SCRIPTURE: Matthew 17
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
(Read my reflection from 2008)
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. [Matthew 17:25-26]
Apparently the religious leaders had decided that the regular offerings for the temple prescribed by God in the Law were not enough – they added a new temple tax.
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” (Benjamin Franklin) – and if you don’t pay the one, you will pay the other!
Peter is confronted by the religious leaders, demanding to know why Jesus is not paying His taxes; Jesus uses this as a teaching moment for Peter.

Jesus exposes the unfairness of how the religious leaders tax their own people, but He also refuses to defy their authority unnecessarily.
“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]
We marvel at the coin in the fish’s mouth – though this is a trivial miracle compared to His other miracles – but the important lesson here is how Jesus deals with the tax.
So that we may not cause offence…
Even though the tax is unfair, Jesus pays it.
From this we note what kind of radical Jesus was.
He was not a revolutionary nor did He promote rebellion; He was not an anarchist, He did not defy the religious or political leaders callously or carelessly.
But he did challenge them.

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. [Matthew 23:1-4]
This passage speaks to how we ought to lead and how we ought to follow.
Jesus enters this world to challenge the power systems, but He does not do this by promoting rebellion.
The way of Jesus is through humility, honesty, integrity, mercy, generosity.
We do not overcome evil with evil, rather we overcome evil with good [Romans 12:21].
He could have asserted His divine authority (the disciples see a glimpse of this in the transfiguration), He could have enforced it with His power (as seen in His many miracles); but instead He demonstrates it through His integrity.

As a leader, are you being unfair to those who are under you?
As a follower, are you being rebellious to those who are over you?
Jesus reveals the glory of God not by His force but by His goodness.
As His followers, we are to do the same.

PRAYER:
Lord, help me to challenge injustice and oppression, but help me not to do it in a rebellious way, in a way that gives unnecessary offense.