Matthew 22

15)Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
16)And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that
thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man : for thou
regardest not the person of men.
17)Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou ? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not ?
18)But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites ?
19)Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20)And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription ?
21)They say unto him, Caesars. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the
things which are Caesars ; and unto God the things that are Gods.
22)When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left him, and went their way.
We must ask as to how the Pharisees go about tempting Jesus: by asking a question. And that
the question is being used to tempt Jesus gives us reasoning to hold that the Pharisees
believed Jesus not to be in favour of showing tribute to Caesar in the house of God. Certainly
we can see, by Jesus' stating ''Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?'', that paying tribute to Caesar,
in the house of God, was not something to which he wished to subscribe. Given this it is
surprising that the commonly held interpretation was arrived upon, especially given proposition
22 telling of how the Pharisees, on being answered by Jesus, marvel. Just why would they
marvel at a Jesus reneging on his divinely groundly principles? Let us examine the answer
given, and the exchange just prior to this answer :

There is an unconscious appositeness in the use of the word 'person' to designate the human
individual, as is done in all European languages: for 'persona' really means an actor's mask, and
it is true that no one reveals himself as he is; we all wear a mask and play a role.
- Schopenhauer