Matthew 17:22-27

Lectio (Reading)

Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.

As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee,
Jesus said to them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,
and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.”
And they were overwhelmed with grief.

When they came to Capernaum,
the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said,
“Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?”
“Yes,” he said.
When he came into the house, before he had time to speak,
Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon?
From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax?
From their subjects or from foreigners?”
When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him,
“Then the subjects are exempt.
But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook,
and take the first fish that comes up.
Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax.
Give that to them for me and for you.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.

From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?

Oratio (Responding)

Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.

This is a very important passage of the new testament. One of those passages from the bible that if you dont fully understand the circumstances that proceed and surround it, you could easily miss the importance. This simple reading affirms the preiminent authority of the first pope Peter, and all of his apostolic successors (the priests and bishops from peter to present) that have come after him.

This passage comes immediately after Jesus calls Peter the rock, and says that he will build His church on that rock of Peter. Jesus gave Peter and all of his successors, the power to bind and loose all thing on earth with the authority of heaven. Todays reading is litterally the first thing that Peter does with his new found power. In this passage, Peter is confronted by the pharasees. They ask him if it is lawfull to pay the temple tax. It was a trap by the pharisees. Saying no would get him in trouble with the Romans, because thet are the ones that imposed the temple tax. Saying yes would get him in trouble with the jewish leaders, because he would be condoning paying a tax to go to their place of rightful worship.

Peter being Peter, did not think his answer through completely, and stupidly agrees to pay the temple tax. Jesus then asks him essentially, are we foriegners to the temple? or are we the rightful subjects of God and His temple? He is asking Peter do you think that we really need to pay a tax for going to our home? Peter must have thought himself about 2 inches tall. But because Jesus gave Peter that authority to bind and loose the whole church to his decisions, whether they are wise or not, Jesus honored Peter’s decision, and came up with a way to pay the tax, but to do it in miraculously divine way, a way that does not take money out of their hands. But more importantly, a way that does not use worldly goods to pay for heavenly things…, like access to the temple.

Jesus could have easily scolded, and humiliated Peter for his bad decision, but instead He honored it. This fact is so important to the 2000 year history of our church, and the subsequent authority of its leaders and the apostolic succession. We cannot ever forget that while Jesus did not agree with Peter’s decision, He work with it to come to a heavenly solution, a solution that resolved the contradiction of the unjust tax. So when you think of the church and all of the laws that it has promulgated in the last 2000 years, remember that they have heavenly authority, and that the Lord is working within them to bring order, and grace to all of us. We may not like it, Jesus may not like it, but we must honor it as the true word of God.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.

Oh lord, help me to follow you and the leaders that you have given us, with grace, humility, and obedience. Not only when it is easy, but especially when it is really hard. Amen.