Matthew 17:24-27 “in a snailshell”
Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
©️2021 Gloria M. Chang
When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes,” he said. When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.”
Matthew 17:24-27
Fishing for Coins
Jesus, the Son of God, declared, “Something greater than the temple is here” (Matthew 12:6) and identified his own body as the true temple of God (John 2:21). As such, he and his disciples (adopted sons of the Father), were exempt from the temple tax.
Yet even a King’s Son needs to pick his battles, and the temple tax was not one of them. Peter the fisherman is sent to hook an Attic silver coin (statér) from the mouth of a fish in the Father’s abundant sea.
Thus says the Lord: The heavens are my throne, the earth, my footstool. What house can you build for me? Where is the place of my rest?
Isaiah 66:1
How does a King’s Son pay the temple tax?
With a coin from a fish! Shalom, relax!
Traditional Chinese Translation
《你的老師不納聖殿（丁）稅嗎？》
國王的兒子如何繳納聖殿稅呢？
用一條魚身上的一個硬幣！
安啦，放輕鬆吧！
Pick your battles to fight;
Don’t spend effort on spats.
Take in the big picture.
Hold a candle with light,
Ask the Holy Spirit for grace.
No need to win every race.
Dear GMC, thank you for your reflection. Did Jesus have a sense of humor here? Out of the mouth of a fish the Temple tax is rendered?? It seems that surrender, even though we may be right, brings peace and the last laugh!
I carry extra change,
I use it to pay the sales tax.
I’m happy to lighten my purse,
My bag has less weight.
Jesus paid tax due,
Aware of gossiping tongues.
He could have exempted himself.
Instead a fish provided the coin.
Do I have need for strange solutions?
Is anything I need beyond Divine help?
Let me remember the fish with coin.
If I’m fishing in the waters of grace,
Expect miracles of life!
We’re swimming in grace!
“Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.”
Psalm 139:7-10 (ESV)
Hear the hymn “Precious Lord, Take my Hand”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeZn6v_gA7Y&t=1s
Amen