WWUTT 2047 Peter’s Miraculous Fish Catch (Matthew 17:24-27)

The Temple Tax and Jesus’ Authority Over Provision

At the end of Matthew 17, we have a remarkable story of Jesus telling Peter to go catch a fish and pay the taxes for him and Peter with the coin that comes out of the fish to show that Christ reigns when we understand the text.

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Here's your teacher, Pastor Gabe.

Thank you, Becky. In our study of the Gospel of Matthew, we've been in chapter 17 last week and this week. We'll finish up the chapter today with one more section here in verses 24 to 27. I'm reading from the Legacy Standard Bible, hear the word of the Lord.

Now, 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? And he said, yes. And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first saying, what do you think Simon?

From whom did the kings of the earth collect tolls or taxes? From their sons or from strangers? And when Peter said from strangers, Jesus said to him, then the sons are exempt. 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 stater.

Take that and give it to them for me and you. Boy, I wish paying taxes were that simple. Don't you? We just go catch a fish and whatever comes out and there we go. I'm paying my taxes with that. You know, this is the only place that we find this account.

Mark and Luke don't concern themselves with it. It's only in Matthew's Gospel. It could be because this happened in Matthew's hometown. Remember he was from Capernaum and because Matthew was a tax collector.

So he found this particular occasion, especially intriguing that he would include it here in his Gospel and really speaks about the governance of Christ and also how God provides for us in everything, even in our responsibilities to pay our taxes.

But we'll talk more about this passage here in just a moment. First, let me tease out where we're going after this. Typically, I finish a chapter in one week. So we'll spend Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in a chapter and then next week we start a new chapter.

But today we're finishing this chapter on Tuesday. So what are we gonna do tomorrow? Well, we're gonna go ahead and jump into chapter 18 and we begin the chapter with the disciples asking Jesus, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

And this sets up the fourth of Matthew's five discourses. This is about living in community with one another, how the church is to be with each other. And it's in chapter 18 that we have instructions about church discipline.

I wanna spend more time talking about church discipline when we get to chapter 18 verses 15 to 20. So we're going to spend next week, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, talking about church discipline, looking at that section.

Tomorrow, reading verses one through 14, where the disciples ask Jesus, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And then Jesus warns them about stumbling blocks. And then he gives them the parable of the lost sheep in verses 12 to 14.

That will be our lesson tomorrow. But in the meantime, finishing up chapter 17 today with this story of the temple tax. And I'll say story, but when I say story, I don't mean something fictional. This is all very true, but this is the account of when Jesus told Peter to pay the temple tax on behalf of himself and for Christ.

The Mosaic Background of the Temple Tax

So when they came to Capernaum, they're back at the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum being right there on the sea. Those who collected the two drachma tax came to Peter and said, does your teacher not pay the two drachma tax?

Now this tax is not a Roman tax. This is exclusively a Jewish tax. And it goes back to Exodus 30 with regards to the census that was taken and that everybody over the age of 20 was supposed to pay a tax for the service of the temple.

So in Exodus 30 verse 11, it says, Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, when you take a census of the sons of Israel to number them, then each one of them shall give a price of atonement for himself to Yahweh when you number them, so that there will be no plague among them when you number them.

This is what everyone who is numbered shall give. Half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary, the shekel is 20 geras, half a shekel as a contribution to Yahweh. Everyone who is numbered from 20 years old and over shall give the contribution to Yahweh.

The rich shall not pay more and the poor shall not pay less than the half shekel when you give the contribution to Yahweh to make atonement for your souls. And you shall take the atonement money from the sons of Israel and shall give it to the service of the tent of meeting, that it may be a remembrance for the sons of Israel before Yahweh to make atonement for your souls.

It's this particular tax that is being asked of Peter here. Does your teacher pay the two drachma tax? Now, this was not a question that the Pharisees were asking Peter as though to catch Jesus in a trap that would get him in trouble with the Romans, because this was not a tax that the Romans took.

Though it could be that the Pharisees were asking Peter this question to get Jesus in trouble with the Jews. It could be that. It could be another one of their setups. We haven't seen Jesus pay this tax.

We don't know that he's ever paid the tax. No one's ever given a testimony of him paying the tax. Does he pay this tax or not? Now, they have been on this journey that they've been on through chapter 17, 16 and 17.

They've been in a region that's been far from Capernaum. They've been up toward the Northeast. Remember, they were traveling around the region of Caesarea Philippi. So they've just come back in and they've come in in just the time for this two drachma tax.

It could be that it's already been collected. And so maybe there's whisperings. Maybe the Pharisees are kind of setting this up like how convenient for Jesus and his disciples to be away while we're taking the two drachma tax.

But now they've come back into Capernaum. So is he gonna pay it or not? So they ask Peter this question and it's being asked of those who collected the two drachma tax. They were likely the scribes or the lawyers.

And so Peter said, yes. And when he came into the house and this may be Peter's house because remember Peter's from Capernaum. And when Jesus had begun his ministry, he would stay at Peter's house. So it could be that that's where they are.

They never had like one central location that they go out from, because remember Jesus said, the son of man does not have a place to lay his head. Foxes have foxholes, but nowhere does the son of man have to lay his head.

So they would sleep in different places, stay with different folks. They would be welcomed by people who would love the savior and love his disciples. Here coming into Capernaum, they're staying in a more familiar location and that likely being Peter's house.

So when Peter comes into the house, Jesus spoke to him saying, what do you think Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect tolls or taxes? From their sons or from strangers. We're not told here whether Jesus overheard this discussion or he just knew that it had taken place.

But Peter doesn't even begin with anything. He doesn't even say anything. Jesus just asks him the question straight away. The kings of the earth, when they collect taxes, and we're talking about all kinds of kings.

We're not talking about the Herods. We're not talking about the Caesars. Anyone who is a ruler, when they collect tolls or taxes, who do they take taxes from? And it's an obvious question, of course. Gets Peter thinking, do they take taxes?

Do they take tolls from their sons, from their own household, or do they take them from strangers? The sons don't pay taxes. They're growing up in that household to be the successor to the king. So Peter knows the answer to this and says from strangers.

And Jesus says to him, then the sons are exempt. Now, remember the context in which we're reading this. Think about what we've read coming through chapters 16 and 17. There have been occasions here where the disciples have expected that Jesus is an emancipator.

He is a military king. He's gonna be one like David who's gonna assume the throne of Israel, and he's gonna make Israel great again. He'll kick out the Herods. He will remove the Roman oppression and even be greater than the Caesars.

Israel will become a superpower again, an even greater empire than it was in the days of Solomon. This is what the disciples are expecting. It was even what John the Baptist was expecting. Everyone thinks this is what their Messiah is going to be.

So it's baffling to the disciples when Jesus starts talking about how he's gonna go into Jerusalem and be arrested and put to death. This was what was behind Peter saying to Jesus, "'Far be it from you, Lord, for this to happen to you.'".

Now, of course, Peter cared for his Lord, but he did not wanna see the one who was gonna rise up and be king suffer at the hands of those people that he is going to rule. Far be it from you to do this sort of a thing.

That's not how we take over this land, by letting you go in here and get ruled over and get persecuted and put to death. That's not how we're gonna take this thing over. So this has been on the mind of the disciples.

And you still need to be thinking of that too as we come into this closing dialogue here at the finish of chapter 17, when Peter answers from strangers and Jesus says to him, "'The sons are exempt.'".

You gotta know, Peter's probably feeling pretty good about this. Maybe he's thinking, finally, finally, he's gonna step up and say, "'I don't have to pay that tax. "'I rule this joint. "'So you gotta pay that tax to me.'".

Maybe that's what Peter is thinking that is about to happen here. But Jesus responds and says, "'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 stater, "'which would be more than two drachmas. "'So take that and give it to them for me and for you. "'Pay the tax for both of us.'". And that might've been a little deflating to Peter to hear Jesus say that.

Christ’s Power, Poverty, and Providence

Here's a great paragraph here from Matthew Henry. This is from his concise commentary. His exhaustive commentary is a lot longer on this particular section, but here's the concise commentary on these four verses.

Peter felt sure that his master was ready to do what was right. And let me stop there for a moment. This is why Peter answered for Jesus and said to those who collect the tax, yes, my master pays the tax because he knew Jesus was ready to do what was right.

So going on, Henry says, "'Christ spoke first to give him proof "'that no thought can be withholden from him. "'We must never decline our duty "'for fear of giving offense, "'but we must sometimes deny ourselves "'in our worldly interests rather than give offense.

"'However, the money was lodged in the fish, "'he who knows all things alone could know it, "'and only almighty power could bring it to Peter's hook. "'The power and the poverty of Christ "'should be mentioned together.

"'If called by providence to be poor like our Lord, "'let us trust in his power "'and our God shall supply all our need "'according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. "'In the way of obedience, "'in the course perhaps of our usual calling, "'as he helped Peter, so he will help us.

"'And if any sudden call should occur "'which we are not prepared to meet, "'let us not apply to others till we first seek Christ.'". So even though Jesus is not gonna respond here, by assuming power in Israel, he's going to remain in poverty, yet he shows his power to Peter by telling him to go and catch this fish.

And only almighty God could have possibly known that there was this coin in that fish, and it was going to be that moment when Peter throws that hook, that he catches that fish and dumps it out, and there the stater is going to fall into his hand.

And that would have been another one of those things. As the coin falls out of the fish, right into Peter's palm, that would have been another one of those reminders for Peter, especially for Peter, who he's following, who Jesus is.

This may not be happening the way that Peter wants it to happen. I am ready to take over this thing. Come on, Jesus, spring up out of your skin like you did on the Mount of Transfiguration. Show your glory to these people.

Are we finally going to rule this place? May not be happening the way that Peter expects it to happen but he's yet being reminded by the grace of God who he's following, the one who is sovereign, the one who created all things, the one who set time in motion, the one who holds all things in his hands, and yet at the same time is going to have nails through his hands when he lays his life down as an atoning sacrifice on the cross for Peter, which Peter won't understand when it happens, but later he will understand it.

Everything happens exactly as God means for it to happen, and it may not occur in the way that we would like for it to take place, but God's ways are perfect and our ways are not. As said in Isaiah 55, the Lord says, for my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.

My ways are higher than your ways. And as we read in Romans 11, also quoting from Isaiah, oh, the depth of the riches in wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and how unfathomable are his ways.

For who has known the mind of the Lord or who became his counselor? Or who has first given to him that it might be repaid to him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever.

Amen. And here Peter is being reminded that all things come from Christ so that even this tax is being provided for them by God. What an incredible thing. And may we continue to trust in God for all things.

We know that everything is in his hands. No matter what happens, he does not let us go. Consider that the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go. In Psalm 23, three, we read that he leads us. You lead me in paths of righteousness for your name's sake.

In Psalm 91, 14, it is said that he is our protector. In Zephaniah 3, 17, it says that he sings over us. That's a fascinating thing to consider. This is Zephaniah 3, 17. Yahweh, your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save.

He will be joyful over you with gladness. He will be quiet in his love. He will rejoice over you with joyful singing. Is that not amazing to consider? That we actually bring God joy and he sings over us.

And it's not because of anything that we have done, but because God is merciful and gracious to us. He upholds us as said in Isaiah 41. We read that just last week. Do not fear for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you for I am your God.

I will make you mighty. Surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. We know that God cares about us. 1 Peter 5, 7, cast your anxieties on him because he cares for you.

And we know that he will never leave us nor forsake us. Matthew 28, 20. Very last verse at the end of this gospel. Lo, I am with you always, even to the very end of the age. God is sovereign. He rules over all.

He is working all things together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Romans 8, 28. He holds all things in his hand. He holds us near to him. So just as we see, Jesus say to Peter, go and catch this fish and pay the tax for us.

Know that God is, he is working all things out that we might be provided for by our father who is in heaven. Never forget how near he is to you, my brother and sister. Let's finish there with prayer. Heavenly father, as we think about this passage, I pray that we would know the sovereignty of God.

We would know that you know, you know all things. That even Jesus as very God and very man knew the location of this coin and that fish and that Peter was gonna catch it and pay this tax. And so, you know us everywhere we are, wherever we go, you know, every thought that we think, every word that is on our lips before we even speak, it is said in Psalm 139.

So we know as you reign over all and you love us and you care for us and you draw us near to you, help us to be reminded that the God who created all things is for us. So who can be against us? Let us continue to trust in you today.

And because we know that Christ gave himself for us, dying as an atoning sacrifice for sins, rising again from the grave, teach us to walk in holiness, as he is holy, so we should be. Be with us and comfort our hearts.

We ask in Jesus' name, amen.

This has been When We Understand the Text with Pastor Gabriel Hughes. For all of our podcasts, episodes, videos, books, and more, visit our website at www .utt .com. If you'd like to submit a question to this broadcast or just send us a comment, email whenweunderstandthetext at gmail .com and let your friends know about our ministry.

Join us again tomorrow as we grow together in the study of God's word when we understand the text.