Mat 17:24-27 | KingComments | STEP | When they come to Capernaum, Peter is overwhelmed by a question from “those who collected the two-drachma”, which is the annual temple tax. They ask him if his Master is paying. Because he knows his Master as a good Jew, Peter answers in the affirmative, without asking Him. He has forgotten the glory he has seen on the mountain and the revelation the Father has given him, and descended again to the ordinary level of his own thoughts. The Lord knows what Peter said to the collectors. After all, he is the Omniscient. When Peter enters the house where He is, He seems to want to ask Him about it. The Lord, however, is ahead of him and has a question for him. The question is about the collection of collect customs or poll-tax by the kings of the earth. It is a question about everyday life and is about from whom the king collect customs or poll-tax. Do they collect customs or poll-tax from their sons or strangers, those who do not belong to their family? With His question the Lord Jesus says that He is the King of the earth and that He sees His disciples as sons of His kingdom. Peter gives the right answer and that is that the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax from the strangers. Then the Lord says to him that the sons of kings are indeed free from paying customs or poll-tax. He as the King of His kingdom and His disciples as the sons of His kingdom would thus be free from paying customs or poll-tax. But because the time of the establishment of the kingdom has not yet come, He pays. He does so to prevent offense. Although He is the Son of God, He continues to take His humble place as a Jew in patience and submits Himself to the applicable regulations. By a remarkable miracle He provides the right amount. Peter needs to work for it. He has to go to the sea to cast a fishhook. Then a fish will comes up with a shekel in his mouth. This shekel is not immediately visible, but Peter will find it when he opens the mouth of the first fish that comes up. That shekel is the amount needed to pay the temple tax. As well as the Omniscient Christ is also the Omnipotent Who can do all things, Who ensures that a fish brings the right amount. Peter is given the task to give that shekel to those who collect the temple tax “for you and Me”. In paying the tax, that is to say in acknowledging the relationships that still exist among God’s people, the Lord binds Peter to Himself. He is first, but He connects him with Himself. In this we see the way the sons of the kingdom are connected with Him in this time. They are connected with Him in the kingdom as it is now present on earth, which is in a hidden form. We also see in what the Lord also says distinction. He doesn’t say ‘for us ’. He maintains the distinction between Him and His own when He says “for you and Me”. He is the King, His own are the sons. The same distinction can be seen in the message that the Lord has for His disciples through Mary after His resurrection. He does not say, ‘I ascend to our Father and to our God,’ but, “I ascend to My Father and your Father and My God and your God” ( ).

‏ Matthew 17:24-27

The Temple Tax

When they come to Capernaum, Peter is overwhelmed by a question from “those who collected the two-drachma”, which is the annual temple tax. They ask him if his Master is paying. Because he knows his Master as a good Jew, Peter answers in the affirmative, without asking Him. He has forgotten the glory he has seen on the mountain and the revelation the Father has given him, and descended again to the ordinary level of his own thoughts.

The Lord knows what Peter said to the collectors. After all, he is the Omniscient. When Peter enters the house where He is, He seems to want to ask Him about it. The Lord, however, is ahead of him and has a question for him. The question is about the collection of collect customs or poll-tax by the kings of the earth. It is a question about everyday life and is about from whom the king collect customs or poll-tax. Do they collect customs or poll-tax from their sons or strangers, those who do not belong to their family? With His question the Lord Jesus says that He is the King of the earth and that He sees His disciples as sons of His kingdom.

Peter gives the right answer and that is that the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax from the strangers. Then the Lord says to him that the sons of kings are indeed free from paying customs or poll-tax. He as the King of His kingdom and His disciples as the sons of His kingdom would thus be free from paying customs or poll-tax. But because the time of the establishment of the kingdom has not yet come, He pays. He does so to prevent offense. Although He is the Son of God, He continues to take His humble place as a Jew in patience and submits Himself to the applicable regulations.

By a remarkable miracle He provides the right amount. Peter needs to work for it. He has to go to the sea to cast a fishhook. Then a fish will comes up with a shekel in his mouth. This shekel is not immediately visible, but Peter will find it when he opens the mouth of the first fish that comes up. That shekel is the amount needed to pay the temple tax. As well as the Omniscient Christ is also the Omnipotent Who can do all things, Who ensures that a fish brings the right amount.

Peter is given the task to give that shekel to those who collect the temple tax “for you and Me”. In paying the tax, that is to say in acknowledging the relationships that still exist among God’s people, the Lord binds Peter to Himself. He is first, but He connects him with Himself. In this we see the way the sons of the kingdom are connected with Him in this time. They are connected with Him in the kingdom as it is now present on earth, which is in a hidden form.

We also see in what the Lord also says distinction. He doesn’t say ‘for us’. He maintains the distinction between Him and His own when He says “for you and Me”. He is the King, His own are the sons. The same distinction can be seen in the message that the Lord has for His disciples through Mary after His resurrection. He does not say, ‘I ascend to our Father and to our God,’ but, “I ascend to My Father and your Father and My God and your God” (Jn 20:17).