Matthew 19:12

19:12 For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth,¹ and some who were made eunuchs² by others,³ and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it.”

Matthew 21:19

21:19 After noticing a fig tree⁴ by the road he went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, “Never again will there be fruit from you!” And the fig tree withered at once.

Matthew 22:20

22:20 Jesus⁵ said to them, “Whose image⁶ is this, and whose inscription?”

Matthew 22:33

22:33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.

¹tn Grk “from the womb of the mother” (an idiom).

²tn The verb εὐνουχίζω occurs twice in this verse, translated the first time as “made eunuchs” and the second time as “became eunuchs.” The term literally refers to castration. The second occurrence of the word in this verse is most likely figurative, though, referring to those who willingly maintain a life of celibacy for the furtherance of the kingdom (see W. D. Davies and D. C. Allison, Matthew [ICC], 3:23).

³tn Grk “people.”

⁴tn Grk “one fig tree.”

sn The fig tree is a variation on the picture of a vine as representing the nation; see Isa 5:1-7.

⁵tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

⁶tn Or “whose likeness.”

sn In this passage Jesus points to the image (Grk εἰκών, eikwn) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 (LXX) to state that humanity is made in the “image” of God. Jesus is making a subtle yet powerful contrast: Caesar’s image is on the denarius, so he can lay claim to money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so he can lay claim to each individual life.