Matthew 17: 24-27 Peter and His Master Pay Their Taxes
When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”
He said, “Yes.”
And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”
Peter said to Him, “From strangers.”
Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”
Now Jesus is facing a new challenge regarding his commitment as an observant Jew, the temple tax. What is this tax? “The temple tax was originally prescribed in the Law of Moses as a half shekel, or poll tax, paid by all males over 20 years old. The tax was intended to support the tabernacle and was considered a ransom for life to the Lord. “ (Exodus 30:13 and 38:25)
https://www.biola.edu/blogs/good-book-blog/2021/why-did-the-son-of-god-pay-ttemple-tax
As the Son of God, Jesus is technically exempt from paying this tax; however, those around him have not recognized this fact. It is not Jesus’ desire to confuse others or to present an obstruction that might keep them from coming to God. Christians must be careful to avoid anything that is not of the Holy Spirit. Being a disciple means allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you in every part of your life, without exceptions. While others may be entertained by questionable videos, there’s no free pass for believers. We cannot pray, give generously, teach Sunday School, and then think these actions allow us to dress in a sexually provocative manner. We can attend all the Christian conferences going, or even handle a congregation as a lay minister, but if we are undermining our work supervisors by spreading lies about them, we are still presenting a bad witness.
As Peter heads off for the lake, he must be muttering to himself, “Well, Jesus, you’ve had me do some weird things before, but fishing with a hook and line and getting money out of the fish’s mouth has got to top them all! This isn’t even the right time of day to catch a fish. Any self-respecting fish are going to be out in deeper water where it’s nice and cool.”
The other disciples are probably wondering where Peter is going and why he is taking a fishing pole and a hook. These guys are used to fishing with nets, but hey, if Jesus tells you to do something, you should at least try. Nobody is more surprised than Peter when he catches a fish immediately; in fact, that fish practically leaps out of the water to take his bait. Shrugging his shoulders, Peter takes the fish off the line and opens its mouth, and there is a shekel. Now, Peter is excited! Dropping the fishing pole and throwing the fish back in the water, Peter runs to Jesus, who is standing a little way from the water. “Lord! Lord!” Peter exclaims, “It worked just as you said! I caught the fish, and there was the money! I’ve never seen anything like it!” Jesus simply smiles because he has known all the time that Peter was in for a surprise.
One of the amazing things about Jesus is that he does not leave his disciples to cope with everything by themselves. In this case, Jesus probably could have gotten half a shekel from someone to pay the tax; in fact, there were likely several people who would have gladly paid it for him. But Jesus allowed Peter to take part in solving this problem so that the two of them were involved jointly. Earlier on, in Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus has already told his disciples, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” When two oxen are yoked together, the stronger one helps the weaker one so that both of them are able to work together. Jesus comes alongside us, helping us, guiding us, and leading us into the work he wants for us to accomplish.
For the rest of Peter’s life, he will always remember the day when he went fishing for the temple tax. No matter how bad things get, Peter will trust that Jesus is going to be there helping him. Why does Jesus choose Peter to this rather than any of the other disciples? Peter is the one whom the temple tax collectors have asked for the money, and Peter is also the one crazy enough to step out of a boat on a raging sea and walk to Jesus on the water. Peter might be impulsive and he might lose his temper easily, but Peter also has great faith in Jesus and will obey. Jesus knows that eventually Peter will become one of the heads of the early church and that he will need the reassurance this experience can bring. The other disciples might not have as much faith as Peter, but they too will take encouragement from this simple incident.
Being a disciple is not easy. Here Peter was being asked to pay half a shekel, and he doesn’t have the money. Previously, as a highly successful fisherman, Peter would have paid that amount without even thinking about it. Many times, we may find ourselves in the same situation as Peter, lacking even the tiny amount of money necessary for the temple tax. But God has all kinds of ways of helping us. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, was fond of saying that “God’s work done God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” Starting with nothing, CIM eventually grew until in 1934 there were 1,368 missionaries serving 364 stations, including several hospitals. By World War II there were more than 200,000 converts in China. Those discipled by CIM were able to spread the Gospel despite the rise of Communism because they never depended on large church buildings but used pastors and Bible men and women to go into the villages. (CIM is now OMF International. For the inspiring story, go to OMF.org)
Is God asking you to go fishing? Bait that hook and get out there! You never know what will happen when you are willing to look foolish and obey God!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You even when Your orders appear to be foolish. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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