Temple Tax

Temple Tax

Q: Where did Peter find the coin to pay the taxes?

• a. on the floor
• b. in a fish’s mouth
• c. in his pouch

Each year your parents pay taxes. This is an event not many people look forward to. Back in Jesus’ time, all the males had to pay a Temple tax to help support the Temple. Tax collectors set up booths to collect these taxes.

One day tax collectors asked Peter if Jesus paid the Temple tax like everyone else. Peter went to talk to Jesus about it. Jesus told Peter that just as a king didn’t pay taxes, he, the Son of God, didn’t need to pay the tax either. Yet Jesus did pay so that he wouldn’t offend those who didn’t accept him as the Messiah. In fact, Jesus supplied the tax money for both himself and Peter. And he did it in a most unusual way.

Jesus told Peter to go down to the lake and throw in a fishing line. He told him to open the mouth of the first fish he caught. There would be a coin in it. Peter was to take that coin and pay the tax for himself and Jesus.

Even though Jesus didn’t have to pay the taxes, he did. He wanted his disciples to be model citizens so people wouldn’t be able to find fault with them and use that as an excuse not to believe in Jesus.

God wants you to be a model citizen too. You can be an outstanding example in your home, school, church, and community. You may not agree with every rule or decision that is made, but your job is to obey the rules to the best of your ability.

For You

You can be an example to others in the way you listen to authority and make right choices. You are Jesus’ representative to those around you, and he needs you to represent him well.

Answer: b

[Jesus asked,] “Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?” “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”   Matthew 17:25-27

(The Whole Story: Matthew 17:24-27)