Luke 20:24 Meaning and Explanation
“Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus asks them to show him a penny and name whose image and inscription it bears. They answer: Caesar's.
What Does Luke 20:24 Mean?
Jesus does not produce the coin; he has his questioners produce it. The denarius they hand over bears the emperor's portrait ringed by his titles. By naming its owner themselves, they concede that they carry his coin and trade within his realm.
The whole answer is hidden in one word: image. A stamped likeness declares origin and ownership; the coin belongs to the one whose face it wears. Jesus has planted the question that lies beneath every question of allegiance, and the next verse harvests it: if the coin bears Caesar's image, what — and who — bears God's? (Genesis 1:27). What is stamped on a thing tells you where it must finally be rendered.
Luke 20:24 in the Original Language
eikon (εἰκών), 'image' -- a likeness stamped or impressed; the word used when God made man in his image.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 20:24
What does Luke 20:24 mean?
Jesus asks them to show him a penny and name whose image and inscription it bears. They answer: Caesar's.