Temple Tax Holiday

Matthew 17:24 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.”

Certainly our government, (both republicans and democrats), has been creative in its efforts to stimulate the economy. Most of the initiatives have been reckless and risky, and we really will not know the long term effects of these short term "fixes" for a while. One of my favorite efforts has been a sales tax holiday. In these "holidays", consumers are exempt from taxes which should drive short term consumption as it is in effect a 7-10% discount depending on where you live. I love the way they call it a holiday, as the connotation leaves such a warm and fuzzy feel. Has it worked? Depends on who you ask. What are the long term downside effects? Depends on who you ask.

Was Jesus a fan of tax Holidays? Speaking specifically outside of current politics, absolutely. While I have no idea about his opinion about these current sales tax holidays, in Matthew 17 he sows some deep seeds of "tax relief" into Simon Peter. When you read through the verses above, it can seem like a simple lesson in obeying God given rules, and certainly that is part of Jesus' teaching. The two drachma temple tax was prescribed by God in Exodus 30:11-16. The tax was extracted from the Israelites and then used to upkeep the temple. Jesus always is obedient to His father, so even though He could spin the temple on His finger like a basketball, he uses this opportunity to disciple Peter into Himself. He asks Peter , " From who do the kings of the Earth take toll or tax? From their sons or others?" Peter replies"from others". Jesus says you are dead on, so that means the sons of the king are free to enter into the temple to worship.

Jesus is building a grid in Peter's soul, that will make Peter realize that He is the temple of God. He is revealing that there is indeed a new covenant being unveiled right in front of Peter, one that is "tax free", at least for the sons of the True King, Jesus. Jesus is not saying the tax is unfair, he is saying it is a just tax that should be, and will be, paid. He is simply saying, and showing that in the New Covenant HE pays the dues of His sons to bring them to the Father. Where does the money come from that satisfies the Holy commands of the temple tax? Is it luck? Some will say that Peter's expert fishing techniques allowed him to best identify which fish would most likely contain a four drachma coin, so Peter needs some credibility here. I say that is ludicrous. The coin was in the mouth of the first fish that Peter caught as that was one of millions of staged events that God laid out over thousands of years to bring Glory to His son, Jesus Christ. Jesus later reveals that He is the Temple. He has paid the due price for His sons to enter the temple, Himself, with His blood and life. It is free. Do not miss this, my "temple tax holiday", and yours, should seem as miraculous to us as the likelihood of me walking to the lake in my neighborhood and catching a brim with a $5 bill in its mouth. The wages of my sin are death and separation from God. They leave me unable to pay the temple tax and outside of communion with God. Like He miraculously whipped up Peter's tax that allowed him into the temple to access God, Jesus alone can provide the Holy blood shed on the Cross that satisfies the just wrath of the father towards our sins. Christ alone is the only provision available to any of us to commune with God.

We must struggle through the clutter of this life to see the Divine large, vast, complex and majestic Gospel of Christ. It is a divine power that is not far from any one of us. It is not man made. Can you see it in your life? Do you feel the freedom as a son or daughter to worship God, only by the blood of Christ? Do you feel the joy and delight of being included in His love?

When you boil it all down, when any person looks at Christ they either view Him one of two ways:

1) Intense Love, Joy, Delight and a passion to more fully know and submit to as he is the end game of all Holy desire - or-
2) He will be a duty and a party pooper that they will out right reject in open rebellion or begrudgingly attempt to "pay their own tax" in a miserable religious facade.

Trust me, I have tried all three. What a delightful Savior is He.