"You
ought to pay taxes. Jesus did." But is that the correct understanding
of Matthew 17:24-27?
In verse 24, we
find the collectors of the temple tax approaching Peter and asking, "Does
not your master pay tribute?"
Peter answers,
"Yes."
Poor, bungling
Peter, he answered too quickly. And Jesus was not pleased.
When Peter tries
to go back into the house, Jesus bars his entrance. "Oh Peter, what got
into you? What were you thinking when you told the tax collector we pay
tribute?"
Then
Jesus instructs Peter on who is obligated to pay. "Do the kings of the
earth take tribute from their own children or from strangers?"
Peter answers,
"From strangers."
"Then the
children are free," said Jesus.
Jesus has
corrected Peter. He knows how to answer the tax collector next time. But still a
problem remains. Peter has incurred an obligation to pay the temple tax. Now
what does he do?
Since the
commitment has been made, Jesus chooses not to confuse the tax collectors. He
explains, "Lest we offend them, go to the sea and throw out a line. Take
out the fish you catch. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the
temple tax. Take it to give to the tax collectors for you and me."
Peter did not
pay the taxes because they were owed, but because he volunteered to pay
them. Once he made the commitment, he needed to make his yes's, "yes."
If Peter had answered correctly the first time, there would have been no need
for Jesus to rebuke him.
