Matthew 17:24-27: Fishing for Taxes
Nehemiah 10:32-33 introduced contributions for the upkeep of the temple and the services provided there and temple tax collectors wanted to know if Christ submitted to it. "Of course!" Peter shot back and later met Jesus at the house. We’re not told much about how the conversation started but Matthew tells us that Jesus was the first to speak (Matthew 17:25). Had Peter spoken too quickly? Perhaps not, but it seems that Jesus wanted to make a point that Peter needed to hear. He wanted to know from Peter if kings taxed their children or "others" (non-family subjects and foreigners too, I would presume). Peter said they got them from others and Christ making his point from custom claimed that the sons were free (17:26).
It’s a difficult text in numerous ways but it does appear that Jesus is making a claim for himself, as one having a special relationship to the King of the temple. He was exempt from temple-tax because his Father was the Lord of the temple.
It’s an astonishing claim but it was no less than the truth. Still, anyone can make a claim like that. You’ll recall that he claimed to have the authority to forgive sins (see Matthew 9:1-8) and made good his claim to forgive sins by doing what to watchers was the more difficult thing—instantly healing a paralytic. To him the healing was as easy as the claim. Claiming rightful exemption from temple tax was easy enough—any lunatic or megalomaniac could make it— but making good the claim was something else.
Still, Jesus had no wish to offend needlessly and insisted on paying the tax. "Yes, we thought so, he makes the claim but he sees to it that he knuckles under like the rest of us." That’s not what happened. Without fanfare and maybe only between him and Peter he sent Peter to get their tax from a fish that was holding it in store for them (17:27). It isn’t the usual kind of miracle and it doesn’t always sit right even with believers. If you were in a bad mood the miracle might look like a bit of grandstanding. But there’s something creative about this control of the sea and the fish in it (compare Genesis 1:22); it’s the kind of authority we noted in other miracles.
There’s much to learn here. He who is greater than the temple (Matthew 12:6) still recognises its place and purpose and supports it. He who is exempt from the tax is willing to pay it because he refuses to undermine the temple and the authority it represents (17:27). He who more than anyone else is aware of the temple’s limitations will not make a career out of flaunting his criticisms of it or parading his freedom from it.
You can’t read Matthew without seeing that as far as Jesus was concerned, authority was designed to lift up, to serve and heal and free (compare 2 Corinthians 10:8 and 13:10 from Paul who insisted on imitating his Master—1 Corinthians 9:15-23 and 10:33). Jesus summarised his whole life in Matthew 20:28 as the saviour without whom no one is ransomed. Now that’s power and authority but we need to note how that power and authority is expressed. "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve."
There are only two types of power—pagan and Christlike. Matthew 20:20-28.
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.