Matthew 17:24-27…Working

Matthew 17:24-27…Working

17:24  After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, (Jesus’ home base. Staying at Peter’s house.) the collectors (Not Roman, but Jewish officials.) of the two-drachma-tax (A Greek silver coin worth about two days wages.) came to Peter (Suggests observing Peter as standing out as the leader and official spokesperson among the Twelve. Or because it was Peter’s house that Jesus was staying at.-{V. 25}) and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax? “(A tax paid annually by every male 20 years and older to fund the upkeep of the Temple in Jerusalem.-{Ex.30:13-16} Expresses a insinuating insult meant to call into question. They may have been testing Jesus’ patriotism, or His religious loyalty.) 25 “Yes, he does,” he replied. (That Jesus had done so in previous years. Or Peter was simply covering up for His boss.) When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. (prevented-K.J.V.-Expresses an old English word meaning to “Speak before” or “To anticipate”. Emphasizes Jesus’ divine omniscience, knowing Peter’s guilt for failing to consult with Him first, or Peter’s anxiety over the lack of funds.) “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes- from their own sons (Families) or from others?”(Commoners, foreigners) 26 “From others, “Peter answered.” Then the sons (Jesus and the disciples) are exempt,” (tax-exempt) Jesus said to him. (Since Jesus is the Son of God and owner of the temple, He was exempt from having to pay taxes.) 17:27 “But so that we may not offend them (Greek “skandalizō”. To cause to fall, stumble, trip. Provoke, create a crisis.) go to the lake (Sea of Galilee) and throw out your line. (Fishing line) Take the first fish you catch; (Possibly a catfish who were know to swallow shiny objects.) open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. (i.e. A Greek silver coin equal to an average days wage. Jesus in His Omniscience either knew that a fish swallowed a coin. Or arranged the fish to be caught by Peter.) Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours. (Most assume Peter’s silence implies that he obeyed and did what Jesus ordered him to do.)

Extended Sermon Notes

“Teaches how oftentimes people ask questions, not to know the truth, but to smear Jesus and cast Him in a negative light.” ⇒  Sometimes family member’s, friends, co-workers, etc. will ask something about Jesus or God’s Word with no genuine desire to know the truth, they just want to mock your faith, making you look dumb for believing the bible. So you believe a Whale swallowed a whole man, and he still lived.-(Jonah 1:17) Or they’ll cast God in a negative light by making Him look generally judgmental; “So God told them to kill everyone, even all the babies when they entered Canaan.”-(1-Sam. 15:3) We even find it in Christian circles. They’ll say “So you love Jesus prove it by donating money to the Church.” And when you don’t they’ll cast you in a negative light, that your not a loyal Christian after all.

“Teaches how we have a special connection to God which supersedes any other relationship or responsibility.” ⇒ Our most important bond is with God and our loyalties should be to Him above anything else. We are more than citizens of any country we are sons and daughters of the King of kings! We are citizens of heaven. What a great truth for us to remember in our day and time! Our most important bond is with God and our loyalties should be to God above anything else!

“Teaches Jesus who calls us to pursue a path of love, peace, and goodwill to others. He will also provide what we need to do it, even if it takes a miracle.” ⇒ Knowing this what’s stopping you from being faithful to God, loving to others, and being a blessing to those around you because of the work and miraculous provisions of Jesus…………(To be Continued)

“Teaches how God’s provisions can come from unexpected sources and in a variety of ways.” ⇒ God’ blessings and grace often shows up in unexpected places………. (To be Continued)

“Though we’re called to allow our Christian faith be offensive to others. But there are some things that will naturally offend, such our statement that Jesus is the only way to God. Or that people are sinners who are heading to Hell unless they repent and accept Jesus as Lord & Savior.” ⇒ Unfortunately for us, before we can get to the good news of the Gospel we have to get to the bad news first, that people are a sinner and can’t Save themselves. The message of the Cross is very divisive. Some people will find it offensive and downright judgmental, even to the point of being abusive. The message of a crucified Savior can be seen as foolish or scandalous to some. The point in which we get offensive is when we stop preaching the Cross out of love-(Eph. 4:15) and start being aggressive with it. Preaching it out pride, judgment, and arrogance. If not careful we can come off as prideful that were better than other people. We can come off as judgmental in making them feel stupid if they don’t wise up and start agreeing with us. Fire and brimstone preaching, in scaring, shaming, or guilt-tripping someone into compliance doesn’t work. On the flip side in our effort not offend. We need to be careful that we don’t start giving into tolerance and accept so as not to offend people. (Note the desire not to offend, is not to keep up with some doctrine of Tolerance, it’s to keep up with the love of God.) Or in our effort not to offend we can be tempted into making the Cross more appealing. We start presenting the Gospel as a means for personal gain or self-improvement instead of a demonstration of God’s grace and redemptive love. As a result we end up presenting the cross as a way to achieve personal success, happiness, or prosperity in this life, rather than emphasizing forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God. (Note: The desire not to offend is not to keep up with some doctrine of tolerance,

Additional Notes & Applications

The question on whether Jesus paid the Temple tax can either be taken as a form of rebuke in Jesus’ failure to conform to religious institutions or a charge of being unpatriotic. Others suggests that the question was asked in the form of an opinion to either “did Jesus regard the payment as mandatory or voluntary (a dispute argued between Pharisees & Sadducees) Or “did Jesus consider Himself exempt as a result of His superior status as Rabbi” (an opinion that many others exempted themselves on)

Some suggests that by miraculously providing the money Jesus was able to pay the Temple tax without giving His allegiance to Judaism. Or that He was in any way personally accountable in atoning for His own sins.

Some point out that according to Exodus 30:13-14, only those older than age twenty were required to pay the two-drachma tax. The fact that Jesus only paid the tax to cover Himself and Peter may indicate that Peter was the only one of Jesus’s Twelve disciples who was older than twenty. If so, this would mean that the rest of the disciples were youths between the ages of fifteen and nineteen, which was a common age for young men to follow a rabbi as his disciple. Though this sounds plausible, most see it as highly unlikely.

Since this account is only peculiar to Matthew’s Gospel. Suggests that Matthew, being a tax collector, found the incident of personal interest.

For you fishermen out there this is the only biblical reference to fishing by hook and line. All the rest are nets.