Jesus gave several thinly-veiled parables about the Pharisees rejecting God. So, in turn, the Pharisees sent spies to Jesus. These include some Pharisee disciples as well as Herodians.
They ask Jesus whether it is acceptable to pay taxes to Caesar.
On one hand, it is a fair question. It asks what are the civic duties for people of faith? Can people of faith live under a secular law and an ecclesiastical one?
However, the question was not motivated by curiosity, but it contextually was a trap. At this time, Jerusalem lay under Roman occupation. If Jesus said it was wrong to pay taxes to Rome, then this would anger the Romans and would be viewed as inciting rebellion. On the other, if Jesus said it was OK to give taxes to Rome, then this would be viewed as saying that Roman authority supersedes their religious one. In other words, that God (Yahweh) was less important than Rome. Likewise, the Romans worshipped their emperors so to give taxes to Rome might be viewed as saying God (Yahweh) is less important than the Roman gods.
The question also seems to assume that there is a conflict between paying taxes to Rome as well as authority under God.
Will Jesus blaspheme God or incite rebellion against Rome? That is the crux of the question.
Jesus knows that it is a trap. He again lets them answer first, which he applies. This practice he used in the parables.
Jesus asks to see a denarius coin, which is used to pay the tax. He asks whose face is on it. The answer was Caesar's. Jesus then status that give Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what is God's.
By asking for the denarius coin first, Jesus skirts the issue. No one can argue that the coin belongs to the Roman authority.
This answer catches them off guard and the spies are amazed.
The context was a trap, but the greater principle is that people of faith live under both the law of God and the law of the secular authorities, at least where there is no conflict. In this context, paying taxes does not present a conflict between religious and secular duties.
So, practically speaking, what does this mean?
(1) Pay taxes.
The government issued the money and requires taxes with the money it issued. The government owns the tax money and it would be stealing to withhold it.
(2) Tithe to God.
Different churches have different tithing requirements, but usually involving ten percent. Some churches might only require official members or leaders to tithe the full ten percent. Some churches go even further and say do not tithe to the church if one has credit card debt.
Regardless, it is an ecclesiastical duty within the confines of the church and must be done separate and apart from the paying of taxes to the secular authorities.
(3) submit to the secular authorities
At least in the context of paying taxes.
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