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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
Yesterday, we read that after the Transfiguration, when Jesus, Peter, and James and John Zebedee had come to the crowd gathered, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him." Then Jesus answered and 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." And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus said to them, "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 has predicted His death and Resurrection to the disciples. The fact that they are exceedingly sorrowful tells us that the news is beginning to sink in. Jesus' prediction, now made twice, shows us He's not been taken against His will to His Passion but is going freely.
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." My study bible explains that the temple tax was an annual head tax on all male Jews (with the exception of priests) who were over twelve years of age. This tax was taken for the maintenance of the temple (see Numbers 3:43-51). My study bible says that since Jesus is the Son of God, He's both the High Priest and "proprietor" of the temple, thereby exempt from the tax. He pays anyway, both to avoid unnecessary offense and to show that He's totally identified Himself with human beings. Jesus asks Peter about taxes or customs levied by kings or autocrats particularly upon colonial subjects (strangers), not sons. In this case, Christ the King graciously pays for both Peter and Himself, teaching us how He differs from a worldly king.
This interesting little glimmer of the stuff of fairy tales and dreams takes us to an interesting place: Peter must cast a hook into the sea, take up the first fish, and find a piece of money in its mouth. It's so intriguing because it is very unusual for the gospels. This isn't a story about healing. It's about making a payment. So what are we to make of this? First of all, Jesus' words elucidating and distinguishing in His questions to Peter just where customs and taxes come from when they are paid to kings have to make us think. Why is He asking this? Surely He's suggesting something about finance and power. It reminds us that Jesus is always encouraging and evoking community; this is the thing for which the temple stands, what it must embrace and shelter. The sons are not foreigners, not subjects upon whom a king would normally impose tribute. But for this fisherman to catch a fish and find a coin is a mysterious act of God, a providential circumstance. Jesus, as King, gives us signs of abundance (fish), and grace (the free gift of the coin). He doesn't work the way a foreign ruler; does, and with Him we are all sons, those who inherit the Kingdom. There will always be things that are not "fair" in the world. A worldly reality may interfere with the most sacred of duties, well-meant activity. Jesus will cleanse the temple of the money-changers and animal sellers, complaining that it should be a house of prayer, and not a "den of thieves" -- the way He characterizes this place of commerce. But the gracious Lord seems to be teaching us that through our faith in Him, we will find the grace to negotiate a compromised world appropriately. We will be guided in the ways in which we are to pay what we need to, with the least harm caused all around. Let's remember this scene. Life may not be perfect and pure. But with His grace, we are led through a world of necessary compromises. We are led to pick our battles. But we're never to be blind sheep. Jesus' announcement of the Passion to come teaches us where the real battle will be met for Him. His grace will always be present for each of us, providing us with what is necessary to meet the circumstances.
