Matthew 22:20 Meaning and Explanation
“And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus asks whose image and inscription the coin bears.
What Does Matthew 22:20 Mean?
Holding their coin, Jesus asks a question a child could answer: "Whose is this image and superscription?" Every denarius carried the portrait of the emperor and his engraved titles; the answer is obvious and unavoidable.
The question is quietly loaded, for "image" reaches back to the first chapter of the Bible: God made man "in his own image" (Genesis 1:26-27). A coin stamped with Caesar's likeness belongs, in some sense, to Caesar. And what bears the likeness of God? The verse prepares the great answer of verse 21 by making everyone in the crowd silently finish the thought.
Matthew 22:20 in the Original Language
eikon (εἰκών), 'image' -- a likeness stamped or engraved; the word used of mankind made in God's image.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 22:20
What does Matthew 22:20 mean?
Jesus asks whose image and inscription the coin bears.