“Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”
They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”
— Luke 20:24, NKJV
When Jesus asks for a denarius and raises the question of image and inscription, He does far more than silence a trap. He unveils truths that expose motives, confront misplaced priorities, and call His hearers back to the foundations of identity and purpose. In this short exchange, Jesus reveals themes that speak directly to the heart of legacy, stewardship, and what it means to live in alignment with God.
1. The Exposure of Motivation
The religious leaders approached Jesus with a question designed to entangle Him in political controversy. They exploited the tension surrounding Roman taxation—an issue that stirred resentment among the Jewish people. Heavy taxation had become a point of national grievance. The people were weary of Roman greed, burdened by economic oppression, and frustrated by how money had come to dominate public life.
Money had become a symbol of power, a marker of loyalty, and an object of control. In Jerusalem, both Jew and Gentile had allowed money to take a central and often corrupting place, evidenced by Jesus’ forceful removal of the money changers from the temple. The leaders weaponized this tension, hoping Jesus would misstep.
But Jesus replies in a way that cuts through the snare and exposes the heart. He goes beneath the political and economic layers to reveal the deeper motivations that drive people’s decisions. In this moment, Jesus teaches that stewardship begins with examining motives—what we cling to, what drives us, and what we hope to protect.
2. Redirecting Attention to Image
By asking about the “image” on the coin, Jesus leads His listeners to a far greater question: Whose image do you bear?
Genesis 1:27 offers the answer with unmistakable clarity:
“So God created man in His own image;
in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them.”
A coin may bear Caesar’s image, but human beings bear God’s. A coin may reflect earthly authority, but people reflect divine design. Jesus reminds them—and us—that identity is not rooted in possessions, wealth, politics, or power, but in the God whose likeness we carry.
This truth reframes stewardship entirely. Stewardship is not merely about managing resources; it is about living as those who represent the One whose image we bear. Legacy begins with identity. If the image is misplaced, the legacy will be as well.
3. Considering the Inscription
Jesus then presses further: “Whose inscription does it have?” A coin carries the name and authority of the ruler who minted it. In contrast, Scripture describes how God Himself has “inscribed” His workmanship upon every life He forms.
David declares:
“My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.”
— Psalm 139:15
This language shifts the conversation entirely. We are not randomly assembled. We are “skillfully wrought”—intentionally crafted, deliberately shaped, bearing the imprint of divine authorship. If a coin’s authority is dictated by the one who minted it, then our authority, identity, and purpose flow from the God who created us.
Legacy stewardship, therefore, is rooted in understanding that our lives carry God’s inscription. We cannot steward what we do not recognize as His.
4. Jesus’ Consistency: Speaking to the Heart
This interaction mirrors Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler, who excelled at external obedience but failed at heart-level surrender. Jesus consistently presses past behavior to intention, past appearance to devotion, past religious correctness to deeper allegiance.
Every attempt to trap Him becomes an opportunity to reveal truth. Every effort to distract Him becomes a moment to realign people with God’s heart. Jesus is undeterred, unwavering, and wholly committed to confronting what stands in the way of true devotion.
This is the essence of stewardship—remaining aligned with God’s purpose regardless of distraction, pressure, or competing motivations.
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Legacy Stewardship Through the Lens of Image and Inscription
The themes Jesus exposes in this passage provide a compelling framework for legacy stewardship planning:
1. Stewardship Begins with Identity
If we do not understand whose image we bear, we will build a legacy shaped by external pressures rather than eternal purpose.
2. Stewardship Requires Examining Motives
Just as Jesus exposed the hidden intentions behind the leaders’ question, we must discern the motivations that shape our decisions, priorities, and pursuits.
3. Stewardship Aligns with Divine Authority
A coin belongs to the ruler whose image it carries. Our lives belong to the One whose inscription is upon us. Legacy is shaped by living under the right authority.
4. Stewardship Protects the Heart
Jesus’ unwavering focus on the heart demonstrates that legacy is not formed by outward compliance but by inward surrender and alignment.
5. Stewardship Rejects Distraction
Jesus refused to be drawn into political traps or superficial debates. Legacy is strengthened when we resist the distractions that pull us away from our God-given purpose.
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Conclusion: Bearing the Right Image to Build the Right Legacy
In one simple question, Jesus reframed an entire conversation—and in doing so, reframed our understanding of stewardship. To plan a legacy that honors God, we must start where Jesus began: with identity, with authorship, and with the heart.
We bear God’s image.
We carry His inscription.
We are crafted with intention, purpose, and divine authority.
When identity is rightly understood, legacy stewardship becomes clear:
Render to God what is God’s—your life, your devotion, your heart, and your legacy.
By Christopher L. Walker at myfathersestate.com
