After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “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 children or from others?” “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “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.” -Matt. 17:24-27
In this passage, Jesus shows us His humility and obedience, even when He doesn’t have to. As the Son of God, He’s not obligated to pay the temple tax. This tax was religious duty for every Jewish man, yet Jesus, as God’s own Son, was exempt. Still, He pays it. But why?
Jesus wanted to avoid unnecessary conflict and to demonstrate what humility looks like to His disciples. In doing this, He reminds us that sometimes it’s worth letting go of what we’re “owed” or what we “don’t have to do” to avoid causing others to stumble.
Jesus also trusts in God’s provision. Instead of debating His exemption, He sends Peter to catch a fish, where he finds a coin to cover both their taxes. This miraculous event points us to Jesus’ larger mission: paying a price He didn’t owe, not just for Peter but for all of us. Jesus’ willingness to cover the cost for Peter foreshadows the ultimate price He would pay on the cross for our sins.
Through this, Jesus reminds us to trust God’s provision and consider others’ needs even when we’re not “required” to. His love and humility paved the way for our redemption. May we walk in the same humility and rely on God’s provision in our lives, too.
Former Blackout Artist 