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Translation
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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
Theophylact of Ohrid
"Therefore render," He says, "unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." And notice, He did not say "give," but "render." This, He says, is a debt, therefore pay what is owed. Your sovereign protects you from enemies and makes your life peaceful; for this you owe him tribute. And in another sense: the very thing that you contribute, that is, the coin, you have from him himself. Therefore, return the emperor's coin to him (the emperor) again. …
Titus of Bostra
As if He said, With your words ye tempt me, obey me in works. Ye have indeed Cæsar's image, ye have undertaken his offices, to him therefore give tribute, to God fear. For God requireth not money, but faith.
Clement of Alexandria
And of civil government: "Render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things which are God's."
Western Saints
Ambrose of Milan
Our Lord here teaches us, how cautious we ought to be in our answers to heretics or Jews; as He has said elsewhere, Be ye wise as serpents (Mat. 10:16). Be unwilling then, if thou wouldest not offend Cæsar, to possess worldly goods. And thou rightly teachest, first to render the things which be Cæsar's. For no one can be the Lord's unless he has first renounced the world. Oh most galling chain! To promise to God, and pay not. Far greater is the contract of faith than that of money.
Jerome
[Daniel 8:27] "And I, Daniel, languished and was sick for some days. And when I rose from my bed, I performed the king's tasks." This is the same thing as we read in Genesis about Abraham, for after he had heard the Lord speaking to him, he averred that he was but dust and ashes (Genesis 18:27). And so Daniel states that he languished as a reaction to the horror of the vision, and suffered illness. …
Bede
But from their answer our Lord easily solves the question, for it follows, And he said unto them, Render unto Cæsar the things which be Cœsar's, and unto God the things which be God's.
Translation