Ad Populum) – Saying an idea is right because lots of people believe in it. Circular Reasoning – Repeating the claim inside the proof itself instead of giving a real reason. Slippery Slope – Claiming that a small first step will lead to a giant, bad disaster without proof. Hasty Generalization – Making a giant rule based on just a small example.

We hear these errors in thinking all the time, but don’t consider them because we have not taken the time to understand what is being presented or who is presenting the information.

Take time to go to a website that specifically lists fallacies and look them over. Consider each one in your mind before moving on. This will help you immensely when you hear people refer to all types of matters.

One from a religious perspective was given by John Hagee when he was selling a book about Jesus. He said, “Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah.” Obviously, he had never read the Bible through because Jesus explicitly claimed to be the Messiah in John 4:26, John 17:3 (which uses the word “Christ”, and which means “Messiah”), etc.

Further, the terms Messiah and Christ, when referring to Jesus, are stated well over 250 times. But what John Hagee did was to build a Straw Man fallacy by redefining what “Messiah” means for his own purposes. He then essentially said, “See, Jesus never claimed this.”

But how many people went out and bought the book? And how many continued to sit under his teaching after such an enormous, purposeful attack against the position and authority of Jesus? The fact that they accepted his word reflects another fallacy mentioned above, the Appeal to Authority. “Oh, the preacher is a specialist on this or that. Therefore, what he says must be true.”

Be careful to know when you are being sold a bill of goods. Jesus was prepared, as we will see.

Lord God, keep us from false teachers who present misleading, bogus, and even heretical doctrines that will blind us to the truth of Your word. Give us wisdom to understand how what they present is false so that we will not be duped by their words. Yes, help us in this, O God. Amen.

Tuesday, 25 August 2026

And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. Matthew 22:16

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And they send to Him the ‘disciples, theirs’ with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we have known that true, You are, and the ‘way, the God’ in truth You teach, and not it concerns You about anyone. Not, also, You look to ‘appearance, men’.’” (CG)

The previous verse noted that the Pharisees left and took counsel on how they might ensnare Jesus in His words. That continues now, saying, “And they send to Him the ‘disciples, theirs’ with the Herodians.”

The Héródianoi, Herodians, are introduced at this point. Both Strong and the NAS Exhaustive Concordance say these are “partisans of Herod.” They are mentioned only three times between Matthew and Mark. Of them, Cambridge says –

“The Herodians are not named except in the first two Gospels; nor does Josephus include them in his account of Jewish sects. They were probably numerically insignificant, and may indeed have consisted merely of a few renegade Jews, who belonged to Herod’s court.”

Though nothing more is known about them, as other scholars admit, there are pages of speculation on them. Whatever their political and/or religious leanings, at this time, they were in cahoots with the Pharisees, having come with their disciples, “saying, ‘Teacher, we have known that true, You are, and the ‘way, the God’ in truth You teach.’”

You can see what they are up to. It just said in the previous verse concerning Jesus, “how, Him, they might ensnare in word.” In order to do that, they speak to Him with platitudes, buttering Him up so that He will be caught off guard concerning their true intent. It is a common ploy that is universal to mankind. Continuing on, they say, “and not it concerns You about anyone.”

A new word is seen here, meló, to concern. It deals especially with paying attention, giving thought to a matter, or taking an interest in it. In other words, their intent is that “the opinions of others don’t matter.” They are handing out platitudes before the words intended to trap Him are set forth. In confirmation of their words, they next say, “Not, also, You look to ‘appearance, men’.”

This is something expected by the law when dealing with people from a judicial standpoint –

“You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s.” Deuteronomy 1:17

“You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.” Deuteronomy 16:19

Thus, these men are essentially saying, “You certainly uphold the standards set forth by Moses.”

Life application: These people spoke to Jesus in a manner that buttered Him up based on standards set forth in Scripture. They figured that in this approach, Jesus would be caught off balance when they submit to Him a question intended to ensnare Him. However, they didn’t realize that Jesus is the ultimate Author of Scripture.

As this is so, He was fully aware of other verses that warned against people just like them –

“For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;
Their inward part is destruction;
Their throat is an open tomb;
They flatter with their tongue.
¹⁰ Pronounce them guilty, O God!
Let them fall by their own counsels;
Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,
For they have rebelled against You.” Psalm 5:9, 10

“A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
And a flattering mouth works ruin.” Proverbs 26:28

Jesus will be able to deal with these men in an appropriate way because He was aware of their tactics. And He was aware of them because He knew what Scripture says about such people. This is why it is important to read the word, contemplating what it says, and remembering the truths it conveys.

The more you read it, the more you will be able to do this. Jesus gave us Scripture, expecting us to follow Him in our understanding and right-application of it. Be sure to pay heed to what the word says!

Lord God, may we be diligent in our study of Your word. The more we read it and assimilate its truths into our lives, the more we will be molded in our thinking to what You have presented there. Give us the will, desire, time, and ability to grasp its many truths, applying them to our lives as we live in Your presence. Amen.

Monday, 24 August 2026

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. Matthew 22:15

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Then, having gone, the Pharisees, counsel, they took: how, Him, they might ensnare in word.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus summed up the parable of the wedding feast, saying, “Many, also, they are invitees, and few, elect.” Having said that, and fully understanding Jesus’ meaning as conveyed in the parable, it next says, “Then, having gone, the Pharisees, counsel, they took.”

The word tote, then, tells us this is chronological. Jesus has told them in parables what was to come upon them. This would have them completely riled up, understanding that Jesus’ intent was that they would not be included in the good things that lie ahead.

It would be like telling the pope the same type of thing today. He would be incredulous that anyone would dare say he was not fit for the position he held and that he would be swept away in his iniquity. Therefore, these Pharisees assembled to hold counsel “how, Him, they might ensnare in word.”

Here is a word found only here in Scripture, pagideuó, to ensnare. It is from pagis, a snare. They will attempt to ensnare this great wordsmith who was so eloquent in speaking parables by the very words He seemed to have such mastery over.

The singular “word” signifies an utterance. It is like our question today, “What is the good word?” They are looking to take some thought expressed by Jesus and have Him ruin Himself. In a society ruled by Rome, words could lead to execution. In a society under the authority of the Law of Moses, words could lead to punishment, being cut off from the nation, or execution.

Therefore, if they could pit what Jesus said against one side or the other, they could have Him out of their way.

Life application: In today’s world of social media, it isn’t hard to know what a person is really thinking. Politicians come forward with platforms that appeal to the masses, but later, their old posts or tweets are brought forward that are completely contrary to the public statements they have recently made.

In such cases, it is clear that the words they should be identified with are those said when there was no public eye to watch over them. If they took a particular stand at an earlier time, it is to be accepted that this is their true stand.

Likewise, when undercover reporters talk to someone about their views in private, those views are to be trusted above what they would say in public. They will reveal the true substance of the person’s thoughts.

When a person is put into a spot where he is trapped between two seemingly conflicting ideologies, he will need to navigate clearly through the snare that has been set for him. In such cases. This type of situation is often only what is known as a false dilemma. A false dilemma is also known as an either-or situation or a black-and-white scenario.

Limited choices are presented as the only possible options. However, such a submission will often ignore other paths that are present. Unfortunately, when people are put in such a spot, they cannot mentally untie the knot they have been presented. And so, they feel they have to make a choice where they will look good in one way while looking bad in another.

Follow the words ahead and see how Jesus navigates through such a false dilemma. When you understand that what was presented was not the full scope of what He could do, you can and should learn from His response. Pay attention to such challenges you may face and take a moment to think through your response.

Also, be sure to be as consistent in your words when you are in a private setting as you would be in a public setting. In addition to that, if you truly have changed over the years, you might consider going back through your past social media posts to remove things you said when you were thinking in a manner that no longer reflects your values.

Lord God, help us to have proper words that are filled with grace, respect towards others, and that always honor You. It is easy to stray into unhealthy discourse with others if we don’t monitor ourselves. So remind us of who we are because of who we belong to and what we should be saying as we live our lives in Your presence. Amen.