SEV Biblia, Chapter 22:20
Entonces les dice: ¿De quin es esta imagen, y lo que est encima escrito?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 22:20
Verse 20. Whose is this image and superscription?] He knew well enough whose they were; but he showed the excellency of his wisdom, 3dly, in making them answer to their own confusion. They came to ensnare our Lord in his discourse, and now they are ensnared in their own. He who digs a pit for his neighbour ordinarily falls into it himself.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 20. And he saith unto them , etc.] Having the penny in one hand, and pointing to it with the other, whose is this image and superscription? or inscription? for the penny that was, brought him had an image upon it, the form of a mans head struck on it, and round about it an inscription, or writing, showing who it was the image of, and whose money it was, and when it was coined: this is enough to show, that this penny was not a Jewish, but a Roman one; for the Jews, though they put inscriptions, yet no images on their coin; and much less would they put Caesars thereon, as was on this: it is asked f1178 , What is the coin of Jerusalem? The answer is, David and Solomon on one side, and Jerusalem the holy city off the other side, i.e. as the gloss observes, David and Solomon were written on one side, and on the other side were written Jerusalem the holy city.
It follows, and what was the coin of Abraham our father? an old man and an old woman, (Abraham and Sarah,) on one side, and a young man and a young woman, (Isaac and Rebekah,) on the other side.
The gloss on it is, not that there was on it the form of an old man and an old woman on one side, and of a young man and a young woman on the other, for it is forbidden to make the form of a man; but so it was written on one side, an old man and an old woman, and on the other side, a young man and a young woman.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 15-22 - The Pharisees sent their disciples with the Herodians, a party amon the Jews, who were for full subjection to the Roman emperor. Thoug opposed to each other, they joined against Christ. What they said of Christ was right; whether they knew it or not, blessed be God we know it. Jesus Christ was a faithful Teacher, and a bold reprover. Chris saw their wickedness. Whatever mask the hypocrite puts on, our Lor Jesus sees through it. Christ did not interpose as a judge in matter of this nature, for his kingdom is not of this world, but he enjoin peaceable subjection to the powers that be. His adversaries wer reproved, and his disciples were taught that the Christian religion i no enemy to civil government. Christ is, and will be, the wonder, no only of his friends, but of his enemies. They admire his wisdom, but will not be guided by it; his power, but will not submit to it.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ λεγει 3004 5719 V-PAI-3S αυτοις 846 P-DPM τινος 5101 I-GSM η 3588 T-NSF εικων 1504 N-NSF αυτη 3778 D-NSF και 2532 CONJ η 3588 T-NSF επιγραφη 1923 N-NSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
20. Image and superscription (eikwn kai epigrafh). Images on coins were not approved by the Jews. Out of respect to this prejudice none of the earlier Herods had his own image impressed on them. Herod Agrippa I., who murdered James and imprisoned Peter, introduced the practice. The coin shown to Christ must either have been struck in Rome, or else was one of the Tetrarch Philip, who was the first to introduce the image of Caesar on strictly Jewish coins.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
22:20 { this image and superscription} (he eikwn haute kai he epigrafe). Probably a Roman coin because of the image (picture) on it. The earlier Herods avoided this practice because of Jewish prejudice, but the Tetrarch Philip introduced it on Jewish coins and he was followed by Herod Agrippa I. this coin was pretty certainly stamped in Rome with the image and name of Tiberius Caesar on it.
