Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19961201.htm

MATTHEW: JESUS AS ISRAEL'S MESSIAH AND HIS MESSIANIC KINGDOM
Part X. Christ's Messianic Kingdom Postponed
L. Christ's Edification Of The Disciples In View Of His Rejection As The King
4. Dealing With Unjust Expecations From Human Government
(Matthew 17:24-27)
  1. Introduction
    1. We live in a world of sin, and that human government often practices what is unjust toward its citizens.
    2. The Christian is caught in between a rock and a hard place on the matter: (1) on the one hand, he is supposed to submit to every ordinance of human government as part of his Christian testimony, 1 Pete r 2:13-17; (2) on the other hand, he is to obey God rather than man when their expectations differ, A. 5:29.
    3. Jesus encountered an unjust requirement of human government in Matthew 17:24-27 and exampled there how we are to respond to unjust expectations of human government as follows:
  2. Dealing With Unjust Expectations From Human Government, Matthew 17:24-27.
    1. Under the Mosaic Law, every male of 20 years of age and upward was required to pay a Jewish half shekel temple tax, Ex. 30:11-14; Neh. 10:32. This amount came to two drachmas per person in the secular coinage of Jesus' day, Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, p. 61.
    2. Since Jesus and Peter had not yet paid this assessed tax, some temple tax collectors, trying to find sin in Jesus, approached Peter's house where Jesus stayed and asked if Jesus submitted to such taxation, 17:24.
    3. Peter agreed that Jesus did pay such a tax, and went back into the house to see the Lord about it, 17:25.
    4. When Peter arrived, Jesus anticipated Peter's question on the issue, and taught an important lesson:
      1. Jesus asked Peter if kings of the earth exacted taxes from their own sons or from strangers, Mtt. 17:25c.
      2. Peter responded that kings taxed strangers, not their own sons, Mtt. 17:26a.
      3. Jesus then added that the king's sons were exempt from the tax, Mtt. 17:26b. By way of implication, since Jesus was the Son of God, He was not subject to His heavenly Father's temple or house tax!
      4. Though Jesus was God's Son, and though Israel should have accepted Him as God's Son so that He would not have to pay the Father's temple tax, He still submitted to the tax for conscience's sake:
        1. Jesus told Peter that were he not to pay this tax, the collectors would be offended, believing that Jesus was sinning in not submitting to the Law, Mtt. 17:27a.
        2. Yet, Jesus really was not subject to the law on this point as He was the Son of God, and had the right not to be taxed as His Father's Son, cf. John 5:18.
        3. However, Jesus judged it to be more important to preserve His testimony as being viewed as sinless than protecting his tax exempt rights, and so made provision for tax payment: he told Peter to cast in a fish hook into the sea and pull up a fish. In the fish's mouth would be a stater, a coin worth four drachma that would cover Peter and Jesus' temple tax dues. Peter was to pay the tax due s of Jesus and himself by use of that coin while getting a free fish for lunch, Mtt. 17:27.
Lesson: Though injustices abound in government's expectations, the believer must submit to whatever human ordinance exists that (1) permits him to do what is upright regardless of the abuse of personal rights. (2) He should determine WHICH regulations to obey as follows: (a) he should obey those regulations that protect his testimony in the view of the unsaved community as THEY view uprightness, 1 Peter 2:15. In this way he puts to silen ce the IGNORANCE of foolish men; (b) the LIMIT to such obedience is when government requires one to do what God forbids, A. 5:29.

Application: (1) An example of what NOT to obey would be believers on mainland China who are required to abort their second child! (2) An example of bending over backwards correctly to heed government is paying the Income Tax, which tax (accord ing to some patriotic parties) counters individual rights under the Constitution. Such submission to taxation is viewed by the powers that be as required, the Constitution notwithstanding. (3) God will equip the believer to meet all government regulations as he equipped Peter to pay the stater for himself and for Jesus!