Neville Goddard on Matthew 22:15-17 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Matthew 22 in context

Scripture Focus

15Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.

16And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.

17Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

Matthew 22:15-17

Biblical Context

The Pharisees and Herodians plot to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar. The exchange highlights a tension between outward law and the inward allegiance of the heart.

Neville's Inner Vision

This scene is a map of your inner states. The Pharisees and Herodians are not people; they symbolize the two currents inside you: the 'duty to the letter' and the 'call of the world.' The question about tribute asks you to decide where your allegiance lies: in the outward tokens or in the hidden Reality of I AM. The reply you give, and the way you feel it, reveals the state you inhabit. If you identify with the outer demand, you are playing Caesar's game and you contract to a world of lack or fear; if you identify with the I AM, you acknowledge the kingdom within and the world moves to reflect that inner state. The truly faithful are the ones who know that the authority behind all law is your own consciousness. In the stillness, answer by assuming that you already possess the power to govern every scenario; then watch outer appearances rearrange to fit your inner truth.

Practice This Now

Imaginative act: Sit quietly, declare, 'I am the I AM, the ruler of my experiences.' Then revise by feeling that all outer laws and demands are coins I accept from my own consciousness; I govern them by the truth of my inner kingdom.