Does your Teacher pay the temple tax?

Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up." And they were exceedingly sorrowful.

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."

- Matthew 17:22-27

In yesterday's reading, a man whose son suffers from epilepsy asked Jesus, "Lord, have mercy on my son." The disciples could not heal the boy. Jesus said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." The boy was brought to Him, and healed. The disciples asked why they could not perform the exorcism. Jesus said, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up." And they were exceedingly sorrowful. This is the second time that Jesus is telling the disciples about His death and Resurrection, preparing them for what is to come. It is an understanding that this is something He is going to do willingly. It is something that they must understand and accept is going to happen.

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." The temple tax, says my study bible, "was an annual head tax on all male Jews 12 years of age and up, excepting priests and rabbis, for the maintenance of the temple." I think there may be a hint here of a way to trap Jesus. Is He in violation of temple law? I've read in other commentary that it seems Peter is embarrassed, and so immediately answers, "Yes." As representative of Christ, he's in a position to be questioned for what His Master is doing. This is the first time in the gospel that we see Peter in such a situation. Jesus is known as a Teacher, but He's not a student of a famous rabbi, nor is He a priest.

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?" The really interesting part of this conversation here is that Jesus anticipated Peter. Peter has spoken to the people collecting the temple tax without Jesus' knowledge -- but here Jesus is completely aware of what has happened, and is there to provide guidance for Peter. As I see it, it is a kind of preparation for leadership that is taking place. Jesus is teaching and grooming. The question is interesting: Jesus poses a question about taxation in general, as meted by "kings of the earth." Subjects of all nations may have taxes or obligations for tribute imposed on them, through conquest and compulsion. The question relates to the temple in the sense of Jesus' identity. We have just heard Peter's confession of faith, that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God." After that came Peter's witnessing of the Transfiguration. So, as "Son" Jesus is asking whether or not it would be customary for Him to pay the temple tax. As Son of God, says my study bible, Jesus is "supremely free of this tax."

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." This is important to understand, because Jesus pays the tax even though He has established that He is free from it. It is an incident in which He is acting in accordance with the structures and customs -- a kind of mirroring of what will happen in the Crucifixion, in some sense. My study bible says, "Nevertheless, He does not refuse to pay it, nor does He tell His disciples to pay it for Him. But, having proven Himself not liable to it, He gives it. He pays it not as a debt, but in consideration of their weakness and to avoid unnecessary offense." As I see it, Jesus' behavior is loving toward Peter, who has promised His Master pays the tax. Avoiding unnecessary confrontation, then, is part of this ministry. There will be a time when Jesus will, of course, act as Son to cleanse the temple. But the time for that confrontation is not here and not now, and He will not endanger His disciples.

So let us consider today's passage: there is a time for confrontation, and a time to act within the laws of custom and the society. Jesus shows great grace in accepting to pay both for Peter and Himself. Of course, Jesus doesn't have the money Himself -- but instead advises Peter to cast a hook into the water, and find a coin in the mouth of the first fish that comes up. Looking at this image, it's highly symbolic of the Church. We know that a fish will be the symbol of Christ the Savior. The word meaning fish in the Greek was ΙΧΘΥΣ (IXThΥS). It's an acronym: each of its letters begin a word in the following sentence -- "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior." So, there is a hidden context of the "sons" of the king and the Son of God in the imagery of the fish that holds the coin. It's Peter's confession in a visible concrete image -- and it is that faith that will feed and supply the Church, that provides the coin for the temple.

This passage, and Jesus' acts in it, are permeated with grace -- the tremendous grace of King of kings and Lord of lords, incarnate as human being, teaching, and, with patience, bearing all circumstances of the world in the way the Father wills it. He accepts His fate and strongly pushes His disciples to do the same. Great grace is in His example, and great love in His teaching and care of the disciples, especially Peter who will one day be a great leader of the flock. Elsewhere Jesus will use a coin to teach, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s." But here the coin is a message about faith, and strength, and endurance, bearing all things, acceptance. Can we seek that will as He does, and as He instructs His disciples? Can we practice this kind of patience and endurance? Do we have the faith to do so? The disciples learn from Him, even as they are "exceedingly sorrowful."