Of Taxes and Identity

This morning I felt like reading a bit from Matthew's Gospel, and turned to chapter seventeen.  That chapter starts with the Transfiguration of Jesus, then moves on to Jesus healing a demon-possessed boy, both of which I have spent many prayer times reflecting upon.  This morning though, I was drawn to the discussion of taxation found at the end of the chapter.  Here are the verses I am considering this morning - Matthew 17:24-27 NIV:

[24] "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?”

[25] “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?”

[26] “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. [27] “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.”

I guess it is appropriate that I am reflecting on taxation this morning as we quickly approach tax day here in the US.  I am not one to wait, and filed my taxes back in Feb., so I don't think the Lord is providing me instruction in that regard.  The statement Jesus made when asking Peter the question about who the kings of the earth tax is the one that caught my eye this morning.

I decided to do a bit of research, as the two drachma temple tax is not mentioned elsewhere in scripture.  Here is what Matthew Henry writes in his commentary:

"The tribute demanded was not any civil payment to the Roman powers, that was strictly exacted by the publicans, but the church-duties, the half shekel, about fifteen pence, which were required from every person or the service of the temple, and the defraying of the expenses of the worship there; it is called a ransom for the soul, (Exodus 30:12). This was not so strictly exacted now as sometimes it had been, especially not in Galilee." ( http://classic.studylight.org/com/mhc-com/view.cgi?book=mt&chapter=17&verse=24#Mt17_24)

He continues on with the following discussion about Jesus' statement and actions, which I found helpful:

"Now, 1. He appeals to the way of the kings of the earth, which is, to take tribute of strangers, of the subjects of their kingdom, or foreigners that deal with them, but not of their own children that are of their families; there is such a community of goods between parents and children, and a joint-interest in what they have, that it would be absurd for the parents to levy taxes upon the children, or demand any thing from them; it is like one hand taxing the other."

      2." He applies this to himself; Then are the children free. Christ is the Son of God, and Heir of all things; the temple is his temple (Malachi 3:1), his Father's house (John 2:16), in it he is faithful as a Son in his own house (Hebrews 3:6), and therefore not obliged to pay this tax for the service of the temple. Thus Christ asserts his right, lest his paying this tribute should be misimproved to the weakening of his title as the Son of God, and the King of Israel, and should have looked like a disowning of it himself"...

The key to me in all of this is the relational component that Jesus is pointing to in His explanation.  He is God's son, (and actually a King as well) and as such He is not subject to the tax.  The same can actually be said of all of us, who are co-heirs in Christ (Rom 8:17), adopted sons and daughters (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5, Eph 1:5).  Paul writes in his letter to the Romans 8:29 NIV: "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters."

Thus, the same thing is true for each of us, we are sons and daughters of the King and, as Matthew Henry points out, there is a "community of goods between parents and children, and a joint interest in what they have".  Jesus was demonstrating this exact thing, and rather than reaching into the Father's pocket, had Peter reach into a fishes mouth to retrieve the tax for both of them, so as not to cause offense.

This "community of goods" between our Father and us, is one of the key issues I believe the Lord wants us to grasp!  This is not a prosperity gospel type of approach, but an issue of our identity.  We are His sons and daughters, and as such everything He has is available to us!  In other words, if healing power is in the Lord's pocket, then we can expect to be able to have access to that healing power as well.  He is not so much about making His children rich in earthly riches, but rather in helping them understand they are already in possession of heavenly riches.

Lord, I pray that You will help me to grasp this understanding and teach me to have faith in Your provision of all things!  I want to walk in my identity as your adopted-son!

Amen!