22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.
24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
Jesus tells them again that He will soon be delivered into the hands of men who will kill him, and He will be raised on the third day. They seem to only hear the first part of what Jesus says each time He tells them. Maybe that’s why He had to tell them a few times to prepare them. Sometimes we too need to hear the same truth a few times before we accept it. What has God been trying to teach you lately that you’re not accepting yet?
In Capernaum, Peter is approached and asked if Jesus doesn’t pay the two-drachma (half a shekel) tax. This was an annual tax paid by every Jewish male to the temple. Peter simply replies “yes” and goes off in search of Jesus. Before Peter even tells Jesus what happened, Jesus asks him a question that shows Jesus does not need to pay the tax. Kings on earth don’t take tax from their family, they take tax from the people. Jesus did not owe the temple tax to the religious authorities on His Father’s house. He was not a subject of the King; He was the Son of the King. But Jesus also knew that not paying the tax would cause offence to many. Some might think He opposed the tax for all. Some might think he despised the temple and its worship. He showed support for the temple even though He would render it obsolete by His death and resurrection. He sent Peter fishing and told him he’d find enough money for both of their tax in the mouth of the first fish he caught. There are some situations where it’s better not to assert our own rights. Sometimes it’s better to lay aside your rights in order not to cause offence and have a better opportunity to share the gospel (1 Cor 9:19-23). Jesus also showed that for those who serve Him, He is able to supply some of our needs from some very unlikely sources. In what ways might your entitlements be getting in the way of you being an effective witness for God?
Nowadays it would seem a bit crazy to find money in a fish’s mouth, but nothing is impossible when it came to Jesus. He was showing his authority over nature here.
I learnt that we must submit to authority like Jesus did when he paid the taxes even if we do not respect their decisions
What I saw in this passage was how powerful Jesus was, that he could say that there would be a coin in the mouth of one specific fish.