Dictionaries :: Tribute

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Tribute:

a tax imposed by a king on his subjects (2Sa 20:24; 1Ki 4:6; Rom 13:6). In Mat 17:24-27 the word denotes the temple rate (the "didrachma," the "half-shekel," as rendered by the R.V.) which was required to be paid for the support of the temple by every Jew above twenty years of age (Exd 30:12; 2Ki 12:4; 2Ch 24:6,9). It was not a civil but a religious tax.

In Mat 22:17, Mar 12:14, Luk 20:22, the word may be interpreted as denoting the capitation tax which the Romans imposed on the Jewish people. It may, however, be legitimately regarded as denoting any tax whatever imposed by a foreign power on the people of Israel. The "tribute money" shown to our Lord (Mat 22:19) was the denarius, bearing Caesar's superscription. It was the tax paid by every Jew to the Romans. (See PENNY.)

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Tribute:

trib'-ut (mac, "tribute," really meaning "forced laborers," "labor gang" (1Ki 4:6; 9:15,21); also "forced service," "serfdom"; possibly "forced payment" is meant in Es 10:1; the idea contained in the modern word is better given by middah (Ezr 6:8; Ne 5:4)): Words used only of the duty levied for Yahweh on acquired spoils are mekhec, "assessment" (Nu 31:28,37,38,39,40,41), belo, "excise" (Ezr 4:13,20; Ne 7:24), massa'," burden" (2Ch 17:11), and ‘onesh, "fine" or "indemnity" (2Ki 23:33; compare Pr 19:19). The translation "tribute" for miccath, in De 16:10 is wrong (compare the Revised Version margin). kensos (Mt 22:17; Mr 12:14) =" census," while phoros (Lu 20:22; 23:2; Ro 13:6,7), signifies an annual tax on persons, houses, lands, both being direct taxes. The phoroi were paid by agriculturists, payment being made partly in kind, partly in money, and are contrasted with the tele of the publicans, while kensos is strictly a poll tax. The amount of tribute required as a poll tax by the Romans was the didrachmon (Mt 17:24), the King James Version "tribute," the Revised Version (British and American) "half-shekel." The stater (Mt 17:27), was a tetradrachm, "one shekel," or pay for two. After the destruction of Jerusalem, the Jews were required to pay this poll tax toward the support of the worship of Jupiter Capitolinus. Different kinds of personal taxes were raised by the Romans:

(1) an income tax,

(2) the poll tax.

The latter must be paid by women and slaves as well as by free men, only children and aged people being exempted. The payment exacted began with the 14th year in the case of men and the 12th in the case of women, the obligation remaining in force up to the 65th year in the case of both. For purposes of assessment, each person was permitted to put his own statement on record. After public notice had been given by the government, every citizen was expected to respond without personal visitation by an official (see Lu 2:1 ff). On the basis of the records thus voluntarily made, the tax collectors would enforce the payment of the tribute.

Written by Frank E. Hirsch

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

Tribute: Sometimes exacted by kings from their own subjects

1Sa 8:10-17

Tribute: Exacted from All Conquered Nations

Jos 16:10; Jdg 1:30,33,35; 2Ki 23:33,35

Tribute: Often Exacted In

Labour

1Ki 5:13,14; 9:15,21

Produce of land, &c

1Sa 8:15; 1Ki 4:7

Gold and silver

2Ki 23:33,35

Tribute: The Jews Required to Pay Half a Shekel to God As

Exd 30:12-16

Tribute: Christ to avoid offence wrought a miracle to pay for himself

Mat 17:24-27

Tribute: Kings of Israel

Forbidden to levy unnecessary or oppressive

Deu 17:17

Set officers over

2Sa 20:24; 1Ki 4:6,7

Often oppressed the people with

1Ki 12:4,11

Tribute: When Oppressive Frequently Led to Rebellion

1Ki 12:14-20

Tribute: Priests and Levites Exempted From

Ezr 7:24

Tribute: Roman

Decree of Augustus for

Luk 2:1

First levied in Judea when Cyrenius was governor

Luk 2:2

Persons enroled for, in the native place of their tribe and family

Luk 2:3-5

Collected by the Publicans

Luk 3:12,13; 5:27

Was paid in Roman coin

Mat 22:19,20

Was resisted by the Galilaeans under Judas of Galilee

Act 5:37; Luk 13:1

Christ showed to the Pharisees and Herodians the propriety of paying

Mat 22:15-22; Mar 12:13-17

Our Lord falsely accused of forbidding to pay

Luk 23:2

Tribute: All Saints Exhorted to Pay

Rom 13:6,7

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Tribute:

akin to phero, "to bring," denotes "tribute" paid by a subjugated nation, Luk 20:22; 23:2; Rom 13:6, 7.

Tribute:

Lat. and Eng., "census," denotes "a poll tax," Mat 17:25; 22:17, 19; Mar 12:14.

Tribute:

"the half-shekel," is rendered "tribute" in Mat 17:24 (twice): see SHEKEL, No. 2.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Tribute:

The chief biblical facts connected with the payment of tribute have been already given under TAXES. SEE [TAXES]. The tribute (money) mentioned in Matthew 17:24, 25 was the half shekel (worth from 25 to 27 cents-A.D. 1884 ‐ BLB Ed.) applied to defray the general expenses of the temple. After the destruction of the temple this was sequestrated by Vespasian and his successors and transferred to the temple of the Capitoline Jupiter. This "tribute" of Matthew 17:24 must not be confounded with the tribute paid to the Roman emperor Matthew 22:17. The temple rate, though resting on an ancient precedent- Exodus 30:13-was as above a fixed annual tribute of comparatively late origin.