Matthew 17:24-27 "When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter..."

When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?” He said, “Yes, he does.” And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?” When Peter said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the children are free. However, so that we do not give offence to them, go to the lake and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me.”

Comment:

The question of taxation was highly controversial among both Jesus followers and those Pharisees and Sadducees who were attempting to get him in trouble. He had to be very careful of his words. As is often the case in the four Gospels, Jesus uses questions rather than answers to make his point.

The logic is subtle but clear. Do kings expect their own children to pay taxes? No, they don’t. We are children of the ultimate king—“and if children, then heirs,” as Paul later writes. Therefore, in spiritual truth, we are free of any earthly obligation to pay tax on our spiritual abundance. But we don’t live yet in a spiritual realm. We have not yet brought the kingdom of heaven into existence. So while we know the spiritual truth, it’s necessary to live according to mortal laws. The surprising last bit about the coin in the fish’s mouth is, I think, meant to affirm that while we must honor mortal debts and taxes, the abundance to do so will flow freely from the divine.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed