A Fish Story
“But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” Matthew 17:27
Matthew, the former tax-collector, is the only gospel writer to relate this miracle. When Jesus and the disciples came to Capernaum, the collectors of the tax from the local synagogue approached Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” (Matthew 17:24).
Peter answered, “Yes, he does,” but he didn’t really know if Jesus had paid this. The tax was first mentioned in Exodus 30:11-14. Every Israelite above twenty years of age had to pay the tax to support the tabernacle and later to the temple or synagogue. Rich or poor—they paid the same offering to the LORD to atone for their lives (v. 15).
Later Jesus asked, “What do you think, Peter? From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?” (Matthew 17:25).
“From others,” Peter answered.
“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him (v. 26).
Jesus, the Son of God, could’ve claimed exemption from this tax. Jesus didn’t need atonement. He would provide atonement for others with his death on the cross. However, the people of Capernaum didn’t know that, and Jesus didn’t want to cause offense.
Jesus had no income. He could’ve asked Judas to take it from the group’s treasury. But instead, he gave Peter, the fisherman, an assignment he must’ve loved. He chose to let the fisherman find the coin in a fish. The Messiah had power over the fish: first to swallow a specific coin and then to swallow Peter’s hook.
The coin was enough to pay the tax for two people. Jesus had made Capernaum his headquarters—most likely in Peter’s house, and Jesus had been teaching in the local synagogue (Luke 4:31). It was appropriate for both the homeowner and the itinerant teacher to pay the tax.
Jesus modeled good stewardship for us as we support our local churches according to the means God gave us. We should give our money, time and talent in thankfulness for the one who gave his life as an atonement for us.
How can you bless your local church this week?
DIG DEEPER:
The tax in Exodus 30:1-16 was also called an “atonement for the soul” or a “ransom” tax. What do you think was the connection with the altar of incense and the census?
Later Matthew relates another account with a coin: 22:15-22. What is the context—to whom is Jesus talking? What is it saying to us about paying—both spiritual “tithes and offerings” and governmental “taxes”?
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. How does Paul describe the giving of this group for the support of Christians in Jerusalem? What does he say about how we are to give? And what will be the result of our giving?
Nancy J. Baker
This devotion is part of a series, The Miracles of the Messiah.