Offending and Offended

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

OFFENDING AND OFFENDED

Matt 17:24-27

24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?" 25 "Yes, he does," he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes — from their own sons or from others?"  26 "From others," Peter answered. "Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. 27 "But so that we may not offend them, 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." 

NIV

The question is about a temple tax and thus this is not a Roman tax collector, but these are the Jewish collectors of a tax for the general running or operational expenses of the religious activities of the temple. This is different than the tithe of the whole nation. We cannot be sure what operational expenses they had. Some would suggest this tax was voluntary and it went for the purchase of wood, salt, flour, incense, and even some animals for sacrifice. It would seem the salt and flour were used to make the showbread. However, the scene here is to show us several things. First, we are told these collectors questioned Peter, which would suggest the rest of the disciples and Jesus had already gone into the house. As Peter answered in the affirmative regarding whether Jesus paid his share of the temple tax, when he did enter the house, Jesus knew what the question was and what Peter’s answer was. However, because we are not specifically told Peter was the only one there, perhaps all of them were, but the collectors simply asked Peter. Either way, Jesus makes the point through his illustration that He, being the Son of God, should be exempt from paying any tax for the operation of religious activities in the temple, as it is his father’s, the King of kings, house. However, not to cause any more friction or opposition from the Jews, Jesus tells Peter to catch a fish and the first one he catches will have a coin worth enough to pay the temple tax for Jesus and Peter. This shows us the omniscience of Jesus and His complete authority over nature itself, which He would have to cause this fish to have the exact right coin in his mouth. However, what do we learn from all this that we might be able to apply to our lives? What is the reason for this scripture? Could it be about paying our tithe? Most likely not, but this was not about a tithe, but a temple tax, which we do not pay, except perhaps in an offering above our tithe. However, our tithes are supposed to be for the operational expenses of the church, so no temple tax would be needed. Although we do, from time to time, have special offerings for extra-large expenses, like a new furnace, new roof, new flooring, new pews, or whatever else we think we have to do for the upkeep of the building. Yet, this is not about that either. We think what we need to learn, which we already know, is the divine nature of Jesus. However, perhaps there is something else about us that we might consider. If Jesus was exempt from the temple tax because He is the Son of the King, then we being the children of God should be exempt from the temple tax, or offerings beyond our tithe. But the truth of what Jesus was teaching about not causing more opposition or that the collectors would not be offended does apply to us. This would mean that we should be careful not to offend the collectors, who would be those who do religious things. True believers would not be offended by what we do or not do, but as with the Jews who were not followers of Jesus, but doing religious activities, would be offended, so do those who just are religious, thinking activity or sacrifices are what is needed to worship God. Yet, we should not even offend them, being careful because we love God and thus love them and would do no harm to them. This is all about being offended, and not offending. Although it is not right to be offended either.