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+--- Thread: NT Doctrine -- Matthew 17:24-18:14 (/thread-988.html)
NT Doctrine -- Matthew 17:24-18:14 - Ed Hurst - 01-29-2022
Jesus and His disciples have been residing in Capernaum for at least a couple of years. There were people who kept track of such things, usually connected to the synagogue, especially when it involved a popular rabbi. That's because Jewish men were obliged to pay an annual Temple Tax. God had commanded it for each time a census was taken of the military aged men of the nation (Exodus 30:11-16). Eventually this became an annual obligation, and most men paid it at Passover (late March or early April), Pentecost (May) or during Tabernacles (early October).
From what we can guess, Jesus and His crew had skipped all three during the past year. The synagogue leadership would typically go around collecting it at some point after the Tabernacles for those they knew had missed paying it, since the implication was that if one avoided the tax, he would lose his citizenship as a Judean. The amount was a half-shekel, which amounted to two drachmas -- two days' wages -- and went to fund Temple maintenance. We can bet it was abused to some degree, but that's not the point here.
When Peter ran into the collection team, they asked if Jesus taught resistance to this tax, and Peter answered honestly that He did not, at least He hadn't so far. Peter was prompted to go back to the house and ask Jesus about it. Given the time of year, it wasn't hard to guess, but Jesus knew quite specifically what was on Peter's mind. He asked a parabolic question.
If it were an earthly king collecting taxes, would his own children be exempt? Of course they would be exempt; kings tax those who aren't part of his own household to fund his household. Jesus was the Son of God. They had discussed this often enough and Peter had affirmed it boldly. If this was a tax on God's behalf, Jesus and His cohort should be exempt. However, this being too soon to make such a declaration, He wanted to pay the tax for now.
He directed Peter to go catch a fish. The first fish he pulled out would have in it's mouth a stater, the common Greek coin worth four drachmas. Fish are notorious for grabbing in their mouths anything shiny, so if you drop a coin in the water in a place where they were thick enough, at least one would lunge at it. That's why fishing lures often include shiny pieces of metal. Sure enough, the first fish Peter caught had the stater in its mouth, too big for it to swallow. It was enough to settle that year's Temple Tax for Peter and Jesus.
This business of Jesus being the future King provoked a debate. The parallel passages tell us that some time later the Twelve got into a dispute about who would hold which offices in Jesus' future Messianic court. At first they were reluctant to admit the nature of their dispute, but Matthew says at some point they raised the question with Jesus. This was another teachable moment. Jesus called over a boy still too young for his bar-Mitzvah. Thus, this boy would hardly have gotten much attention from adult men until at least age nine. That was the point Jesus was making here.
Just entering the Messianic Kingdom required that one turn around and change back into childhood, becoming rather innocent once again. It's like starting all over again, a whole new world. Your human adaptations from becoming an adult in this world would be a major hindrance. This little boy would have come to take a place in their midst with wide-eyed wonder, fascinated at the prospect of their attention at his age. What a privilege! He would be receptive to anything they told him. Jesus said this is how we must enter His Kingdom, because that's what qualifies one for leadership. If you can embrace someone like that in the name of Jesus, it was the same as embracing Him.
Have you ever seen someone who entertains themselves by pranks on the unsuspecting? Jesus says that such predatory behavior was evil. They are worthy of horrifying execution. It's bad enough that the world is naturally full of temptations, but people who delight in betraying the trust of someone like this little boy were damned. There's no place in the Kingdom for hazing. There is enough suffering in this world already; don't make it worse, as if it somehow builds camaraderie on artificial human toughness.
If you find yourself with such a tendency, you need to consider serious changes. Jesus compared it to cutting off a hand or foot, or plucking out an eye. That kind of predatory behavior is anathema to God. Indicating the young boy again, Jesus warned them never to prey on people who trust you. God was watching. Jesus came to earth precisely for the reason of salvaging the abused faithful for the Covenant of His Kingdom.
How do you suppose a shepherd acts when just one out of a hundred from his flock wanders off? He would leave the rest in the care of his assistants and go off into the wilderness himself trying to find it. And when he does, he'll rejoice over the one recovered more than over the safety of the other 99%. The Father in Heaven is like that. He's not going to let someone lead any of His sheep astray. Don't despise someone because they lack your worldly wisdom; a childlike faith in God is what gets you promoted in the Kingdom.