The Saviour's words, "Render . . . unto God the things that are God's," were a severe rebuke to the intriguing Jews. Had they faithfully fulfilled their obligations to God, they would not have become a broken nation, subject to a foreign power. No Roman ensign would have waved over Jerusalem, no Roman sentinel would have stood at her gates, no Roman governor would have ruled within her walls. The Jewish nation was then paying the penalty of its apostasy from God.

Frelserens ord: Giv Gud, hvad Guds er var en streng irettesættelse til de rænkefulde jøder. Hvis de med troskab havde opfyldt deres forpligtelser overfor Gud, ville de ikke være blevet til et underkuet folk, der stod under en fremmed magt. Ingen romersk standart ville så have vajet over Jerusalem, ingen romerske skildvagter ville have stået ved byens porte, og ingen romersk landshøvding ville have hersket inden for dens mure. Jødefolket betalte dengang boden for sit frafald fra Gud.