Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 22:16

"And they send to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one: for thou regardest not the person of men." — Matthew 22:16 (ASV)

The Herodians. It is not certainly known who these were. It is probable that they took their name from Herod the Great. Perhaps they were first a political party and were then distinguished for holding some of his peculiar opinions. Dr. Prideaux thinks that these opinions referred to two things: the first respecting subjection to a foreign power.

The law of Moses was that a stranger should not be set over the Jews as a king (Deuteronomy 17:15). Herod, who had received the kingdom of Judea by appointment of the Romans, held that the law of Moses referred only to a voluntary choice of a king, and did not refer to a necessary submission, where they had been overpowered by force.

They supposed, therefore, that it was lawful in such cases to pay tribute to a foreign prince. This opinion was, however, extensively unpopular among the Jews, and particularly the Pharisees, who looked upon it as a violation of their law and all the acts growing out of it as oppressive.

Hence the difficulty of the question proposed by them. Whatever way He decided, they supposed He would be involved in difficulty. If He should say it was not lawful, the Herodians were ready to accuse Him as being an enemy of Caesar. If He said it was lawful, the Pharisees were ready to accuse Him to the people of holding an opinion extremely unpopular among them and as being an enemy of their rights.

The other opinion of Herod, which they seem to have followed, was that when a people were subjugated by a foreign force, it was right to adopt the rites and customs of their religion. This was what was meant by the "leaven of Herod" (Mark 8:15). The Herodians and Sadducees seem on most questions to have been united. (Mark 8:15).

We know that you are true. A hypocritical compliment, not believed by them, but artfully said, as compliments often are, to conceal their true design.

Neither do you care for any man. That is, you are an independent teacher, delivering your sentiments without regard to the fear or favor of man. This was true, and probably they believed this. Whatever they might believe about Him, they had no reason to doubt that He delivered His sentiments openly and freely.

For you do not regard the person of men. You are not partial. You will decide according to truth, and not from any bias towards either party. To regard the person, or to respect the person, is in the Bible uniformly used to denote partiality; or being influenced in a decision not by truth but by previous attachment to a person or one of the parties—by friendship, bias, or prejudice (Leviticus 19:15; Jude 1:16; Deuteronomy 16:19; 2 Samuel 14:14; Acts 10:34; James 2:1, 3, 9; 1 Peter 1:17).