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The Pharisees, one of the strictest religious sects among the Jewish leadership, thought to trap Jesus on the question of tribute, or tax. Being under Roman control, the Pharisees believed it was unlawful to pay taxes to Rome because the land they occupied was “given” to them by God Himself. If Jesus answered “yes, it is lawful to pay tax to Rome", then the Pharisees thought to discredit him to his own people because he didn’t support their claim to independent ownership of the land of Israel. But if Jesus said “No, it is not lawful to pay tax to Rome", they would report him to the Roman’s who would arrest him as a tax evader who is trying to incite the Jews to rebellion against Rome. They thought they had Jesus trapped either way he answered.