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Tribute Money, c. 1612, FAMSF

NARRATOR: This dramatic conversation is centered around the figure of Christ.

KIRK NICKEL: Rubens is well known and well-loved for his tense, dramatic action.

The moment is recounted in the gospels when the Pharisees send their followers to confront Jesus about whether the Jewish people should pay taxes to the Roman government, or if their tithes were due to God alone. This lays a verbal trap for Christ to fall into with the hope that by denouncing the Roman government, the Romans might put Christ to death.

Rubens takes this moment and turns it into a lesson about human sight. The scene seems very confrontational, everyone leaning in, craning their necks to see how Christ will answer this impossible question.

NARRATOR: In response, Christ simply takes a coin with Caesar’s head on it, saying “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God, the things that are God’s”. In this way, he astonishes his audience with his intellectual dexterity, and grasp of fundamental truth.