Catching Fish With Coins In The Mouths
Matthew 17:24-27
24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
I'll admit, this is a strange story. The first part is straight-forward enough: Jesus thinks that though he doesn't actually have to pay the Temple tax, he will do so, so as to not cause an unnecessary problem. This is what it means to be the Son of God—not insisting on your rights, but living to serve others.
What happens next is startling:
“Go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” [17:27]
What are we to make of that? I thought this comment from Stanley Hauerwas was helpful:
"Christians rightly desire to do great things in service to God and in service to the world. But too often Christians think such service must insure the desired outcome. We simply do not believe that we can risk fishing for a fish with a coin in its mouth. Yet no account of the Christian desire to live at peace with our neighbor, who may also be our enemy, is intelligible if Christians no longer trust that God can and will help us catch fish with coins in their mouths. No account of Christian nonviolence is intelligible that does not require, as well as depend on, miracle. Christian discipleship entails our trusting that God has given and will continue to give all that we need to be faithful." —Stanley Hauerwas, Matthew
Yes. The Jesus Way requires that we trust God’s constant provision.
Where do you need to depend on God’s provision today?
The Fish Coin?!
I'll admit, this is a strange story. The first part is straight-forward enough: Jesus thinks that though he doesn't actually have to pay the Temple tax, he will do so, so as to not cause an unnecessary problem. It's the next part that is CRAZY:
“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “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 17:26-27
What are we to make of that? I really have no idea, but I thought this paragraph from Stanley Hauerwas on this passage was helpful:
"Christians rightly desire to do great things in service to God and in service to the world. But too often Christians think such service must insure the desired outcome. We simply do not believe that we can risk fishing for a fish with a coin in its mouth. Yet no account of the Christian desire to live at peace with our neighbor, who may also be our enemy, is intelligible if Christians no longer trust that God can and will help us catch fish with coins in their mouths. No account of Christian nonviolence is intelligible that does not require, as well as depend on, miracle. Christian discipleship entails our trusting that God has given and will continue to give all that we need to be faithful."
Stanley Hauerwas, Matthew
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