Title:
Denarius of Tiberius
Description:
Denarius.Obv: Laureate head right. TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS. Rev: PONTIF MAXIM. Livia seated right, holding spear and branch. Minted Lugdunum.
Emperor Tiberius reigned during the life and ministry of Christ- and the denarius with his portrait has become one of the most famous coins of all time- due to the Tribute Penny encounter with Jesus. As the New Testament recounts- near the end of Jesus’ ministry- He had become such a problem for the High Priests of the Israelites (the Pharisees)- that they wanted to get rid of Him--permanently if possible. The Pharisees were in a bind- however- as their religious law forbade capital punishment. The plan they concocted was to get Jesus into trouble with the Roman authorities- a fate that usually resulted in death to the offender. Rome was highly sensitive to any flaunting of its authority- especially from Jews- who were a visible and troublesome minority to the Romans. This solution seemed attractive- since the guilt for Jesus’ death would redound to the Romans- not to the Pharisees. In their plan- Jesus would be approached by some younger men- whom He did not know. (Had He been approached by High Priests- Jesus would have mistrusted them immediately.) The Israelite messengers approached Jesus and asked Him directly- Is it right for us to pay taxes to Rome? (Roman law had decreed that all must pay taxes to Caesar.) If Jesus counseled them to pay the tribute- it would contradict His well-known doctrine that Israel should recognize no authority but Jehova. If- on the other hand- He told them not to pay the tax- that would break Roman law--and the Pharisees could rush to the Roman authorities with the news. In response- Jesus asked to see the coin that the law specified as the tribute to be paid. They showed Him a denarius (a dime-sized silver coin). He asked them whose image and legends did the coin bear. They answered- Caesar’s. and He said- Render- therefore- unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s- and unto God what is God’s. This famous reply at once exposed their deception- thwarted their plot- and took the discussion to a higher plane--one to which they could not respond.
Emperor Tiberius reigned during the life and ministry of Christ- and the denarius with his portrait has become one of the most famous coins of all time- due to the Tribute Penny encounter with Jesus. As the New Testament recounts- near the end of Jesus’ ministry- He had become such a problem for the High Priests of the Israelites (the Pharisees)- that they wanted to get rid of Him--permanently if possible. The Pharisees were in a bind- however- as their religious law forbade capital punishment. The plan they concocted was to get Jesus into trouble with the Roman authorities- a fate that usually resulted in death to the offender. Rome was highly sensitive to any flaunting of its authority- especially from Jews- who were a visible and troublesome minority to the Romans. This solution seemed attractive- since the guilt for Jesus’ death would redound to the Romans- not to the Pharisees. In their plan- Jesus would be approached by some younger men- whom He did not know. (Had He been approached by High Priests- Jesus would have mistrusted them immediately.) The Israelite messengers approached Jesus and asked Him directly- Is it right for us to pay taxes to Rome? (Roman law had decreed that all must pay taxes to Caesar.) If Jesus counseled them to pay the tribute- it would contradict His well-known doctrine that Israel should recognize no authority but Jehova. If- on the other hand- He told them not to pay the tax- that would break Roman law--and the Pharisees could rush to the Roman authorities with the news. In response- Jesus asked to see the coin that the law specified as the tribute to be paid. They showed Him a denarius (a dime-sized silver coin). He asked them whose image and legends did the coin bear. They answered- Caesar’s. and He said- Render- therefore- unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s- and unto God what is God’s. This famous reply at once exposed their deception- thwarted their plot- and took the discussion to a higher plane--one to which they could not respond.
Year:
2015
Mintage:
Lugdunum
Material:
Silver
Weight:
4.0 g
Diameter:
19 mm
Date Added:
2018-06-08 16:54:59
Date Added:
2018-06-08 16:54:59
