Christ and the tribute by Masaccio
Does everyone 'recognize' a New Testament passage depicted in this painting?
This passage is sometimes viewed as a 'weakness' in Christian methodology. It isn't and where anyone might make that arguement about the words of their own savior is beyond my understanding. This isn't about taxes. It is the 'strength' of the Christianity as dictated by Jesus Christ. He PLAINLY separated Church and State in his ministry and it gave him 'the right' to conduct his prophecy, unimpeded until a crisis of authority manifested between Rome and the Jews. Jesus in his ministry was empowering the Jews. Rome didn't want that and he became a martyr to his own 'truth.' He was crucified under the laws of Rome.
The laws of Rome made the memory of Jesus to his apostles and their conviction to their beliefs 'stronger' to endure beyond his life.
Matthew 22:35
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
