The Tribute Money: Matthew 17:24-27

Matthew 17:24‑27
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IT was quite natural that the Capernaum collector should challenge Peter in regard to his Master’s payment of the half-shekel—a tax levied upon all males in Israel for the upkeep of the temple (Matt. 17:24-2724And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? 25He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? 26Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. 27Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. (Matthew 17:24‑27)). In his eyes He was only an itinerant preacher, perhaps a prophet, and therefore liable for the impost as all others. But Peter erred egregiously in answering the inquiry in the affirmative. Only a little while before he had confessed Him as “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and had received the Saviour’s benediction for it (Matt. 16:16-1716And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 16:16‑17)); now he acknowledges His liability for a petty tax as though He were a mere son of Jacob. When he entered the house the Lord anticipated what he had to say, showing thus His perfect omniscience. “What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own sons or of strangers?” To this the blundering apostle returned the only answer that was possible― “of strangers.” Jesus saith unto him: “Then are the sons free.”
A simple statement, yet how full! Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of Him Who dwelt in the temple. From Him the great Sovereign of the universe never could or would demand anything. But observe the plural — “sons.” He put Peter alongside of Himself as sharing His position and relationship. The grace of this is astounding. Yet Scripture is most explicit in its address to every Christian: “Thou art no longer a servant, but a son.... Ye are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:6; 4:76Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. (Galatians 3:6)
7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:7)). We owe this to the Saviour’s atoning blood, which has put away all our sins, and furnished God with a righteous ground for the display of all His love and grace. The blood of Christ entitles every believer to share His relationship of Son to the Father, and to be with Him in His heavenly glory forever.
But these wonders are not yet acknowledged by the world. Neither Christ nor Christians are yet recognized in their true position of exaltation as sons to the Father. Consequently the tax must be paid without demur. Neither clamor, nor resistance―passive or otherwise―could proceed from the meek and lowly One. Had the half-shekel been required at census-time as atonement-money (Ex. 30:11-1611And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 12When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. 13This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord. 14Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the Lord. 15The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls. 16And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls. (Exodus 30:11‑16)) the case would have presented grave difficulties; but the collection was of a different nature, a mere charge for the maintenance of the temple (a Chron. 24:6). Mark the tender consideration of our Lord: “Notwithstanding, lest we should stumble them —” He would rather pay any figure, however unjust or objectionable, than endanger the testimony of God by provoking invidious comments from the unregenerate. How little has His example been heeded by Christians when smarting under a sense of wrong!
Small though the amount was―is 3rd. per head―the Saviour did not possess it. Creation must, therefore, supply it at His command. “Go thou to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for Me and thee.” Everything and every one―wind, waves, fishes, demons, etc.―discerned Who He was but poor benighted man. Painful thought! The most favored of all God’s creatures, the blindest of all through sin! Yet His infinite grace picks up multitudes of the wretched sons of men and puts them in the company of His own beloved Son, so that He can link them with Himself and say, “Me and thee.”