"Help at Tax Time"

Matthew 17.24-27

“Help at Tax Season”

K. Adrian Scott

June 4, 2023

Introduction/Context.

Chapter seventeen of Matthew’s version of the Gospel of Jesus Christ contains a most important account of the transfiguration of Jesus, where Jesus’ physical appearance changed dramatically into an exceedingly bright and glorious appearance just before the eyes of Peter, James, and John, the three representatives of the twelve disciples. It was not only an exhilarating personal revelation of Christ as the brightness of God’s glory, but this undeniable manifestation of Jesus’ deity also said to his disciples as well as to us today that the Lord wants to share his glory with his own, but not those who are not one of His. God wants us to see His glory through Christ Jesus the Son of God.

The Text/Story.

V. 24; “When they came to Capernaum,”

Capernaum was located on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, the sight of some of Jesus’ miracles. Capernaum, where it is believed Simon Peter owned a home, became the epicenter of the ministry of Christ. As a matter of fact, remains from the time of Jesus were being discovered by archeologists until as late as 1985.

V. 24b; “the collectors of the two-drachma tax”.

This tax was charged to and payable by all Jewish males. The purpose of the tax was for the maintenance of the Temple. The collectors of the tax are the same one's with a reputation for overcharging the taxpayers to enrich themselves. The double drachma tax was the tax imposed upon the Jews by the Roman authorities that was to be used for the maintenance of the Temple. Oddly enough, after the Temple burned down it is reported the tax was still required to be paid, supposedly for the rebuilding effort of a new Temple.

V. 24c; “went up to Peter”.

The tax collector approached Peter, a citizen of the village of Capernaum, if Jesus who the tax collector referred to as "your teacher" pays the double drachma tax? In other words, does Jesus observe the law of the land although he is otherworldly and claims that his kingdom is not of this world?

V. 25; “He (Peter) said, ‘Yes’ (He does.)

Jesus ever wise, gave the Roman authorities no opportunity to question his integrity and obedience to the civil authorities by complying with the law’s requirement, thus he was in full compliance with the law's requirement by paying the imposed tax.

Preaching Point.

As Christians, we have no license to disregard the laws of the land. To obey, respect and honor the authorities who have been placed over us as citizens here on earth, is an affirmation of our godly character and a sincere desire to live righteously and peaceably, and in doing so, reflect the true nature of Christ and Christianity. How often is our testimony compromised when we refuse to acquiesce to the civil authorities and the law of the land.

Christians who willfully disregard these laws that were created to maintain some senses of an orderly society are guilty of casting a cloud of shame upon the name of Christ and hinder many from seeing the light of Christ through us.

V. 25b; “And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, ‘What do you think, Simon?”

It is obvious that Jesus knew the content of the conversation between an unnamed tax collector and Peter the disciple. Jesus doesn't ignore the confrontation between Peter and the Roman tax collector, but rather wants to talk about it and use it as a teaching moment.

Jesus, in essence, asks Peter if he knows why he pays the tax when he may not be legally required to do so? By the way, it seems to be an inopportune time for the tax man to show up because Peter for sure, and apparently Jesus, have no money to pay taxes!

Preaching Point #2.

It's interesting that often people conveniently get overtly religious and use religion to subvert the law when the law doesn’t suit their own purposes. But not only is it disingenuous, it is potentially dangerous to think that certain religious leaders can or would feel justified in operating outside of the established law. Purely convenient religion is rightly perceived as insincere religion.

The roles will be reversed some day when the Kingdom of our Lord, that is Christ and Christ's people will rule and reign over all and everything will have been made new once the ‘old’ heaven and earth gives way to the new heavens and the new earth. But for now, Christians are bound to this earth, subject to the powers to be, all while knowing we are strangers or foreigners here while we patiently wait to "go home."

Romans 13.1 states, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” That is not to say all the work of a given government serves God’s purposes (Theology of Work Bible Commentary).

It is under these circumstances the Christian toils, "working while it is day’ - “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9.4); laboring in this often unjust, unkind, unrighteousness, and unthankful world. And while we look for the appearance of Jesus every truly born-again person should be asking the question posed by the martyr of Revelation 6.10 regarding the Lord's return for us, "how long, Lord, how long?”

V. 25; “From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others? In other words, regarding a civil tax, a prince wouldn't pay a tax imposed by his father, the king, so as the Expositor’s Bible Commentary puts it, Jesus is exempt on the grounds that the ‘temple tax’ is an obligation to God, and Jesus being God’s Son is exempt.

V. 26; “And when he said, ‘From others’, Jesus said to him, ‘Then the sons are free.”

The question was about the son’s obligation, and Jesus’ answer here is further affirmation to the statement the transfiguration of Christ proved. Jesus is reasserting the fact that He is the Son of God, and since the temple tax was an obligation to God the Father, Jesus the Son, had no obligation to pay it.

V. 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.”

‘To not give offense’ or not allow this situation to be a stumbling block to unbelievers. The text goes from Jesus’ obligation to pay taxes giving occasion to one of the most outrageous miracles ever recorded. The tax collector is talking about his specialty, taxes. It was a very basic subject which everyone, at least every male citizen of Capernaum, was obligated to pay in Galilee region.

Now, we see ultimately how Jesus chooses to respond to the circumstance. Jesus chooses to manifest his utter mastery over all of creation!

Peter is a fisherman by trade, but he is about to get a lesson on how to fish!

v. 27b; “… cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up,”

Don’t throw it back in because it’s too small, or the wrong species, or because you don’t think it is a good fish variety to eat, or its too bony. No, “take the first fish that comes up!” We don’t have to wait long for some answers to prayers!

There are currently between 18 and 27 varieties of fish in the Sea of Galilee. Out of most likely tens of thousands of fish in this Sea where commercial fishermen harvested fish, how would Jesus communicate to the one specific fish and order that one fish to swallow the fisherman’s hook and be caught? How did the Savior know where the coin was? And how did Jesus know if the single coin in the fish’s mouth would be enough to pay the tax that are due?

Questions.

Do you think Jess knows what you and I need?

Do you think the Lord knows where we can get what we need?

Who told that fish to swallow thatcoin which was probably at some point lying on the floor of the sea?

Obviously, Jesus can speak language that a fish understands, and He directs the fish to bite a coin fulfill the needs of his followers at just the right time!

Note: kudos to Peter for believing something this miraculous is possible and he obeyed the Lord Jesus and just did it!

Another outrageous but miraculous incident took place at a wedding in Cana of Galilee when Mary the mother of Jesus told the attendants to whom Jesus was talking to, “Whatever he says to you, do it” (John 2.5)!

That ‘whatever’ is very important! That means no matter how mind-blowing, how outrageous, how faith-stretching it may be, if Jesus tells you to do it, just do it.

One coin worth two drachma wouldn’t be enough, and two coins in the mouth of the fish may not fit, so Jesus made certain the value of one coin in the fish’s mouth had enough value to not only pay Peter’s tax obligation, but Jesu’s tax obligation also! Jesus has enough of whatever we need to bless you and me! You and your children! Wife and Husband! Grandma and Grandpa! Aunts and Uncles! St. John and St. Mary! Arlington and Fort Worth! Jesus can do it!

You get the picture, don’t you? Whatever your need or my need is, or our corporate need is, God can supply it! And the recurring theme of all these Gospel miracles is, there is nothing that God cannot do! Try him and see.

The Proposition - Paying for Salvation.

Jesus did not propose to make a dent or partial payment in the amount Peter owed. Neither was the coin in the fish’s mouth a mere down payment on the debt, leaving room for Peter’s personal contribution. To the contrary. The money Jesus provided was sufficient to pay all of what Peter owed. Jesus paid it all!

And that is a missed point in this story - Jesus indeed paid it all!

Jesus provided enough to cover Peter’s debt so he would need no one or anything else!

Here is the significance of this text because it has strong implications regarding the result for Peter would not be subject to judgment or punishment by the Roman authorities, but Peter found freedom from guilt and release from any shame because of his debt had been paid.

The Sufficiency of Jesus as Savior.

Isaiah 45.5 – “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.”

Isaiah 43.11 – “I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.”

John 14.6 – “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 6.33, 35 – “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

Luke 19.9-10; “Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this household because he too is a son of

Abraham! 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Our text makes a strong statement regarding the results of Peter being now free from guilt and released from the shame of his guilt because he couldn’t pay what he owed. There was no doubt Peter owed, and there was no doubt he could not pay what he owed. But Jesus had the resources to pay what Peter owed.

Question. What have you done about what you owe? Your sin debt, that is?

In this miracle do we see that an authentic experience with Jesus makes us better! Jesus makes this life better, and we also know Christ has secured an even brighter future for those who love him.

The bottom line is, Peter now has No Debt!! Jesus is enough!

This miracle of Jesus not only provided a solution to Peter’s tax problem but with the miracle of money is the miracle of food - Peter had a fish dinner provided for him as well! Jesus superseded any expectation of Peter! Jesus is generous, he goes above and beyond your need, even extravagant in answering the prayers of petition from his children! He gives us exceedingly and abundantly more than we can think or ask!

Conclusion.

Peter had a problem that only Jesus could solve. And everyone else in the entire world from the beginning of time until now is or was faced with the same dilemma. We owe but we can’t pay.

What we needed spiritually we couldn’t and cannot provide for ourselves. Only Jesus can do this.

In closing, if you are still in sin’s debt, will you let Jesus, our sin-bearer resolve your sin debt?