Whose is This Image and Superscription? - Mark 12:16

Mark wrote how, “they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that you are true, and care for no man: for you regard not the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt you me? bring me a penny, that I may see it”, and in chapter twelve and verse sixteen of his book, Mark shared how Jesus asks the “Pharisees and Herodians”, “whose is this image and superscription?” where we read:

And they brought it. And he said unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

And they said unto him, Caesar's.

The verse reads, “And they brought it. And he said unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?” Mark began with the words, “and they brought it” which means “and the Pharisees and Herodians carried and presented the denarius to Jesus”. “And he said unto them” or “and Jesus uttered, declared and proclaimed to the Pharisees and Herodians”, “whose is this image” which means “who is this figure, likeness, representation and resemblance likened unto” “and superscription” or “and title or inscription upon the coin”. Mark shared how the “Pharisees and Herodians” brought the “denarius” to Jesus and He asked them, who is the person and inscription upon the “coin”?

The verse continues, “And they said unto him, Caesar's.” Mark added the words, “and they said unto him” which means “and the Pharisees and Herodians” “uttered, declared, proclaimed and answered Jesus”, “Caesar's” which refers to “the surname of Julius Caesar, which adopted by Octavius Augustus and his successors afterwards became a title, and was appropriated by the Roman emperors as part of their title whose name means severed”. Mark shared how the “Pharisees and Herodians” answered Jesus that it was “Caesar's” “image and superscription” upon the coin.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see how the “Pharisees and Herodians” brought Jesus the coin and He asked them to tell Him whose “figure, likeness and inscription” was upon it. Jesus came to die for the “sins” of people who were made in the “image” of God, and because He knew the most about “images and superscriptions”, He was leading these “leaders” to discover not only their error in “testing” Him, but also the real purpose for which He came. Those who are wise will examine Jesus' words and understand, He speaks and does all things well and is worthy of yielding one's life to Him.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus answered, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's” so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".