-17, but most miss Jesus's main point.  Religion and politics make strange bedfellows, so the old saying goes, and that is aptly the case in these verses.  The disciples of the Pharisees along with the Herodians think they have Jesus on the horns of a dilemma.  He cannot answer their question, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?" one way or the other without injuring the sensibilities of one of the groups.  So, the Master Teacher did what He was good at--turning a physical discussion into a spiritual lesson.  While paying taxes to Caesar is lawful, He says, there is something even more important.