Matthew 17:27

Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. NOTWITHSTANDING, LEST WE SHOULD OFFEND (OR 'STUMBLE') THEM - all ignorant as they are of My relation to the Lord of the Temple, and should misconstrue a claim to exemption into indifference to His honour who dwells in it. GO THOU TO THE SEA (CAPERNAUM, IT WILL BE REMEMBERED, LAY ON THE SEA OF GALILEE), AND CAST AN HOOK, AND TAKE UP THE FISH THAT FIRST COMETH UP: AND WHEN THOU HAST OPENED HIS MOUTH, THOU SHALT FIND A PIECE OF MONEY [ stateera (G4715)] - 'a stater.' So it should have been rendered, and not indefinitely, as in our version; because the coin was an Attic silver coin, equal to...

27._Throw a hook. _Though I acknowledge that Christ had not always full coffers, yet I think that he was not compelled by poverty to give this order to Peter, but that he did so in order to prove by a miracle, that he had a more extensive dominion than all earthly kings, since he had even _fishes _for his tributaries. And we do not read that this was done more than once, because one proof was enough for his whole life. _Thou wilt find a stater. A stater _was of the same value as a shekel, namely, four drachms or two didrachma. (583)...

24-27 Peter felt sure that his Master was ready to do what was right. Christ spoke first to give him proof that no thought can be withholden from him. We must never decline our duty for fear of giving offence; but we must sometimes deny ourselves in our worldly interests, rather than give offence. However the money was lodged in the fish, He who knows all things alone could know it, and only almighty power could bring it to Peter's hook. The power and the poverty of Christ should be mentioned together. If called by providence to be poor, like our Lord, let us trust in his power, and our God shall supply all our need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. In the way of obedience, in the course, perhaps, of our usual calling, as he helped Peter, so he will help us. And if any sudden call should occur, which we are not prepared to meet, let us not apply to others, till we first...

Verse Matthew 17:27. _LEST WE - OFFEND THEM_] Be a stumbling-block to the priests, or rulers of the Jews, I will pay the tribute - _go thou to_ _the sea - cast a hook, and take the first fish - thou shalt find a_ _piece of money_, στατηρα, _a stater_. This piece of money was equal in value to four drachms, or two shekels, (five shillings of our money,) and consequently was sufficient to pay the tribute for our Lord and Peter, which amounted to about half-a-crown each. If the _stater_ was in the mouth or belly of the fish _before_, who can help admiring the _wisdom_ of Christ, that discovered it there? If it was not _before_ in the mouth of the fish, who can help admiring the _power_ of Christ, that impelled the fish to go where the stater had been lost in the bottom of the sea, take it up, come towards the shore where Peter was fishing,...

AND WHEN THEY WERE COME TO CAPERNAUM - See the notes at Matthew 4:13. THEY THAT RECEIVED TRIBUTE - In the original this is, they who received the didrachma, or double drachma. The drachma was a Grecian coin worth about fifteen cents (7 1/2 d.) of British money. The didrachma, or double drachma, was a silver coin equal to the Attic drachma, and, in the time of Josephus, equal to the Jewish half shekel, that is, about 30 cents (circa 1880’s). This tribute, consisting of the didrachma or double drachma, was not paid to the Roman government, but to the Jewish collectors for the use of the temple service. It was permitted in the law of Moses (see Exodus 30:11) that in numbering the people half a shekel should be received of each man for t

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 17:1 _The Transfiguration of Jesus_._ _(Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28.) This mysterious event was intended primarily to confirm the faith of the three apostles who were to have the chief hand in founding the Church. The Lord had just announced his future sufferings and death. This prediction had been a grievous blow to Peter, and doubtless to the others also. He had stumbled at the cross, and had brought on himself a stern rebuke for his slowness and worldliness. So to comfort the chosen three under the thought of what awaited their Master, they were shown a glimpse of the glory which he has in heaven; they saw the Law and the prophets yielding subjection to him; t

NOTWITHSTANDING, LEST WE SHOULD OFFEND THEM,.... Though Christ could have maintained his right of exemption from payment, by such strong and clear reasons and arguments; yet he chose to forego it, lest any should be offended with him, and look upon him as a transgressor of the law; one that had no regard to the temple, and slighted the worship and service of it, and so be prejudiced against him, and his doctrines: which, by the way, may teach us to be careful to give no offence, to Jew or Gentile, or the church of God; though it may be to our own disadvantage, when the honour and interest of religion lie at stake. This is following the example of Christ, who therefore said to Peter, GO THOU TO THE SEA; of Tiberias, which was near this city, AND CAST AN HOOK; a fisher's hook into it: AND TAKE UP THE FISH THAT FIRST COMETH UP, AND WHEN THOU HAST OPENED HIS MOUTH, THOU SHALT FIND A PIECE...

5. THE COMING GLORY; the Helpless Disciples and the Power of the King. The Tribute Money. CHAPTER 17 _ 1. The Transfiguration. (Matthew 17:1 .) 2. The Helpless Disciples and the Power of the King. (Matthew 17:14 .) 3. The Second Announcement of His Death and Resurrection. (Matthew 17:22 .) 4. The Tribute Money.(Matthew 17:24 .)_ The first part of this chapter gives us the record of the transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ. The portion before us is one of the richest in the entire book of Matthew; so full of precious teachings and suggestions that one almost shrinks from attempting an expos

TEMPLE TRIBUTE. Mt. only. The collectors of the half-shekel, expected from every Jew towards the maintenance of the Temple, and usually paid just before the Passover, ask Peter if his master fulfilled the obligation, and are told that He did. In conversation with Peter, Jesus apparently asserts that the Temple should be maintained by taxes on Gentiles, while Jews go free. But a better interpretation is that, as sons of the Messianic Kingdom, He and His followers are exempt from taxes. Yet, perhaps remembering the injunction in Exodus 30:11, He bids Peter satisfy the demand. After the destruction of the Temple the half-shekel was added to the taxes imposed by Rome, and under Domitian (when Mt. was probably written) these taxes were strictly collected. J. Weiss therefore suggests that payment to the Romans is the real point of the incident. Christians were in natural doubt about paying God...

THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION (Matthew 17:1-8)...