Sermon for November 24th, 2019

Matthew 17:24-27 (NT p.19)

24 When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?” 25 He said, “Yes, he does.” And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?” 26 When Peter said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the children are free. 27 However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me.”

Coins: Fishy Money

A man with an ice-chest full of fish was stopped by the local game warden on the shores of a lake well known for its stock of rare and exotic fish. The game warden asked the man, "Do you have a license to catch those fish? The man replied to the game warden, “No, sir. These are my pet fish.”

“Pet fish?!” the warden replied, with an incredulous look on his face.

“Yes, sir. Every night I take these fish down to the lake and let them swim around for a while. Then I whistle, and they jump back into the ice chest, and I take them home.” The warden gets out his notepad and begins to write a ticket. But the man said, "Wait! I’ll prove it. Watch..." And he poured the fish into the lake. After several minutes, the game warden turned to the man and said, “Well?”

“Well, what?” the man responded. “When are you going to call them back?” asked the game warden. “Call who back?” the man asked. “The FISH,” the warden said sternly. “What fish?” the man asked.

In some ways, our scripture passage today (about Jesus, Peter, a fish and a coin) functions like this joke, but in reverse. We've been talking for the past few weeks about coins in the Bible, and the way Jesus uses them to illustrate his point, and to transform the perspective of his followers.

Like last week's story, this one seems on the surface to be about taxes, but in reality is so much more. In fact, this story has just four short verses, but within those verses we find religion, politics, vocation, confrontation, two miracles, two parables, and a model for how to be generous, compassionate, and save the world in the process.

Have I got your attention yet?

Let's start with taxes. The story begins with tax collectors coming up to Peter to ask if Jesus pays taxes. But unlike last week's story, this is NOT a trap. These aren't Pharisees and Herodians out to get Jesus. These are lowly tax collectors, the messengers, not the authorities, not the power-brokers. Elsewhere in the gospels, we see that Jesus is pretty fond of tax collectors, precisely because they are hated and rejected by everyone else. He is often accused by the powerful of eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners (the assumption is these are one and the same).

And these tax collectors are humble, strangely deferential in their questioning. First, they don't even approach Jesus directly. They go to his right-hand man, Peter. They phrase their question cautiously, "Your teacher doesn't happen to pay taxes by any chance, does he?" There's a good chance that by now, they have heard about Jesus, about his amazing miracles, his clever teachings, his ability to heal the sick, and command the wind and waves. I suspect they are just as afraid of Jesus as they are of their masters, their employers, the ones for whom they collect the taxes in the first place. So the tax collectors, this time, are the ones between a rock and hard place. If they push their luck with Jesus, for all they know, he might rain down fire from heaven upon them. And if they go back to their masters empty handed, their fate could be just as bad.

Peter reassures them that yes, Jesus does pay his taxes. Or at least, he will.

• collectors of the temple tax
• Peter
• Jesus
• Kings of the earth
• Children of the king
• fish

• very dense passage. four verses, two parables, one miracle, one confrontation
• σκανδαλίσωμεν - offense or scandalize?
• God's children give out of their freedom and their compassion, not out of obligation, compulsion or guilt.
• When we decide to be generous, God provides for our giving in interesting (fishy) ways. God provides just enough, no more, no less.
• hook = anchor, cross, nails. Fish (ancient symbol for Jesus) is "first" "raised up" treasure inside. GIVE IT TO THEM!! (great commission)

• Matthew Henry: "Peter must catch the fish by angling. Even in miracles he would use means to encourage industry and endeavour. Peter has something to do, and it is in the way of his own calling too; to teach us diligence in the employment we are called to, and called in. Do we expect that Christ should give to us? Let us be ready to work for him."