The Pharisees, outwardly demonstrating respect and courtesy, approached Jesus and said: "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." (Matt. 22:16.)

Elder Howard W. Hunter, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and speaking in the April 1968 general conference said: "It would appear that these honeyed words were spoken to disarm His

the Savior'sT suspicions, so He would give them His confidential opinion for their guidance in a moral issue. Then followed the carefully worded question: `Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?'"The question was maliciously framed so as to require an answer of `yes' or `no,' either of which would give them the basis to destroy Him. If He had said, `Yes, pay the tax,' He would have been called a traitor. It would have driven a wedge between Him and His followers and created rebellion. If His answer had been, `No, it is not lawful to pay the tax,' they would have delivered Him into the hands of Rome on the charge of treason.

"His adversaries intended that Jesus would be gored on whichever horn of dilemma He might choose. The interesting thing about His answer is that He did not evade the question, but He answered it clearly and positively without being caught on either horn. He said, `Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money; And they brought unto him a penny.' (Matt. 22:18-19.)

There was a common maxim that the one who causes his image and titles to be stamped on the coin is the owner of the coin and acknowledged as the sovereign. `And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. . . .' (Matt. 22:20-21.)

"They had acknowledged that the coin belonged to the Roman Emperor, and it being the current coin for the payment of tax, it showed the country to be under the rule of Rome. ` . . . Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.' (Matt. 22:21.) In other words, `Don't be unjust: give to Caesar the things that are his; and at the same time don't be impious: give to God the things that belong to God.' "

Elder Hunter said that in modern times of unrest, the question might appropriately be asked, "What do we owe to Caesar? To the country in which we live?" Elder Hunter said: "We owe allegiance, respect, and honor. Laws enacted to promote the welfare of the whole and suppress evil doing are to be strictly obeyed. We must pay tribute to sustain the government in the necessary expense incurred in the protection of life, liberty, property, and in promoting the welfare of all persons."