Matthew 17:24-27, Temple Tax
Hi, Anne again...
James McLaren spoke about shekels at the SBL conference, and while he was speaking, I could help but recall my dad's excitement a couple months earlier. We even got out a book and looked up shekels, and I found a couple for sale on e-bay! My dad was working on the Stories, and had an epiphany which he eagerly told me about right away. We both loved it, and I suggested that he post it to an e-list that he was on. It's worth repeating, so I'll share it here:
I think you will enjoy this.
I was just reading Matthew 17:24-27 on the temple tax. After all these years of being dumbfounded, it’s nice to finally understand what the author intended! And it is beautiful.
It’s easy for us to understand that Jesus isn’t expected to pay for his “Father’s house,” so he is exempt from the Temple tax. So, what could he give in its place?
Remembering that Peter is no longer a fisherman for fish, think about this:
Peter is told to cast a “hook” and take up the “first fish” that comes up. Let’s understand it this way…knowing that Peter is going fishing for men, he shares Jesus’ words to “hook” that man. And after sharing the Word, the person he draws up out of the water is now a newly baptized man. Since this man is newly baptized that which comes forth from the man’s mouth is led by the Spirit. The “coin,” an offering due for the Father’s house that comes forth from the man’s mouth, is the glorious praise of God. This glorious praise of God is what Jesus desires to give to his Father. “…We give to God what is God’s.”
Mike Carrell
James McLaren spoke about shekels at the SBL conference, and while he was speaking, I could help but recall my dad's excitement a couple months earlier. We even got out a book and looked up shekels, and I found a couple for sale on e-bay! My dad was working on the Stories, and had an epiphany which he eagerly told me about right away. We both loved it, and I suggested that he post it to an e-list that he was on. It's worth repeating, so I'll share it here:
I think you will enjoy this.
I was just reading Matthew 17:24-27 on the temple tax. After all these years of being dumbfounded, it’s nice to finally understand what the author intended! And it is beautiful.
It’s easy for us to understand that Jesus isn’t expected to pay for his “Father’s house,” so he is exempt from the Temple tax. So, what could he give in its place?
Remembering that Peter is no longer a fisherman for fish, think about this:
Peter is told to cast a “hook” and take up the “first fish” that comes up. Let’s understand it this way…knowing that Peter is going fishing for men, he shares Jesus’ words to “hook” that man. And after sharing the Word, the person he draws up out of the water is now a newly baptized man. Since this man is newly baptized that which comes forth from the man’s mouth is led by the Spirit. The “coin,” an offering due for the Father’s house that comes forth from the man’s mouth, is the glorious praise of God. This glorious praise of God is what Jesus desires to give to his Father. “…We give to God what is God’s.”
Mike Carrell
posted by Anne and Mike at 8:32 PM
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