Being a Disciple of Jesus is Difficult

It’s Difficult Because Being a Citizen of His Kingdom Comes with Expectations

Expectations that Don’t Come Natural to Our Fallen Nature

Love, Pray for, and Do Good to Your Enemies

Don’t Worry or Place Your Trust in Money/Possessions

Be Willing to Suffer Humiliation, Torture, and Death for Your Allegiance to Jesus

These Things aren’t Easy

But Whenever Disciples Put Them into Practice…

The World Gets a Glimpse of the Wonderful Character of God

In Our Text, Jesus Embodies Another Difficult Expectation of Kingdom Citizenship

One that can Be Easy to Disregard or Downplay

But When the Church Practices it…

It Sets Us Apart as a Truly Other-Worldly Community of People

Matthew 17:24-27

This Passage Doesn’t Occur in the Other Gospel Accounts

It Deals with Tax Collecting

That May Be Why Only Matthew (Former Tax Collector) Mentions it

Matthew 17:24 (NASB95)

24 When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?”

Capernaum has Been the Base of Operations…

For Jesus’ Galilean Ministry Since Chapter 4

But this is the Last Time Capernaum will Be Mentioned By Matthew

Jesus is About to Make His Journey to Jerusalem

After Jesus and the Disciples Enter Capernaum…

Some Tax Collectors Approached Peter

They Were Collecting the “Two-Drachma Tax”

It was Also Known as the “Half-Shekel Tax”

A Drachma was Roughly Equivalent to a Roman Denarius

A Denarius was the Pay for a Day’s Worth of Work

So this Two-Drachma Tax was the Amount of 2 Days’ Wages

All Israelite Males Over the Age of 20 Paid this Tax Once a Year

It was for the Upkeep of the Temple in Jerusalem

The Practice of this Tax Stemmed From…

A One-Time Command Given to the Israelites in the Wilderness (Exodus 30)

This Tax was Not Like the Taxes that Were Demanded By the Romans

This Tax was a Matter of Patriotic Pride

To Do One’s Duty as an Israelite to Provide the Necessary Funds for God’s House

They would Collect this Tax 1 Month Before Passover

That May Seem Like Useless Information, But it isn’t

Jesus has 1 Month Left

The Tax Collectors Approached Peter (Probably Because it was His House They were Staying in)…

And Asked if Jesus Paid the Two-Drachma Tax

The NET Phrases Their Question More Correctly

Matthew 17:24 (NET)

24 After they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?”

Matthew 17:25–26 (NASB95)

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 the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?” 26 When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt.

After Peter Says “Yes” to the Tax Collectors’ Question…

He is Asked Another Question By Jesus

Who Do the Kings of the Earth Tax:

Their Children or Those Outside Their Household?

It was Common Knowledge that the King’s Children…

Don’t Pay Taxes to Their Father

But the People the King Rules Over are Required to Pay

So Peter Answers Accordingly

Then Jesus Takes that Logic to its Conclusion:

Sons (Children) are Exempt

What is Jesus Saying Here?

Being God’s Children Comes with Privileges and Freedoms

One of Which is:

He Doesn’t Require His Children to Pay Taxes to Him

All Giving in Jesus’ Kingdom is Voluntary/Freewill

Jesus is Not Telling His Disciples that They Don’t have to Pay Taxes to the Government

He’s Telling Them, as God’s Children, They Don’t have to Pay Taxes to Their Father

They are Exempt/Free From Such Expectations

Matthew 17:27 (NASB95)

27 “However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in 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 you and Me.”

Though Jesus and His Disciples are Exempt From the Tax…

He Doesn’t Want to Offend Them (Jewish Tax Collectors or Jews in General)

So He Tells Peter to Go Catch a Fish and Get a Shekel Out of its Mouth

This would’ve Been Enough for Both Peter’s and Jesus’ Tax

(Put Verse 27 Back Up)

Jesus Tells Peter to Go Catch a Fish and Get a Coin Out of its Mouth…

There’s Debate as to Whether Jesus was Speaking Literally or Figuratively

There were Popular Stories in Both Pagan and Jewish Literature…

Of Money/Treasures Found in the Mouths of Fish

It’s Possible Jesus was Using Playful Language to Express…

That They were Very Low on Money

Whether Jesus was Commanding Peter to Actually Catch a Fish or Not…

Doesn’t Change the Point of the Story

The Point is:

Jesus was Free to Not Pay the Tax…

And Yet He Paid it Anyway

Application

This Passage is Short and Sweet

But the Kingdom Principle it Teaches is Huge

The Principle is This:

Just Because You have Freedom to Do Something…

Doesn’t Mean You Should

And Just Because You have the Freedom to Not Do Something…

Doesn’t Mean You Shouldn’t

Jesus Said He was Free From having to Pay the Temple Tax

But He Chose to Pay it Anyway

Why?

For the Sake of Those Who Believed They Must Pay it

Paul Lived By this Kingdom Principle

In 1 Corinthians 8-10, Paul Talks About this Very Idea

Are Christians Free to Eat Meat?

Absolutely! No Big Deal

What if that Meat was Sacrificed to an Idol?

As Long as You Aren’t Participating in the Worship…

Absolutely! No Big Deal!

But What if Your Sibling is Bothered By it?

They Used to Sacrifice to Idols and Eat the Meat in Worship

And To See a Fellow Christian Eating Such Meat…

Causes Them to have Some Internal Struggles

Are You Still Free to Eat the Meat?

Absolutely!

But Now it is a Big Deal

Listen to Paul:

1 Corinthians 8:9–13 (CSB)

9 But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? 11 So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died, is ruined by your knowledge. 12 Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother or sister to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won’t cause my brother or sister to fall.

Just Because You have the Freedom/Right to Do Something…

Doesn’t Mean it is the Right Thing to Do

Paul would Rather Never Eat Meat Again…

Than to Cause a Sibling in Christ to Act Against Their Conscience

Though it’s Not Sinful to Eat Meat…

It is Sinful to Do it if You Know it Bothers Your Sibling

Paul Didn’t Just Behave this Way Toward His Siblings

This was His Character Toward Outsiders as Well

1 Corinthians 9:19–22 (CSB)

19 Although I am free from all and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law—to win those under the law. 21 To those who are without the law, like one without the law—though I am not without God’s law but under the law of Christ—to win those without the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.

“I Am Free, But I Make Myself a Slave to Everyone”

Sharing the Gospel was More Important to Paul Than His Rights

He Ended this Discussion with These Words:

1 Corinthians 10:31–11:1 (NASB95)

31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved. 1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

This is the Heart of Jesus:

To Love Others to the Extent that…

I Do My Very Best Not to Offend Them

If I Know They View Something as Wrong/Sinful…

That Jesus has Given Me the Right/Freedom to Practice…

I Should Surrender My Right/Freedom for Their Sake

Paul Brought Out the Same Principle in His Letter to the Romans

These Roman Churches, Like All Churches Today…

Were Made Up of Those Who Were Weak and Strong

The Weak Were Those Who Held Stricter Convictions

The Strong Were Those Whose Convictions Were Not as Strict

He Tells the Weak Not to Judge the Strong

“We Believe it’s Wrong to Do ___, So You’re Sinning!”

He Tells the Strong Not to Despise the Weak

“In Christ, We are Free to Do ___, You Just Need More Faith!”

Both the Strong and the Weak Say To Each Other:

“You Need to Read Your Bible More!”

The Weak - “You aren’t Doing All God has Commanded!”

The Strong - “You are Commanding Things God Never Did!”

Here’s Paul’s Solution to All this Bickering, Judging, and Division:

Romans 14:13–21 (NIV)

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.

15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

The Solution is: Stop Judging Each Other

The Weak Need to Keep Their Convictions to Themselves

The Strong Need to Keep Their Freedoms to Themselves

The Freedom of the Strong is Not More Important…

Than the Salvation of the Weak

If My Freedoms Offend or Cause a Weaker Sibling…

To Be Tempted to Act Against Their Convictions…

Then I Am No Longer Living By the Love of Jesus

This is One of the Greatest Principles of Selflessness in the Kingdom

It’s an Other-Worldly Way of Living:

To Sacrifice One’s Own Freedoms…

For the Benefit of Another

As Citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven…

King Jesus Expects Us to Love One Another

If You have Strict Convictions, Keep Them to Yourself

Don’t Place Your Rules Upon Others…

Or Judge Them for Not Keeping Them

If You Recognize the Freedom Christ Offers His People…

Keep Those Freedoms to Yourself

Sacrifice Your Freedoms in the Company…

Of Those Who Might Be Offended at Them

This is the Love of Jesus

And We are to Love Each Other in this Same Way

It’s Difficult to Sacrifice Rights/Freedoms

But Being a Disciple of Jesus is Difficult

Like Paul Said, Let’s Imitate Christ

He Gave Up More Rights/Freedoms for Us…

Than We will Ever have to Give Up for Each Other

Let’s Follow His Example

By Doing So, Mutual Love will Abound in the Church…

And the World will Witness the Humble, Loving Character of God