Bible Strands
Matthew 22:19
Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses the Pharisees and Herodians who are testing Him with evil intent regarding the Roman tax. He commands them to produce the specific currency required for the tribute.
The words — The command ἐπιδείξατὲ (epideixate) literally means "do show," directed at μοι (moi), "Me," while τοῦ κήνσου (tou kēnsou) specifies the "of the tribute." The object is τὸ νόμισμα (to nomisma), "the coin," which they subsequently present as a denarius.
The thread — The denarius appears elsewhere as a standard day's wage in Matthew 20:2 and a heavy debt in Matthew 18:28, while Revelation 6:6 contrasts its purchasing power during scarcity. This establishes the coin's economic weight across the biblical narrative.
Why it lands — The text records Jesus demanding physical proof of the tax currency before asking whose image and inscription it bears. It requires the reader to acknowledge the tangible reality of earthly authority and its claims before addressing spiritual obligations.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
Cross-references
- Matthew 20:2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
- Matthew 18:28 But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’
- Revelation 6:6 And I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine.”