Civil Government: Magistracy, Authority, and Romans 13: Christian & Civil Government

The Temple Tax

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Civil Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2003-05-04

Synopsis: John Weaver argues that Matthew 17:24-27 refers to the temple tax (the half-shekel redemption money), not a Roman tax. He emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the sovereign head over all institutions, and that the children of God are free from man-made bondage. The sermon rebukes the misuse of this passage to support unlimited submission to civil government, and highlights the omniscience and graciousness of Christ in helping Peter out of a rash vow.

[John Weaver] So Matthew chapter 17, and let's begin reading there in verse 24. Matthew 17, verse 24, And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He said, Yes. And when he came into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus said unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea and cast them hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up. And when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money. Take that, and give it unto them for me and thee.

[John Weaver] Now Matthew 17 verses 24 through 27 is a passage that has been misused, abused, and taken out of context innumerable times. Just this week I was asked once again to explain this passage. It seems as if there are a number of people who wish to use this passage to prop up their views on unlimited submission to civil government. Let me make a statement, and please remember this statement, it's very simple. Civil government is not God. God is God.

[John Weaver] Now it is difficult for me to comprehend the fact that so many people have failed to grasp the fact and the truth that God alone is the sovereign. What do I mean by that? I mean that God alone has unlimited jurisdiction, and consequently, only God alone is to be given unlimited submission. All government outside of God's government is limited, confined, and delegated. It does not matter what kind of government you talk about. It doesn't matter if you talk about family government or church or ecclesiastical government or civil government. The truth is God has ordained each one of these spheres of authority. God has ordained each one of these three institutions and God has properly limited its authority or its sphere. For instance, as a husband and a father, I can only go as far as God allows me to go in my proper role and sphere. I have no authority outside of the Word of God, and I have no authority to go beyond the Word of God. Now, I certainly do not have authority to act contrary to the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Now, as a pastor and as a body of believers, we can only function as a church in the sphere that God has ordained that we function in. We have no authority to go beyond the word of God even as a church. For instance, as a church we cannot discipline our people for non-sins. You only exercise church discipline for that which is sin." And may I remind you once again what sin is. According to 1 John 3 and verse 4, the Bible says,"...whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the law, for sin is the transgression of the law." So what is sin? Sin is a violation of the law of God. Sin is a violation of the Word of God. Listen to me. Sin does not mean that it's something that you and I do not like, or something we disagree with, or something we do not understand. Sin does not rest upon our understanding or our agreement or our likes. Sin is declared by the Word of God, especially the Law of God. So we cannot discipline people for what we know as non-sin.

[John Weaver] So even as a church group, we are limited by the Word of God. Now, if I were to take the time, and I certainly don't want to do that this morning, to go over Romans 13. I've done that innumerable times in time past. But in Romans chapter 13, of course, civil government is declared to be God's deacon, His exactor of righteousness, and His public worship. Now, civil government, according to Romans 13, is not just a power. It is not just an authority. It is not just simply a jurisdiction.

[John Weaver] It is more than that. Because in Romans chapter 13 and verse 4, when God calls Government is minister. Remember the word dekanos occurs there twice. And the word dekanos is where we get our English word deacon from. And the word deacon actually means minister or servant. And so very obviously then, God has ordained government to be his deacon first and foremost, that is his servant. Secondly, the word exactor there is an exactor of righteousness. God has ordained government to be his exactor of righteousness. And when you come down to verse 6, once again the word is liturgos for minister, and that means a public worship. It's where we get our English word liturgy. So civil government then... has been ordained not just to be a power or an authority or a jurisdiction, but ordained to be God's deacon, God's exactor of righteousness, and God's public worship. And consequently, in verses 3 and 4, God limited civil government to two simple functions.

[John Weaver] Protection of the innocent and the punishment of the righteous. Now, watch carefully. Just as it is improper and sinful for a father and a husband to leave his sphere of authority and go over and above and beyond the word of God, just like it is improper and sinful for a church to leave its proper sphere of authority and go over and above and beyond the word of God, likewise it is improper for civil government, and sinful I might add, to leave its proper sphere of function and go over and beyond and above the Word of God as well.

[John Weaver] God's only ordained three institutions. He ordained the family to be a ministry of education, the church a ministry of grace, and civil government to be a ministry of justice. Now, watch this carefully. Since God is the Sovereign, since God is the Originator, since God is the Author, Since God is the creator of each of these three institutions, family, church, and civil government, is it reasonable therefore to assume that therefore He, God, must be in subjection to at least one of the institutions which He has ordained?

[John Weaver] Well, the answer to that is of course not. And yet, it's amazing to me that although no one would say, well, we don't expect God to be the servant of the family, and we don't expect God to be the servant of the church, yet so many people want God to be the servant or slave to civil government. It's unreasonable to assume that God would have to be in subjection to anything that He created. God is transcendent, that is, God is above His creation. He is the transcendent God.

[John Weaver] Now, it is true that as a child, Jesus Christ was subject to His parents. But that's quite different. You see, Christ came into this world to be our Lord and Savior, and part and parcel of that salvation was His obedience to the law. He was sent here, and His time on earth, including His death and suffering, by the way, His time on earth is known as His humiliation. After His humiliation, after He suffered and bled and died and gave a perfect obedience to the law of God, God then raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand, and that is referred to as His exaltation. Now listen carefully. Now that Jesus Christ has been exalted, raised from the dead, He is now the Head of everything.

[John Weaver] Do you know what He said in Matthew 28 in verse 18? He said, all authority in heaven and earth is given unto Me.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. If all authority in heaven and earth is given to Jesus Christ, how much is left for anyone else? None. What does that mean? It means if I'm a father and a husband, my authority is derived from Him. If I'm a pastor and we're a church, our authority is derived from Him. If we are civil leaders and we have a civil government, what does it mean? Our authority is derived from Him and for Him alone. Now listen carefully. Jesus Christ is not now in subjection to an earthly family, an earthly church, or an earthly civil government.

[John Weaver] He is the head of all things. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to several passages. Matthew 17, we're coming back there. That is our text. But let me just show you how Scripture specifically states that Christ is the head of everything. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and verse 3. 1 Corinthians 11 and verse 3. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 3, look what the Bible says. The Apostle Paul is writing, and he says, But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. Now, who is the head of every man? The answer is Jesus Christ. Turn right over to the book of Ephesians, chapter 1 and verse 22. Ephesians 1, verse 22. In fact, we're here talking about Jesus Christ and the fact that God has raised Him from the dead. In Ephesians 1 and verse 22, Paul writes,"...and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church."

[John Weaver] Now, God has put all things under His feet, and He's given Him to be the head over the church. Look in Ephesians 4 and verse 15. Ephesians 4 verse 15. Paul writes again, but speaking the truth in love may grow up into him all things, which is the head, or who is the head, even Christ. Look in Ephesians 5 and verse 23. Ephesians 5 verse 23. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and He is the Savior of the body.

[John Weaver] Now turn over to the book of Colossians chapter 1. Colossians 1. And look, if you would please, at verse 18. Colossians 1 and verse 18. Once again, the Bible says concerning Christ, for He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning and the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He, Christ, might have the preeminence. Look in Colossians 2 and verse 10. And you are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. It doesn't matter what the power is. It doesn't matter what the principality is. Christ is the head of all of it. And the Bible says in 1 Peter 2 and verse 7, you don't have to turn there, but the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the head of the corner. In other words, no matter how you look at it in Scripture, Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ is the head of everything. Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 27, that He, God the Father, hath put all things under His, God the Son's, feet.

[John Weaver] So all things are put under His feet. What does that mean? It means that Jesus Christ is the Sovereign.

[John Weaver] Now, let's go back in our Bibles to Matthew chapter 17. Having understood that Jesus Christ is the Head of everything, I want you to think with me of the implications of Matthew 17 just for a moment. Because there are individuals who try to interpret Matthew chapter 17 to be a tax to the Roman government. If you look at Matthew 17 and verse 24, and when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? And he said, Yes. And when he was coming to the house, Jesus prevented him saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute?

[John Weaver] Of their own children or of strangers? Peter said unto him, Of strangers. Jesus said unto him, Then are the children free.

[John Weaver] Now, listen to me carefully. If Matthew 17 refers to taxes of the Roman government, then Christ the Creator, Christ the Sovereign, Christ the Lord, Christ the Head of all things, by paying those taxes, would be bowing to the demands of a pagan, heathenistic, ungodly ruler.

[John Weaver] Now watch this carefully, because even if you try to wiggle out of this implication and try to say, but this was during our Lord's humiliation, This is while he was on earth. Even if you try to wiggle out of it like that, then may I remind you of 1 Timothy 3, verse 16. You don't have to turn there. I'll quote it. The Bible says, and without all controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.

[John Weaver] God was manifest in the flesh. In other words, Jesus Christ was equally God in His humiliation as He is in His exaltation. So you would still have God bowing to the demands of a pagan, heathenistic, ungodly king.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn, before we even get on Matthew 17, I want you to turn to John chapter 19. Because in this passage, when Pilate tried to assert his authority over Jesus Christ, let me put it to you bluntly, When Pilate tried to assert his authority over Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ told him how the cow ate the cabbage. Okay? Look what he said. John chapter 19 and verse 9. And he went again into the judgment hall and said to Jesus, look what Pilate says. Which art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Then said Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not to me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and I have power to release thee? Jesus answered and said, Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except that we were given thee from above. What's he saying? You're not my authority, Pilate. And the only reason you have any authority is God put you where you are. You have no rightful authority over me. Basically what he was saying.

[John Weaver] And he said, the only reason you're here now is God gave you the little bit of authority that you have. Now, I want you to see the grave theological implications in an erroneous view of Matthew 17, verses 24 through 27. Because if you interpret this passage as Jesus Christ paying tribute to the Roman government, then what you have is this. You have the kingdom of God being in subservience to the kingdom of man. Jesus Christ did not come to serve the Roman government. Jesus Christ came to serve his father.

[John Weaver] You say, well, Pastor, how in the world do we get out of this dilemma? Because very obviously, the tax is paid. Well, we get out of the dilemma by studying Scripture and by examining it in its context. Do you realize the tax or the tribute that was being demanded in verse 24 of Matthew chapter 17 was not a Roman tax. It was a temple tax. And I'll explain it in just a moment.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to understand something. The temple tax was not something that was dreamed up by the scribes and the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The temple tax was a tax that was imposed by God Himself. The temple tax was what you and I would call the redemption money. It was the ransom price which every Israelite 20 years old and older paid and was ordered to pay for the support of the sanctuary.

[John Weaver] Let me show it to you. Hold Matthew 17, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 30. Exodus chapter 30, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. Exodus 30 verse 12.

[John Weaver] Now remember, every Israelite 20 years old and over was to pay this half shekel. Exodus 30, beginning with verse 12. God says, When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord. When thou numbers them, that there be no plague among them, when thou numbers them, this they shall give everyone that passes among them that are numbered half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary, a shekel is 20 giras, a half a shekel shall be the offering of the Lord." So each Israelite, 20 years old and older, had to give this temple tax. It was an offering for the support of the sanctuary. Look in chapter 38 of Exodus and verse 26. Exodus 38 and verse 26. Once again, the Word of God says,"...a bikkah for every man, that is, a half a shekel, After the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone that went to be numbered from 20 years old and upward, were 600,000, 3,000, and 550 men.

[John Weaver] So he gave the number right there, but there was the half shekel. Now if you'll turn over to 2 Chronicles 24, you'll see how some of this was taken even in temple times. 2 Chronicles 24, look at verse 6.

[John Weaver] And then verse 9. 2 Chronicles 24, verse 6. And the king called for Jehoiada, who was the high priest, by the way. And the king called for Jehoiada the chief and said unto him, Why is thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection according to the commandment of Moses, the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel for the tabernacle of witness. So here the king is asking the high priest, why are you not observing God's law? Why are you not receiving this half shekel the way God commanded it? Now skip down to verse 9. And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to bring into the Lord the collection that Moses, the servant of God, laid upon Israel in the wilderness.

[John Weaver] So what you have in Matthew chapter 17 It's not a Roman tax, it is the tax of the temple. Now, the tax amounted to have shekel equal in value to what you and I would call a didrachma. Literally, if you look in Matthew 17, look in verse 24, Matthew 17, verse 24, here is what the word actually is. And when they came to Capernaum, They that received tribute money, or they that received the didrochma, came to Peter and said, Does your master pay the didrochma? Now, the didrochma was not a Roman coin. The didrochma was a Greek silver coin. It was equivalent to the half shekel. But now you've got to remember, In the temple in those days, the money changers had their table set up. You remember whom Jesus Christ drove out.

[John Weaver] But what they would do is this. They would say, well, you can't bring that didrochma to the temple. That's a Greek coin. And we're going to make you change it for a Jewish coin. But we're going to charge you a little interest or a little exchange rate to do so. That's how they made their money. But the didrochma was the coin of the time that was equaled in to the half-shackle. So the tax then in Matthew chapter 17 is not a man-made tax. It was not a governmental tax. It was not a tax of Rome. And in this passage, Rome was not trying to assert its authority over Christ. This tax was the ransom which was given for the support of the sanctuary.

[John Weaver] Now, let's go back to verse 24. Because there are innumerable questions that have to be answered. And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter and said, does not your master pay tribute? Now, verse 24 makes it clear that the men asking for the didrachma were men who were from Capernaum. Now, why did they ask Peter? Does your master pay the didrachma? Well, there are several reasons that we possibly could give, although we're not exactly sure why they specifically asked Peter this question. They could have asked him this question because they knew already that Jesus Christ had several confrontations and several conflicts with the scribes and the Pharisees, and certainly where he destroyed their traditions and went contrary to their traditions. It could be, secondly, that they were asking this in a reproachful manner to try to cast dispersion upon Jesus Christ. But thirdly, they could have been asking this question also because, according to the Word of God, the priests and the Levites were exempt from this tax.

[John Weaver] And they may have been wanting to know, is your Master going to claim exemption as a priest? We don't really know why. They asked Peter that particular question. But I do want you to note in verse 24, and when they were come to Capernaum, it was the men of Capernaum who asked this particular question about the ransom money. Now, why in the world would the men of Capernaum be asking this question?

[John Weaver] Well, let me show you why. Hold Matthew 17, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter 4. Matthew 4, and notice verse 13. Matthew 4, verse 13. Someone tell me very quickly, where was Jesus raised? Nazareth. Okay. He was brought up. He was called a Nazarene, right? But look in Matthew 4, verse 13. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt where? In Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast and the borders of Zabula and Nephilim. So where was Jesus living at the time? In Capernaum. Well, where did Peter live? Look in Matthew chapter 8 and verse 5. Matthew 8 and verse 5.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm calling this to your attention to show you this particular truth. And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him a centurion beseeching Him.

[John Weaver] Now watch if you would. He entered where? Capernaum.

[John Weaver] Now skip down to verse 13. He takes care of the centurion's servant. Here's what happened. Remember, they were in Capernaum. Verse 13, And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy ways, thou hast to believe, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed at the same hour. And when Jesus was come into whose house? He saw his wife's mother laid and sick of a fever, and he touched her. Where did Peter live? In Capernaum. That's where they were. So why then did the men of Capernaum come and ask Peter, Does your Master pay the didrachma? Because both Peter and Christ were living in Capernaum at the time. And if you look in Matthew 16 and verse 13, before you get to Matthew 17, Peter and Christ had been away on a preaching mission. Notice Matthew 16 and verse 13. When Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? So, in Matthew 16, He's in the coast of Caesarea Philippi preaching, and in Matthew 17, He comes back into His home in Capernaum, and the men in Capernaum, who were responsible for the temple tribute, now ask Peter, Does your master, does your teacher, pay the dedrachma?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to notice a very important truth. I want you to skip down to Matthew 17 and verse 27. Matthew 17, verse 27. I'll deal with this verse before I close today, but verse 27, Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up. When thou openest mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money, that take, and give it unto them, What's that next phrase? For me and thee. Now isn't that interesting? Christ said, now Peter, you go catch a fish. First one you catch, only one you need to catch. Open his mouth.

[John Weaver] There'll be a coin there. It will be sufficient to pay the tax for thee and me. Here's my question. Why did Christ not order Peter to pay the tribute for all his disciples?

[John Weaver] Now, let's think about that just for a moment. Well, first of all, the very obvious answer is only Peter and Christ lived in that area. We don't exactly know where all the others lived, but only Peter and Christ were living there for sure that we know of. But here's the second, and I believe the more important reason. Peter had already volunteered Christ to pay in verse 25. Look. They come in verse 24. They ask, doth your master pay tribute? He said, yes. Yes. My master's going to pay this temple tax. Now, Peter did not volunteer for anyone else. He only volunteered for Christ. Now, regardless of whether or not Christ was obligated to pay for the support of the temple, Peter rashly volunteered him to do so.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you something about the Word of God. And let me tell you something about giving your word. Did you know that when you give your word, God expects you to keep it? Do you remember Joshua chapter 9? You don't have to turn there. You'll remember the story. Joshua 9 and 10. Here the children of Israel are going into the land and God had told them to take their sword and to kill all the Amorites, the Hittites, the Jebusites, kill them all, wipe them all out. And all of a sudden, here's some men that come to Joshua.

[John Weaver] And they've got rotten cast clouts on for clothes, their clothes are falling to pieces. Their wine bottles are moldy, their cheese, their food is moldy. And they came and they said, we want to make a treaty with you. And Joshua and the men said, well, wait a minute. How do we know that you're not of these people that we're supposed to kill? Oh, they said, look at our clothes. Man, we just got these new before we left home. Look at our bread. Well, it's fresh out of the oven. Look at our wine bottles.

[John Weaver] We'd be comfortable a long way off. No one checked with the Lord. And so Joshua and the elders entered into a covenant with the Gibeonites. And only after they entered in the covenant, guess what? They found out then that they were of the Amorites, they were the people that they were supposed to have killed. You know what God did? God said, now you can't kill them. You've given them your word.

[John Weaver] I expect you to keep it. Now, they did make them drawers of water and hewers of wood. They made them servants, but they could not kill them. They had given their word.

[John Weaver] Now, turn in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Ecclesiastes, whole Matthew 17. But look in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5. Let me show you something about violence. Ecclesiastes, chapter 5. And look at verse 2. Ecclesiastes chapter 5. Ecclesiastes 5 verse 2, look what God says, Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God. For God is in heaven and thou upon earth, therefore, let thy words be few. So God says, watch what you say. And watch what you obligate yourself for. Skip down to verse 4. Look what he says. When thou vows to vow unto God, defer not to pay it.

[John Weaver] For he hath no pleasure in fools. Pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin. Neither say thou before the angel that it was an error. Wherefore, should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thine hands?" What does God say? God says, when you give your word to me, I expect you to keep it. Now, He says you don't have to vow to me, but when you vow, you keep your word. When you give your word, you keep it. You remember the old saying, a man's word is his bond?

[John Weaver] That used to be true in this country. Of course, it's not true any longer. But it should be true in regards to the children of God. We should be men and women who give our word and we keep our word. So Peter then was asked, does your master pay the diatrogma? He said, yes. Sure, we do. We pay it.

[John Weaver] Now, go back to Matthew 17. In Matthew 17, Evidently, these men came to Peter while he was out on the street. Because in verse 24, they come to Peter and they say, Doth your master pay tribute? In verse 25, he answers, Yes. And then the next statement says, And when he was coming to the house. So he was outside the house when he was approached by these men. And so when he walked into the house, undoubtedly, he was probably going to tell Christ about the conversation. But before he can ever open his mouth, Christ said, Peter, I've got a question for you. And then he asked this question. What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute?

[John Weaver] Of their own children or strangers? Now, let me just stop right there momentarily. The word custom refers to toll usually taxes in general, but especially a tax on wares. Kind of like a sales tax or an import and export tax. The word tribute is actually the word for census and it refers to a poll tax. It's the exact same word that is used in Matthew 22. If you look there, verse 17, the exact same word when they come to Christ and say, tell us therefore, what thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute or a poll tax unto Caesar or not? It's the exact same word. So it really refers then to a poll tax. Custom, listen carefully, custom would refer to indirect taxes, and tribute would refer to direct taxes. Now before I go any further, Our Lord says, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take indirect and direct taxes? Of their own children or of strangers? Now let me explain to you the word strangers. The word strangers literally means belonging to another, not one's own, foreign, strange, not of one's family, even an enemy.

[John Weaver] So the question is, Simon, of whom do the kings of the earth take custom, or told? Of the children, or those who they consider not their own family, those who are strangers and foreigners, even enemies. So Christ asks him this simple question, and Peter answers it in verse 26, and Peter said unto him, of strangers. Are you listening? Kings do not tax their own families. They do not tax their own children. Taxes always come from strangers, and usually in the form of tribute, which means it comes from a conquered territory or a conquered people. It is not the family who pays, it is the strangers who pay. Now our Lord asks this question. He asks, What thinkest thou, Simon, of whom do kings of the earth take custom and tribute of their own children of strangers? And Peter says unto him, Of strangers. And then our Lord makes a remarkable and an astounding observation. He says in verse 26, Then are the children free. Then are the children free. Now, first of all, let me tell you that this statement, then are the children free, is an absolute rebuke to Peter.

[John Weaver] He's not merely instructing Peter, he is rebuking Peter. You say, how in the world can it be a rebuke to Peter? Home, Matthew 17, but go in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews, chapter 3. Hebrews, chapter 3. And let's read the first six verses. I'll quote some others, but I want you to see these. Hebrews, chapter 3. And let's begin reading there with verse 1. Hebrews 3 and verse 1. Very clearly, verse 1 tells us we're talking about Jesus Christ. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, Consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. So we're considering Christ. Verse two tells us that Christ was faithful to the Father. Then he says in verse three, for this man, that is Christ, was counted worthy of more glory than Moses inasmuch as he who had built of the house have more honor than the house. Now watch. For the house was built by some man, but he that built all things is God.

[John Weaver] For Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant. For testimony of those things which were to be spoken after, but Christ as a Son was over His own house. Whose house are we? If we hold fast the confidence after adjusting the hope firm unto the end.

[John Weaver] Now, I think some of you are already seeing it. Christ is the head of His own house. Was not Jesus Christ the Son of God by nature? Yes. Was not the temple His Father's house? Do you not remember in Luke 2 and verse 49 when His parents sought Him He said, why is it that you sought Me? Wished you not that I must be about My Father's business? And do you not remember in John 2 and verse 16, He told those people, He said, you've made My Father's house a den of thieves. Christ was the head of His own house. And was He not, according to His own words, in Matthew 12 and verse 6, greater than the temple? Well, of course. Was He not therefore then free from the temple town? Yes. Was not Peter therefore free? Yes. Why? Because Peter was a son by adoption.

[John Weaver] What's the Bible say in Galatians 4, 4-6? But in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons, and because we are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his Son in our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. So I'm trying to tell you, folks.

[John Weaver] Our Lord was not just simply instructing Peter. He was rebuking Peter and he was also teaching Peter and I might also say and us. To think. Before we speak. Does your master pay the temple tax? Peter should have said no. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. As a son, He's free. Jesus Christ is head of His own house. And we're His sons by adoption. So therefore, we're free.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to follow with me. Go back to Matthew 17. We're looking at verse 26. Jesus said unto him, Then are the children free. I told you There were some astounding implications in what our Lord is saying. Here's the second one. Is it not clearly observable and undeniable that the government of this country was founded upon this principle? Now listen carefully. From where did our original, organic, constitutional, and republican form of government derive its money? I'm talking about our original, organic, constitutional, Republican form of government. Where did our country initially derive its monies?

[John Weaver] Read the Constitution of the United States. It got it from duties, from imports and exports. That's it. Why did it derive its monies from imports and exports? Because the children were free. That's the way our founding fathers set it up. We were free until 1913. Until the institution of the Federal Reserve Act and the progressive graduated income tax. Now listen carefully. Everywhere I go, I hear people say, well, I need to pay my taxes so I can support my government. Please listen to this. If you think your tax monies run our government today, you're sadly mistaken.

[John Weaver] Let me ask a question. How did our government fund itself under the Constitution from 1789 to 1913 and remain basically debt free? Debt free! Imports, and exports, and that was it. The current taxation scheme does not fund or run the federal government. You know where our government gets its money? It borrows it. It borrows it into existence. It borrows it without any regard to the Constitution. Taxes today merely help pay the interest of the international bankers on the national debt, which itself, by the way, is based upon fraud.

[John Weaver] I want you to follow me. I want to give you a quote. I just recently received a article written by Douglas Baker. He's a writer who lives and works in Washington, D.C., a professing Christian, and he wrote this article and I only exacted two paragraphs from it. The name of the article is Taxation, a Moral Issue. Let me read to you just these two paragraphs. He writes, nearly a century ago, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, 1913, enabled the government to legally redistribute wealth under a law code touted at that time as just and fair.

[John Weaver] By the way, do you remember? I know not everybody was around in 1913, but those who've done the reading and studying, mainly the tax was to be upon what group? The rich. Only the rich. Because the common man wouldn't be paying anything. Oh, by the way, did you know when Franklin Delano Roosevelt instituted the Social Security tax, he made a promise that it would never be over $35 a year? He did. He did.

[John Weaver] But, well, let me go back. I'm quoting. All right. He said, I don't want to stop and preach on that. All right. He says, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, 1913, enabled the government to legally redistribute wealth under a law code touted at that time as just and fair. The amendment accomplished this goal through direct taxation on income. Proponents of the income tax defined justice in terms of forced compliance that would level society and create social equality. Opponents of the income tax saw it as theft by statute, a confiscation of wages earned through the efforts of hard work. Both sides understood something. Government policies have far-reaching influence for good or ill on society. To impose a policy on the wages of workers, rich or poor, was a new level of intrusion that had only been used thus far in United States history for national emergencies such as the Civil War.

[John Weaver] Such an action could not help but have a dramatic effect on the country's future. Now, let me just stop there. Notice what he said. To impose such a policy was now an intrusion that had never been used in history except during time of emergency. Here's the second paragraph. Taxes, when viewed under Scripture's guidance, are laden with theological implications. Understanding this, the framers of the Constitution crafted principles for a moral fiscal code prohibiting direct taxation of income, blocked off many blind alleys of escape for those who might later seek to use the law as a means for private gain at public expense.

[John Weaver] With the passage of the 16th Amendment, an inevitable expansion of government has taken place, and with it a certain shaping of the nation's soul. Government is now seen more as a savior and less as a servant. The federal bureaucracy is so large and the tax code so complicated that even the likes of Albert Einstein once declared, the hardest thing in the world to understand is the federal income tax.

[John Weaver] Now listen to what he's saying. He is saying since 1913, there has been a drastic change in this country. I'm going to go a little bit further. It was President Ronald Reagan who said this, quote, there's a clear cause and effect here that is neat and predictable as a law of physics. As government expands, liberty contracts. That was the President, Ronald Reagan. As government expands, liberty contracts.

[John Weaver] Folks, let me tell you something. As we neglect and turn from the truth of the Word of God, our liberty contracts or diminishes more and more. Do you realize God's plan for His children is that we be free? Do you know what Paul said in Galatians 5 and verse 1? Let me just quote it. He said, Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath set you free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Did you hear that? Stand fast in the liberty where Christ has set you free. We as God's children are free from the guilt and pollution of sin. We're free from traditions. We're free from tyranny. And in 1 Corinthians 7 verse 23, he tells us that we're not to be the slaves to any man. We are to be free and not under tyrants and not under dictatorships. However, I want you to understand something. Freedom is to be found only in obedience to Jesus Christ and His Word. And Christ emphasizes this one truth to Peter. He says, then are the children free.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm not going to preach this today, but I want to encourage you to go back and read when you get home, 1 Samuel chapter 8. Now, 1 Samuel chapter 8 is where the children of Israel chose a man for their king and rejected God. And the only way you can understand 1 Samuel chapter 8, is to see it as a transition from one law structure to another. In other words, they are now leaving God's law structure, and they are now submitting themselves to man's law structure, and God says, if you want a king, I will give him to you, but I'm going to tell you what he's going to do to you, and then you look at everything that king's going to do and compare it with what is happening in this country today. Let me tell you, The government that we have today is the price that we are paying as a people and as a nation for rejecting God and His law. Okay?

[John Weaver] Now, you say, brother, we understand everything that you've just told me, but Christ did pay the temple tax. Yes, He did. But I want you to notice where the money to pay the temple tax came from. Look at Matthew 17, if you would please. And verse 27, Our Lord says, Notwithstanding this, we should offend them, go thou to the sea and cast and hook and take up the fish that first cometh up. When thou openest mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money. Take that and give it unto them for me and thee. So the money came from where? From a fish.

[John Weaver] Let me point it out to you. The money did not come out of the treasury. Did you know that the disciples had a treasury? Sure they did. In fact, go back in your Bibles or turn over, I should say, to the book of John. Look in John 12. Would anyone like to guess who carried the bag? Judas. Judas. All right. Judas. All right. Look at it in John chapter 12 it is and verse 6. John 12, verse 6. John 12 and verse 6, the Word of God says this. This He said, talking about Judas, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag and bear what was put therein. Look in John chapter 13 and verse 29. John 13, verse 29. For some of them thought because Judas had the bag that Jesus had sent unto him, buy those things that we have need of against the feast, or that he should give something to the poor. So there was a treasury. There was money in the treasury.

[John Weaver] So here's my question. Why did Jesus Christ not just simply take the money out of the treasury? I mean, the money was there. I'll tell you why. Because it was Peter who had gotten them into this situation, and the rest of the disciples were not responsible for Peter's actions. Why should they have to suffer for something that Peter had done? Rationally. The rest did not have to go fishing. Only Peter had to go fishing. Peter was the one who got them into the mess. And so our Lord says, alright Peter, you go. and get the money. It is not coming out of the Treasury. Now, in verse 27, since Peter had given his word, since he had already volunteered to pay the tax, our Lord says, lest we should offend them. Now, that is, lest we give them a ground for rejecting the message of Christ, Christ told Peter, since you've given them your word, I expect you to keep your word. You go catch the fish, get the coin, and pay for it. Neither Christ nor Peter owed the tax.

[John Weaver] But since Peter had agreed to pay it, Christ said, I expect you to keep your word. Now look in verse 27. Our Lord says, lest we should offend them. The them does not necessarily have to refer to the men who were collecting the temple tax. The them could refer to other persons in Capernaum who would not understand the spirituality or the reality of the message of Christ and would think that by him not paying the tax, that he might be setting himself in opposition to the temple. So Christ said, Peter, You've opened your mouth, you've committed us rashly.

[John Weaver] Now you take care of it. You go fishing, you catch the fish, you do the work, you go pay the temple tribute.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make several applications before I close today. The first one should be obvious. I want you to see the wondrous omniscience of our Lord. He not only knew the conversation of Peter, He knows everything. Peter was outside talking to the men who gathered the temple tax, and when Peter walked inside, our Lord said, Peter, let me ask you a question. He already knew exactly what was going on. The omniscience of our Lord means that Jesus Christ knows everything. Everything possible. Everything actual. All past. All present. All future. He knows everything.

[John Weaver] It was the psalmist in Psalm 139. It says,"...thou hast set me before." He said,"...such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain unto it." He said,"...there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether." And our Lord does know our words. And even when we think no one else is around and no one else is listening, God hears and God knows.

[John Weaver] So we need to make sure we guard our mouths. Better, he says, that thou shouldest not vow, and thou shouldest vow not pay. Why should you allow your mouth to suffer you to sin? Here's the second application. And to me, this is astounding. I want you to consider the marvelous graciousness of Christ in helping his children out of situations that they have rashly gotten themselves into without thinking.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. Have you ever gotten yourself in a mess because of your own stupidity? I mean, man, I have. And isn't it marvelous and a miracle of grace that when you realize it, you say, oh God, how could I have ever been so stupid? Lord, if you just get me out of this mess, I won't ever do it again. And guess what?

[John Weaver] He gets you out and you do it again. And he still gets you out again. Peter, you shouldn't have said yes, but now that you've said yes, I'm going to get you out of it, but you're going to be the one doing the work and you're going to be doing the footwork. You go catch the fish. You go pay the temple tax. The third application is this.

[John Weaver] We must also observe Christ's absolute knowledge and his control over all creation. You know, the amazing thing to me is not just that Christ knew a specific fish that had a specific coin in its mouth or stomach that would be sufficient. But Peter went and our Lord said, you drop the hook in, and the first fish that comes up, the Lord sent that one fish out of all the fishes in the sea. He sent the one fish that had the coin in its mouth. You know, the Bible says in Psalm 15, verse 10, God says it like this, of the forest is mine and the cattle in the thousand hills. Our Lord controls all creation. You know, I will tell you this and those of you that know me know it's true. The Lord has blessed me in hunting many times.

[John Weaver] And I'm thankful because we love venison. And that's basically the meat we eat all the time. But I'll give you a little secret. You know one reason why I've been so successful in hunting? Because when I go hunting, I pray. I say, Lord, please send me the deer that You've appointed to die this day. Well, they die every day, don't they? Well, sure they do. Well, Lord, You just send me the one that is going to meet our needs.

[John Weaver] He has control of them. Let me tell you something, folks. If God doesn't send an animal to you, you hunt in vain. It's that simple. You remember how when Jacob was deceiving Isaac, his father, and he went out and he got that goat and his mother fixed it up and made it taste like venison?

[John Weaver] Now, she was a cook. And so Isaac did not discern Jacob, and he said, How is it thou returnest so soon, my son? And Jacob said, The Lord thy God sent it to me. That's what I ask the Lord to do. Send it to me, Lord. Well, he sent that one fish to Peter. You know, that just gives me an idea. Maybe this year I'll ask the Lord to send me a deer with a gold coin in his mouth.

[John Weaver] Now, that would be wonderful, wouldn't it? Or gold-plated antlers or something. Alright, here's the fourth application. Watch carefully. Look in verse 26. Peter said unto him, of strangers. Jesus said unto him, then are the children free.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to think about this. If we as Americans were free until 1913, and are no longer free now but are held under tribute. The only deduction that can be made is this, that we have been taken over by an alien law order. One that is no longer constitutional. Do you realize in 1913 there was a change in our form of government without a shot ever being fired? We no longer have a constitutional republic, and consequently, we're no longer free in our own land. There has to be a different form of government operating rather than the one that was established by our founding fathers, because under them, the children were free. And today, the children are enslaved. Here's the fifth application.

[John Weaver] The children of the kingdom, the sons of God, are the living Temple and cannot be brought back into bondage by legalism, traditionalism and Phariseeism. Read Ephesians 2 verses 19 through 22. We are living stones. We are the house of God. And I'll tell you this, folks, one of the greatest dangers to the church of Jesus Christ is that people keep trying to bring the church into bondage to that which is not biblical and that which is not scriptural.

[John Weaver] There are so many churches that are overrun and eat up with traditions. It is unbelievable. We cannot be bound by traditions, we must be bound by the Word of God. Let me give you one final application. I want you to think about this. This is so serious. For the record, if you have not been able to make the necessary deduction from Scripture, allow me to say it plainly. Here it is. The Church of Jesus Christ is not, will not, and cannot be dominated by any other institution or jurisdiction. Such submission or domination would be nothing less than a denial of the headship and the lordship and the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. The civil government has no authority over the church of Jesus Christ. It is a totally separate jurisdiction. Civil government does not have the right to dictate anything, demand anything, or mandate anything. Why? Because Christ is Lord over His own house. All government, family, church, and civil is subject to Christ. Christ is subject to none, for He is the Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just point this out, because I want you to understand the concept that I am teaching you today has been around and has been believed for centuries. You say, well, I've never heard of it. Well, you need to come to church more often because I've preached it before. But let me give you one clear illustration. During the Byzantine Empire, which empire, by the way, lasted a thousand years. During the Byzantine Empire, the church was a totally separate jurisdiction. If a murderer, and by the way, the Word of God certainly does not condone murder, but I'm just using this for an illustration. But if a murderer got away from the civil authority and made it into a church building, guess what? All the civil authority could do, all the army could do, would be to surround the property They would not step one foot on that church property or go into that church building because they had absolutely no authority and no jurisdiction.

[John Weaver] And what they did, they just simply kept outside and waited until either the pastor talked the man into giving himself up or until the man voluntarily came out. But they would not go into the church building after him. They had no authority. Did you know that in England, of course, I know a lot of people don't know this, but we have crossroads. Do you know where the term crossroads came from? Not just because two roads crossed, but in England, in England, there were crosses set up at specific intersections all throughout the country. And if the civil authority was after you for some reason, whether you were guilty or not, it's immaterial, If the civil authority was after you, if you made it to one of those crossroads where a cross was and you held on to that cross, the civil government could not touch you until first the church came and got you and listened to you and found out whether or not you had really committed any crime worthy of civil government's punishment. If so, they turned you over to the civil government.

[John Weaver] All I'm trying to point out is this, folks. Listen carefully. The church has always been a separate jurisdiction. It is only in times of apathy, ignorance, and apostasy that civil government has usurped the throne of God. And if someone tries to take Matthew 17 and says, well, Christ pays a tribute, and tries to interpret that as a Roman tax, it's absolutely blasphemous. For that would be to say that the kingdom of God is in subjection to the kingdom of man, which is absolute and utter blessing. The kingdom of man does not rule over everything. The kingdom of God does, for God alone is sovereign. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ for Your grace, for Your mercy, for Your love to us, We ask that you teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, and help us, Lord, to see and comprehend the principles of the Word of God and make the proper applications to our lives. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

The Temple Tax

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	121503101752
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Civil Government: Magistracy, Authority, and Romans 13: Christian & Civil Government
Genre	Sermon
Date	2003-05-04
Dictation Name
Book	Book 008: Civil Government: Magistracy, Authority, and Romans 13 — Chapter 7
Source Timed Segments	87

Formatted Transcript

Opening

So Matthew chapter 17, and let's begin reading there in verse 24. Matthew 17, verse 24,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 17:24-27

"And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He said, Yes. And when he came into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus said unto him, Then are the children free. 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. Take that, and give it unto them for me and thee."

Introduction: Misuse of Matthew 17

The passage has been misused to support unlimited submission to civil government. Civil government is not God; God alone is sovereign.

Now Matthew 17 verses 24 through 27 is a passage that has been misused, abused, and taken out of context innumerable times. Just this week I was asked once again to explain this passage. It seems as if there are a number of people who wish to use this passage to prop up their views on unlimited submission to civil government. Let me make a statement, and please remember this statement, it's very simple. Civil government is not God. God is God.

God's Limited Delegation of Authority

God has ordained three institutions (family, church, civil government) with limited spheres. None may go beyond God's Word.

Now it is difficult for me to comprehend the fact that so many people have failed to grasp the fact and the truth that God alone is the sovereign. What do I mean by that? I mean that God alone has unlimited jurisdiction, and consequently, only God alone is to be given unlimited submission. All government outside of God's government is limited, confined, and delegated. It does not matter what kind of government you talk about. It doesn't matter if you talk about family government or church or ecclesiastical government or civil government. The truth is God has ordained each one of these spheres of authority. God has ordained each one of these three institutions and God has properly limited its authority or its sphere. For instance, as a husband and a father, I can only go as far as God allows me to go in my proper role and sphere. I have no authority outside of the Word of God, and I have no authority to go beyond the Word of God. Now, I certainly do not have authority to act contrary to the Word of God.

Now, as a pastor and as a body of believers, we can only function as a church in the sphere that God has ordained that we function in. We have no authority to go beyond the word of God even as a church. For instance, as a church we cannot discipline our people for non-sins. You only exercise church discipline for that which is sin. And may I remind you once again what sin is. According to 1 John 3 and verse 4, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:4

"...whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the law, for sin is the transgression of the law."

So what is sin? Sin is a violation of the law of God. Sin is a violation of the Word of God. Listen to me. Sin does not mean that it's something that you and I do not like, or something we disagree with, or something we do not understand. Sin does not rest upon our understanding or our agreement or our likes. Sin is declared by the Word of God, especially the Law of God. So we cannot discipline people for what we know as non-sin.

So even as a church group, we are limited by the Word of God. Now, if I were to take the time, and I certainly don't want to do that this morning, to go over Romans 13. I've done that innumerable times in time past. But in Romans chapter 13, of course, civil government is declared to be God's deacon, His exactor of righteousness, and His public worship. Now, civil government, according to Romans 13, is not just a power. It is not just an authority. It is not just simply a jurisdiction.

Civil Government's Biblical Role

Romans 13 defines civil government as God's deacon, exactor of righteousness, and public worship, limited to protecting the innocent and punishing the unrighteous.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:4

"...whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the law, for sin is the transgression of the law."

It is more than that. Because in Romans chapter 13 and verse 4, when God calls government His minister, remember the word diakonos occurs there twice. And the word diakonos is where we get our English word deacon from. And the word deacon actually means minister or servant. And so very obviously then, God has ordained government to be his deacon first and foremost, that is his servant. Secondly, the word exactor there is an exactor of righteousness. God has ordained government to be his exactor of righteousness. And when you come down to verse 6, once again the word is leitourgos for minister, and that means a public worship. It's where we get our English word liturgy. So civil government then has been ordained not just to be a power or an authority or a jurisdiction, but ordained to be God's deacon, God's exactor of righteousness, and God's public worship. And consequently, in verses 3 and 4, God limited civil government to two simple functions.

Protection of the innocent and the punishment of the unrighteous. Now, watch carefully. Just as it is improper and sinful for a father and a husband to leave his sphere of authority and go over and above and beyond the word of God, just like it is improper and sinful for a church to leave its proper sphere of authority and go over and above and beyond the word of God, likewise it is improper for civil government, and sinful I might add, to leave its proper sphere of function and go over and beyond and above the Word of God as well.

Christ's Exaltation and Headship

After His humiliation, Christ is exalted as head over all things. All authority in heaven and earth is His; all other authority is derived from Him.

Now, it is true that as a child, Jesus Christ was subject to His parents. But that's quite different. You see, Christ came into this world to be our Lord and Savior, and part and parcel of that salvation was His obedience to the law. He was sent here, and His time on earth, including His death and suffering, by the way, His time on earth is known as His humiliation. After His humiliation, after He suffered and bled and died and gave a perfect obedience to the law of God, God then raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand, and that is referred to as His exaltation. Now listen carefully. Now that Jesus Christ has been exalted, raised from the dead, He is now the Head of everything.

Do you know what He said in Matthew 28 in verse 18? He said, "All authority in heaven and earth is given unto Me." Now let me ask you a question. If all authority in heaven and earth is given to Jesus Christ, how much is left for anyone else? None. What does that mean? It means if I'm a father and a husband, my authority is derived from Him. If I'm a pastor and we're a church, our authority is derived from Him. If we are civil leaders and we have a civil government, what does it mean? Our authority is derived from Him and for Him alone. Now listen carefully. Jesus Christ is not now in subjection to an earthly family, an earthly church, or an earthly civil government.

Scriptural Proof of Christ's Headship

Multiple passages (1 Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 1:22, 4:15, 5:23, Colossians 1:18, 2:10) affirm Christ as head of every man, the church, and all principality and power.

He is the head of all things. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to several passages. Matthew 17, we're coming back there. That is our text. But let me just show you how Scripture specifically states that Christ is the head of everything. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and verse 3. 1 Corinthians 11 and verse 3. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 3, look what the Bible says. The Apostle Paul is writing, and he says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:3

"But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God."

Now, who is the head of every man? The answer is Jesus Christ. Turn right over to the book of Ephesians, chapter 1 and verse 22. Ephesians 1, verse 22. In fact, we're here talking about Jesus Christ and the fact that God has raised Him from the dead. In Ephesians 1 and verse 22, Paul writes, "...and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church."

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 1:22

Now, God has put all things under His feet, and He's given Him to be the head over the church. Look in Ephesians 4 and verse 15. Ephesians 4 verse 15. Paul writes again, "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, or who is the head, even Christ." Look in Ephesians 5 and verse 23. Ephesians 5 verse 23. "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and He is the Savior of the body."

Now turn over to the book of Colossians chapter 1. Colossians 1. And look, if you would please, at verse 18. Colossians 1 and verse 18. Once again, the Bible says concerning Christ, "For He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning and the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He, Christ, might have the preeminence." Look in Colossians 2 and verse 10. "And you are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power." It doesn't matter what the power is. It doesn't matter what the principality is. Christ is the head of all of it. And the Bible says in 1 Peter 2 and verse 7, you don't have to turn there, but the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the head of the corner. In other words, no matter how you look at it in Scripture, Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ is the head of everything. Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 27, that He, God the Father, hath put all things under His, God the Son's, feet.

So all things are put under His feet. What does that mean? It means that Jesus Christ is the Sovereign.

The Tax in Matthew 17 is the Temple Tax

The tribute demanded was the didrachma, equivalent to the half-shekel temple tax ordained by God in Exodus 30:12-16 for the support of the sanctuary, not a Roman tax.

Now I want you to understand something. The temple tax was not something that was dreamed up by the scribes and the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The temple tax was a tax that was imposed by God Himself. The temple tax was what you and I would call the redemption money. It was the ransom price which every Israelite 20 years old and older paid and was ordered to pay for the support of the sanctuary. Let me show it to you. Hold Matthew 17, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 30. Exodus chapter 30, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. Exodus 30 verse 12.

Now remember, every Israelite 20 years old and over was to pay this half shekel. Exodus 30, beginning with verse 12. God says,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 30:12-16

"When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord. When thou numberest them, that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them, this they shall give everyone that passeth among them that are numbered half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary, a shekel is 20 gerahs, a half a shekel shall be the offering of the Lord."

So each Israelite, 20 years old and older, had to give this temple tax. It was an offering for the support of the sanctuary. Look in chapter 38 of Exodus and verse 26. Exodus 38 and verse 26. Once again, the Word of God says,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 30:12-16

"...a bekah for every man, that is, a half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone that went to be numbered from 20 years old and upward, were 600,000, 3,000, and 550 men."

So he gave the number right there, but there was the half shekel. Now if you'll turn over to 2 Chronicles 24, you'll see how some of this was taken even in temple times. 2 Chronicles 24, look at verse 6.

And then verse 9. 2 Chronicles 24, verse 6.

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 24:6,9

"And the king called for Jehoiada, who was the high priest, by the way. And the king called for Jehoiada the chief and said unto him, 'Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection according to the commandment of Moses, the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel for the tabernacle of witness?'"

So here the king is asking the high priest, "Why are you not observing God's law? Why are you not receiving this half shekel the way God commanded it?" Now skip down to verse 9.

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 24:6,9

"And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to bring into the Lord the collection that Moses, the servant of God, laid upon Israel in the wilderness."

So what you have in Matthew chapter 17 is not a Roman tax, it is the tax of the temple. Now, the tax amounted to a half shekel equal in value to what you and I would call a didrachma. Literally, if you look in Matthew 17, look in verse 24, Matthew 17, verse 24, here is what the word actually is. "And when they came to Capernaum, they that received tribute money," or they that received the didrachma, "came to Peter and said, 'Does your master pay the didrachma?'" Now, the didrachma was not a Roman coin. The didrachma was a Greek silver coin. It was equivalent to the half shekel. But now you've got to remember, in the temple in those days, the money changers had their table set up. You remember whom Jesus Christ drove out.

But what they would do is this. They would say, "Well, you can't bring that didrachma to the temple. That's a Greek coin. And we're going to make you change it for a Jewish coin. But we're going to charge you a little interest or a little exchange rate to do so." That's how they made their money. But the didrachma was the coin of the time that was equaled to the half shekel. So the tax then in Matthew chapter 17 is not a man-made tax. It was not a governmental tax. It was not a tax of Rome. And in this passage, Rome was not trying to assert its authority over Christ. This tax was the ransom which was given for the support of the sanctuary.

Peter's Rash Vow and Christ's Rebuke

Peter rashly volunteered Christ to pay the tax. Christ rebuked him by teaching that kings tax strangers, not their own children, and therefore the children (sons of God) are free.

Now, I want you to notice a very important truth. I want you to skip down to Matthew 17 and verse 27. Matthew 17, verse 27. I'll deal with this verse before I close today, but verse 27, "Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up. When thou openest his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money, that take, and give it unto them," what's that next phrase? "For me and thee." Now isn't that interesting? Christ said, "Now Peter, you go catch a fish. First one you catch, only one you need to catch. Open his mouth."

"There'll be a coin there. It will be sufficient to pay the tax for thee and me." Here's my question. Why did Christ not order Peter to pay the tribute for all his disciples? Now, let's think about that just for a moment. Well, first of all, the very obvious answer is only Peter and Christ lived in that area. We don't exactly know where all the others lived, but only Peter and Christ were living there for sure that we know of. But here's the second, and I believe the more important reason. Peter had already volunteered Christ to pay in verse 25. Look. They come in verse 24. They ask, "Doth your master pay tribute?" He said, "Yes." "Yes. My master's going to pay this temple tax." Now, Peter did not volunteer for anyone else. He only volunteered for Christ. Now, regardless of whether or not Christ was obligated to pay for the support of the temple, Peter rashly volunteered him to do so.

Now, let me tell you something about the Word of God. And let me tell you something about giving your word. Did you know that when you give your word, God expects you to keep it? Do you remember Joshua chapter 9? You don't have to turn there. You'll remember the story. Joshua 9 and 10. Here the children of Israel are going into the land and God had told them to take their sword and to kill all the Amorites, the Hittites, the Jebusites, kill them all, wipe them all out. And all of a sudden, here's some men that come to Joshua.

And they've got rotten cast clouts on for clothes, their clothes are falling to pieces. Their wine bottles are moldy, their cheese, their food is moldy. And they came and they said, "We want to make a treaty with you." And Joshua and the men said, "Well, wait a minute. How do we know that you're not of these people that we're supposed to kill?" "Oh," they said, "look at our clothes. Man, we just got these new before we left home. Look at our bread. Well, it's fresh out of the oven. Look at our wine bottles."

"We've come from a long way off." No one checked with the Lord. And so Joshua and the elders entered into a covenant with the Gibeonites. And only after they entered in the covenant, guess what? They found out then that they were of the Amorites, they were the people that they were supposed to have killed. You know what God did? God said, "Now you can't kill them. You've given them your word."

"I expect you to keep it." Now, they did make them drawers of water and hewers of wood. They made them servants, but they could not kill them. They had given their word. Now, turn in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Ecclesiastes, hold Matthew 17. But look in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5. Let me show you something about vows. Ecclesiastes, chapter 5. And look at verse 2. Ecclesiastes chapter 5. Ecclesiastes 5 verse 2, look what God says,

Scripture Reading — Ecclesiastes 5:2,4-6

"Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God. For God is in heaven and thou upon earth, therefore, let thy words be few."

So God says, "Watch what you say. And watch what you obligate yourself for." Skip down to verse 4. Look what he says. "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it."

"For he hath no pleasure in fools. Pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin. Neither say thou before the angel that it was an error. Wherefore, should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thine hands?" What does God say? God says, "When you give your word to me, I expect you to keep it." Now, He says you don't have to vow to me, but when you vow, you keep your word. When you give your word, you keep it. You remember the old saying, "A man's word is his bond?"

That used to be true in this country. Of course, it's not true any longer. But it should be true in regards to the children of God. We should be men and women who give our word and we keep our word. So Peter then was asked, "Does your master pay the didrachma?" He said, "Yes. Sure, we do. We pay it."

Now, go back to Matthew 17. In Matthew 17, evidently, these men came to Peter while he was out on the street. Because in verse 24, they come to Peter and they say, "Doth your master pay tribute?" In verse 25, he answers, "Yes." And then the next statement says, "And when he was coming to the house." So he was outside the house when he was approached by these men. And so when he walked into the house, undoubtedly, he was probably going to tell Christ about the conversation. But before he can ever open his mouth, Christ said, "Peter, I've got a question for you." And then he asked this question. "What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute?"

"Of their own children or strangers?" Now, let me just stop right there momentarily. The word custom refers to toll usually taxes in general, but especially a tax on wares. Kind of like a sales tax or an import and export tax. The word tribute is actually the word for census and it refers to a poll tax. It's the exact same word that is used in Matthew 22. If you look there, verse 17, the exact same word when they come to Christ and say, "Tell us therefore, what thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute or a poll tax unto Caesar or not?" It's the exact same word. So it really refers then to a poll tax. Custom, listen carefully, custom would refer to indirect taxes, and tribute would refer to direct taxes. Now before I go any further, our Lord says, "What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take indirect and direct taxes? Of their own children or of strangers?" Now let me explain to you the word strangers. The word strangers literally means belonging to another, not one's own, foreign, strange, not of one's family, even an enemy.

Christ's Gracious Provision and Peter's Responsibility

Though free, Christ provided the tax money miraculously through a fish to avoid offense, but made Peter do the work because he had rashly given his word.

Now, you say, "Brother, we understand everything that you've just told me, but Christ did pay the temple tax." Yes, He did. But I want you to notice where the money to pay the temple tax came from. Look at Matthew 17, if you would please. And verse 27, our Lord says, "Notwithstanding this, we should offend them, go thou to the sea and cast an hook and take up the fish that first cometh up. When thou openest his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money. Take that and give it unto them for me and thee." So the money came from where? From a fish.

Let me point it out to you. The money did not come out of the treasury. Did you know that the disciples had a treasury? Sure they did. In fact, go back in your Bibles or turn over, I should say, to the book of John. Look in John 12. Would anyone like to guess who carried the bag? Judas. Judas. All right. Judas. All right. Look at it in John chapter 12 it is and verse 6. John 12, verse 6. John 12 and verse 6, the Word of God says this. "This He said," talking about Judas, "not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag and bare what was put therein." Look in John chapter 13 and verse 29. John 13, verse 29. "For some of them thought because Judas had the bag that Jesus had sent unto him, 'Buy those things that we have need of against the feast,' or that he should give something to the poor." So there was a treasury. There was money in the treasury.

So here's my question. Why did Jesus Christ not just simply take the money out of the treasury? I mean, the money was there. I'll tell you why. Because it was Peter who had gotten them into this situation, and the rest of the disciples were not responsible for Peter's actions. Why should they have to suffer for something that Peter had done? Rashly. The rest did not have to go fishing. Only Peter had to go fishing. Peter was the one who got them into the mess. And so our Lord says, "Alright Peter, you go and get the money. It is not coming out of the Treasury." Now, in verse 27, since Peter had given his word, since he had already volunteered to pay the tax, our Lord says, "Lest we should offend them." Now, that is, lest we give them a ground for rejecting the message of Christ, Christ told Peter, "Since you've given them your word, I expect you to keep your word. You go catch the fish, get the coin, and pay for it." Neither Christ nor Peter owed the tax.

But since Peter had agreed to pay it, Christ said, "I expect you to keep your word." Now look in verse 27. Our Lord says, "Lest we should offend them." The "them" does not necessarily have to refer to the men who were collecting the temple tax. The "them" could refer to other persons in Capernaum who would not understand the spirituality or the reality of the message of Christ and would think that by him not paying the tax, that he might be setting himself in opposition to the temple. So Christ said, "Peter, you've opened your mouth, you've committed us rashly." "Now you take care of it. You go fishing, you catch the fish, you do the work, you go pay the temple tribute."

Now, let me make several applications before I close today. The first one should be obvious. I want you to see the wondrous omniscience of our Lord. He not only knew the conversation of Peter, He knows everything. Peter was outside talking to the men who gathered the temple tax, and when Peter walked inside, our Lord said, "Peter, let me ask you a question." He already knew exactly what was going on. The omniscience of our Lord means that Jesus Christ knows everything. Everything possible. Everything actual. All past. All present. All future. He knows everything.

Applications: Omniscience, Grace, Sovereignty, and Freedom

Applications include Christ's omniscience, His grace in helping us out of self-made messes, His control over creation, the loss of American freedom since 1913, and the church's separate jurisdiction under Christ's headship.

It was the psalmist in Psalm 139. It says, "...thou hast beset me before." He said, "...such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain unto it." He said, "...there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether." And our Lord does know our words. And even when we think no one else is around and no one else is listening, God hears and God knows.

So we need to make sure we guard our mouths. Better, he says, that thou shouldest not vow, and thou shouldest vow not pay. Why should you allow your mouth to suffer you to sin? Here's the second application. And to me, this is astounding. I want you to consider the marvelous graciousness of Christ in helping his children out of situations that they have rashly gotten themselves into without thinking.

Now, let me ask you a question. Have you ever gotten yourself in a mess because of your own stupidity? I mean, man, I have. And isn't it marvelous and a miracle of grace that when you realize it, you say, "Oh God, how could I have ever been so stupid? Lord, if you just get me out of this mess, I won't ever do it again." And guess what? He gets you out and you do it again. And he still gets you out again. "Peter, you shouldn't have said yes, but now that you've said yes, I'm going to get you out of it, but you're going to be the one doing the work and you're going to be doing the footwork. You go catch the fish. You go pay the temple tax." The third application is this.

We must also observe Christ's absolute knowledge and his control over all creation. You know, the amazing thing to me is not just that Christ knew a specific fish that had a specific coin in its mouth or stomach that would be sufficient. But Peter went and our Lord said, "You drop the hook in, and the first fish that comes up," the Lord sent that one fish out of all the fishes in the sea. He sent the one fish that had the coin in its mouth. You know, the Bible says in Psalm 50, verse 10, God says it like this, "For every beast of the forest is mine and the cattle upon a thousand hills." Our Lord controls all creation. You know, I will tell you this and those of you that know me know it's true. The Lord has blessed me in hunting many times.

And I'm thankful because we love venison. And that's basically the meat we eat all the time. But I'll give you a little secret. You know one reason why I've been so successful in hunting? Because when I go hunting, I pray. I say, "Lord, please send me the deer that You've appointed to die this day." Well, they die every day, don't they? Well, sure they do. Well, "Lord, You just send me the one that is going to meet our needs."

He has control of them. Let me tell you something, folks. If God doesn't send an animal to you, you hunt in vain. It's that simple. You remember how when Jacob was deceiving Isaac, his father, and he went out and he got that goat and his mother fixed it up and made it taste like venison?

Now, she was a cook. And so Isaac did not discern Jacob, and he said, "How is it thou returnest so soon, my son?" And Jacob said, "The Lord thy God sent it to me." That's what I ask the Lord to do. Send it to me, Lord. Well, he sent that one fish to Peter. You know, that just gives me an idea. Maybe this year I'll ask the Lord to send me a deer with a gold coin in his mouth.

Now, that would be wonderful, wouldn't it? Or gold-plated antlers or something. Alright, here's the fourth application. Watch carefully. Look in verse 26. "Peter said unto him, 'Of strangers.' Jesus said unto him, 'Then are the children free.'"

Now, I want you to think about this. If we as Americans were free until 1913, and are no longer free now but are held under tribute. The only deduction that can be made is this, that we have been taken over by an alien law order. One that is no longer constitutional. Do you realize in 1913 there was a change in our form of government without a shot ever being fired? We no longer have a constitutional republic, and consequently, we're no longer free in our own land. There has to be a different form of government operating rather than the one that was established by our founding fathers, because under them, the children were free. And today, the children are enslaved. Here's the fifth application.

The children of the kingdom, the sons of God, are the living Temple and cannot be brought back into bondage by legalism, traditionalism and Phariseeism. Read Ephesians 2 verses 19 through 22. We are living stones. We are the house of God. And I'll tell you this, folks, one of the greatest dangers to the church of Jesus Christ is that people keep trying to bring the church into bondage to that which is not biblical and that which is not scriptural.

There are so many churches that are overrun and eat up with traditions. It is unbelievable. We cannot be bound by traditions, we must be bound by the Word of God. Let me give you one final application. I want you to think about this. This is so serious. For the record, if you have not been able to make the necessary deduction from Scripture, allow me to say it plainly. Here it is. The Church of Jesus Christ is not, will not, and cannot be dominated by any other institution or jurisdiction. Such submission or domination would be nothing less than a denial of the headship and the lordship and the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. The civil government has no authority over the church of Jesus Christ. It is a totally separate jurisdiction. Civil government does not have the right to dictate anything, demand anything, or mandate anything. Why? Because Christ is Lord over His own house. All government, family, church, and civil is subject to Christ. Christ is subject to none, for He is the Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth.

Now, let me just point this out, because I want you to understand the concept that I am teaching you today has been around and has been believed for centuries. You say, "Well, I've never heard of it." Well, you need to come to church more often because I've preached it before. But let me give you one clear illustration. During the Byzantine Empire, which empire, by the way, lasted a thousand years. During the Byzantine Empire, the church was a totally separate jurisdiction. If a murderer, and by the way, the Word of God certainly does not condone murder, but I'm just using this for an illustration. But if a murderer got away from the civil authority and made it into a church building, guess what? All the civil authority could do, all the army could do, would be to surround the property. They would not step one foot on that church property or go into that church building because they had absolutely no authority and no jurisdiction.

And what they did, they just simply kept outside and waited until either the pastor talked the man into giving himself up or until the man voluntarily came out. But they would not go into the church building after him. They had no authority. Did you know that in England, of course, I know a lot of people don't know this, but we have crossroads. Do you know where the term crossroads came from? Not just because two roads crossed, but in England, in England, there were crosses set up at specific intersections all throughout the country. And if the civil authority was after you for some reason, whether you were guilty or not, it's immaterial, if the civil authority was after you, if you made it to one of those crossroads where a cross was and you held on to that cross, the civil government could not touch you until first the church came and got you and listened to you and found out whether or not you had really committed any crime worthy of civil government's punishment. If so, they turned you over to the civil government.

All I'm trying to point out is this, folks. Listen carefully. The church has always been a separate jurisdiction. It is only in times of apathy, ignorance, and apostasy that civil government has usurped the throne of God. And if someone tries to take Matthew 17 and says, "Well, Christ pays a tribute," and tries to interpret that as a Roman tax, it's absolutely blasphemous. For that would be to say that the kingdom of God is in subjection to the kingdom of man, which is absolute and utter blasphemy. The kingdom of man does not rule over everything. The kingdom of God does, for God alone is sovereign. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ for Your grace, for Your mercy, for Your love to us. We ask that you teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, and help us, Lord, to see and comprehend the principles of the Word of God and make the proper applications to our lives. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Sovereignty of God over all institutions

Summary: God alone is sovereign with unlimited jurisdiction; all other governments (family, church, civil) are limited and delegated by Him.

Evidence: Civil government is not God. God is God. ... God alone has unlimited jurisdiction, and consequently, only God alone is to be given unlimited submission.

Christ's headship over all things

Summary: Jesus Christ, in His exaltation, is the head of every man, the church, and all principality and power; all authority is derived from Him.

Evidence: He is the head of all things. ... All authority in heaven and earth is given unto Me. ... Christ is the head of all principality and power.

The temple tax vs. Roman tax

Summary: The tax in Matthew 17 is the half-shekel temple tax ordained by God, not a Roman tax; interpreting it as Roman would make the kingdom of God subservient to man.

Evidence: The tax or the tribute that was being demanded in verse 24 of Matthew chapter 17 was not a Roman tax. It was a temple tax.

Freedom of the children of God

Summary: As sons of God by adoption, believers are free from bondage to traditions, tyranny, and man-made legalism; Christ's statement 'then are the children free' applies spiritually and historically.

Evidence: Then are the children free. ... We as God's children are free from the guilt and pollution of sin. We're free from traditions. We're free from tyranny.

Rash vows and keeping one's word

Summary: Peter rashly volunteered Christ to pay the tax; God expects His people to keep their word even when given foolishly, as illustrated by Joshua 9 and Ecclesiastes 5.

Evidence: Peter had already volunteered Christ to pay ... When you give your word, God expects you to keep it.

Separate jurisdiction of the church

Summary: The church is a separate jurisdiction under Christ's headship; civil government has no authority over it, and submission to civil government in spiritual matters denies Christ's lordship.

Evidence: The Church of Jesus Christ is not, will not, and cannot be dominated by any other institution or jurisdiction.

Key Arguments

Matthew 17 is not about Roman taxes

Summary: The tribute in Matthew 17:24 is the didrachma, equivalent to the half-shekel temple tax, not a Roman tax; interpreting it as Roman would imply Christ submitted to a pagan ruler, contradicting His sovereignty.

Evidence: If Matthew 17 refers to taxes of the Roman government, then Christ the Creator, Christ the Sovereign, Christ the Lord, Christ the Head of all things, by paying those taxes, would be bowing to the demands of a pagan, heathenistic, ungodly ruler.

Christ's question reveals sons are free

Summary: Christ's question about kings taxing strangers, not children, teaches that as the Son of God and head of His own house, He and His adopted sons are free from the temple tax.

Evidence: Jesus said unto him, Then are the children free. ... Christ was the head of His own house. ... Was He not therefore then free from the temple tax? Yes.

Peter's rash vow obligated him, not Christ

Summary: Peter, not Christ, volunteered to pay the tax; Christ honored Peter's word but made Peter do the work to obtain the money, showing personal responsibility for rash speech.

Evidence: Peter had already volunteered Christ to pay ... Peter rashly volunteered him to do so. ... Since Peter had given his word, since he had already volunteered to pay the tax, our Lord says, 'Lest we should offend them.'

Civil government is limited by God's law

Summary: Romans 13 limits civil government to protecting the innocent and punishing the unrighteous; it is sinful for government to exceed its God-ordained sphere.

Evidence: God limited civil government to two simple functions. Protection of the innocent and the punishment of the unrighteous.

American freedom was lost in 1913

Summary: The U.S. was founded on the principle that 'children are free,' funding government through duties on imports/exports; the 16th Amendment and income tax brought Americans into tribute and bondage.

Evidence: From where did our original, organic, constitutional, and republican form of government derive its money? ... It got it from duties, from imports and exports. ... Because the children were free. ... We were free until 1913.

Scripture References

Matthew 17:24-27

Context: The main text: the temple tax incident where Jesus instructs Peter to get a coin from a fish's mouth to pay the tax.

1 John 3:4

Context: Definition of sin as transgression of the law, used to argue that church discipline is only for violations of God's law.

Romans 13:3-4,6

Context: Civil government is God's deacon, exactor of righteousness, and public worship, limited to protecting the innocent and punishing the unrighteous.

Matthew 28:18

Context: Christ's declaration that all authority in heaven and earth is given to Him, supporting His absolute headship.

1 Corinthians 11:3

Context: The head of every man is Christ, demonstrating Christ's headship over all humanity.

Ephesians 1:22

Context: God put all things under Christ's feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church.

Ephesians 4:15

Context: Christ is the head, into whom believers grow up.

Ephesians 5:23

Context: Christ is the head of the church and the Savior of the body.

Colossians 1:18

Context: Christ is the head of the body, the church, that in all things He might have preeminence.

Colossians 2:10

Context: Christ is the head of all principality and power.

1 Peter 2:7

Context: Christ is the head of the corner, emphasizing His foundational and supreme role.

1 Corinthians 15:27

Context: God the Father has put all things under Christ's feet.

John 19:9-11

Context: Jesus tells Pilate he would have no power unless given from above, showing Christ's authority over civil rulers.

Exodus 30:12-16

Context: The half-shekel ransom money for the sanctuary, the biblical basis for the temple tax.

Exodus 38:26

Context: The half-shekel collected from those numbered, confirming the temple tax practice.

2 Chronicles 24:6,9

Context: King Joash commands the collection of the tax according to Moses' commandment for the tabernacle.

Ecclesiastes 5:2,4-6

Context: Warning against rash vows and the obligation to pay what is vowed, applied to Peter's rash promise.

Hebrews 3:1-6

Context: Christ as Son over His own house, greater than Moses, supporting His freedom from the temple tax.

Galatians 4:4-6

Context: Believers receive adoption as sons, crying 'Abba, Father,' thus sharing in Christ's freedom.

Galatians 5:1

Context: Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, applied to freedom from bondage.

Historical References

Federal Reserve Act and 16th Amendment (1913)

Context: The 16th Amendment enabled direct taxation on income, ending the founding principle that 'children are free' and leading to government expansion and loss of liberty.

Byzantine Empire church sanctuary

Context: During the Byzantine Empire, the church was a separate jurisdiction; civil authorities could not enter church property to arrest someone, illustrating the church's independence.

English crossroads sanctuary

Context: In England, crosses at intersections provided sanctuary; civil government could not touch a person holding onto a cross until the church investigated, showing separate church jurisdiction.

Ronald Reagan quote on government expansion

Context: President Reagan stated, 'As government expands, liberty contracts,' used to illustrate the effect of departing from God's law.

Albert Einstein quote on income tax

Context: Einstein reportedly said, 'The hardest thing in the world to understand is the federal income tax,' highlighting the complexity of the modern tax code.

Important Quotes

Civil government is not God. God is God.

Significance: Foundational statement establishing God's ultimate sovereignty over all human government.

All authority in heaven and earth is given unto Me.

Significance: Christ's own declaration of His absolute authority, central to the argument that He is not subject to any earthly institution.

Then are the children free.

Significance: Christ's conclusion that as Son of God, He and His adopted sons are free from the temple tax; a key principle for spiritual and historical freedom.

The tax or the tribute that was being demanded in verse 24 of Matthew chapter 17 was not a Roman tax. It was a temple tax.

Significance: The central exegetical claim that reinterprets the passage and avoids theological problems of Christ submitting to pagan authority.

As government expands, liberty contracts.

Significance: Quote from Ronald Reagan used to illustrate the inverse relationship between government power and individual freedom.

The Church of Jesus Christ is not, will not, and cannot be dominated by any other institution or jurisdiction.

Significance: The ultimate application: the church's independence under Christ's headship, rejecting civil government overreach.

Discussion Questions

How does understanding Matthew 17 as the temple tax rather than a Roman tax change our view of Christ's relationship to civil government?

Context: The sermon argues that interpreting it as a Roman tax would make Christ subservient to a pagan ruler, contradicting His sovereignty.

In what ways might Christians today rashly obligate themselves or others, and how should we respond when we do?

Context: Peter's rash 'yes' led to personal responsibility; the sermon applies Ecclesiastes 5 on keeping vows.

What does it mean practically that the church is a separate jurisdiction under Christ's headship, and how should that affect our response to government mandates?

Context: The sermon emphasizes that civil government has no authority over the church, citing historical examples of sanctuary.

How does the principle 'then are the children free' relate to the founding of the United States and the changes brought by the 16th Amendment?

Context: The sermon connects the biblical principle to early American taxation policy and the loss of freedom in 1913.

How can we balance the biblical command to submit to governing authorities (Romans 13) with the truth that Christ is head over all and the church is free?

Context: The sermon limits civil government's role to protection and punishment, and insists Christ is not subject to it.

Applications

Guard your mouth against rash vows

Summary: Be careful what you say and obligate yourself for; God expects you to keep your word even when given foolishly.

Evidence: Peter rashly volunteered Christ to pay ... When you give your word, God expects you to keep it.

Trust Christ's omniscience and grace

Summary: Christ knows all our conversations and situations, and He graciously helps us out of messes we create by our own stupidity.

Evidence: He not only knew the conversation of Peter, He knows everything. ... Consider the marvelous graciousness of Christ in helping his children out of situations that they have rashly gotten themselves into.

Recognize Christ's control over creation

Summary: Christ controls all creation, including animals, and can provide for our needs in miraculous ways; we should pray for His provision.

Evidence: Our Lord controls all creation. ... He sent the one fish that had the coin in its mouth.

Understand the loss of American freedom

Summary: Since 1913, the U.S. has shifted from a constitutional republic where 'children are free' to an alien law order that enslaves through direct taxation.

Evidence: If we as Americans were free until 1913, and are no longer free now but are held under tribute. The only deduction that can be made is this, that we have been taken over by an alien law order.

Resist bringing the church into bondage

Summary: The church must not be bound by traditions, legalism, or Phariseeism; we are living stones, the house of God, and free in Christ.

Evidence: The children of the kingdom, the sons of God, are the living Temple and cannot be brought back into bondage by legalism, traditionalism and Phariseeism.

Uphold the church's separate jurisdiction

Summary: The church is not dominated by civil government; to submit the church to civil authority denies Christ's headship and lordship.

Evidence: The Church of Jesus Christ is not, will not, and cannot be dominated by any other institution or jurisdiction.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T02:54:59Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:06:25Z

Clean Transcript

The Temple Tax

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

So Matthew chapter 17, and let's begin reading there in verse 24. Matthew 17, verse 24, "And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He said, Yes. And when he came into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus said unto him, Then are the children free. 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. Take that, and give it unto them for me and thee."
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Now Matthew 17 verses 24 through 27 is a passage that has been misused, abused, and taken out of context innumerable times. Just this week I was asked once again to explain this passage. It seems as if there are a number of people who wish to use this passage to prop up their views on unlimited submission to civil government. Let me make a statement, and please remember this statement, it's very simple. Civil government is not God. God is God.
#2 | 0:48 to 1:25 | cleaned
Now it is difficult for me to comprehend the fact that so many people have failed to grasp the fact and the truth that God alone is the sovereign. What do I mean by that? I mean that God alone has unlimited jurisdiction, and consequently, only God alone is to be given unlimited submission. All government outside of God's government is limited, confined, and delegated. It does not matter what kind of government you talk about. It doesn't matter if you talk about family government or church or ecclesiastical government or civil government. The truth is God has ordained each one of these spheres of authority. God has ordained each one of these three institutions and God has properly limited its authority or its sphere. For instance, as a husband and a father, I can only go as far as God allows me to go in my proper role and sphere. I have no authority outside of the Word of God, and I have no authority to go beyond the Word of God. Now, I certainly do not have authority to act contrary to the Word of God.
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Now, as a pastor and as a body of believers, we can only function as a church in the sphere that God has ordained that we function in. We have no authority to go beyond the word of God even as a church. For instance, as a church we cannot discipline our people for non-sins. You only exercise church discipline for that which is sin. And may I remind you once again what sin is. According to 1 John 3 and verse 4, the Bible says, "...whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the law, for sin is the transgression of the law." So what is sin? Sin is a violation of the law of God. Sin is a violation of the Word of God. Listen to me. Sin does not mean that it's something that you and I do not like, or something we disagree with, or something we do not understand. Sin does not rest upon our understanding or our agreement or our likes. Sin is declared by the Word of God, especially the Law of God. So we cannot discipline people for what we know as non-sin.
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So even as a church group, we are limited by the Word of God. Now, if I were to take the time, and I certainly don't want to do that this morning, to go over Romans 13. I've done that innumerable times in time past. But in Romans chapter 13, of course, civil government is declared to be God's deacon, His exactor of righteousness, and His public worship. Now, civil government, according to Romans 13, is not just a power. It is not just an authority. It is not just simply a jurisdiction.
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It is more than that. Because in Romans chapter 13 and verse 4, when God calls government His minister, remember the word diakonos occurs there twice. And the word diakonos is where we get our English word deacon from. And the word deacon actually means minister or servant. And so very obviously then, God has ordained government to be his deacon first and foremost, that is his servant. Secondly, the word exactor there is an exactor of righteousness. God has ordained government to be his exactor of righteousness. And when you come down to verse 6, once again the word is leitourgos for minister, and that means a public worship. It's where we get our English word liturgy. So civil government then has been ordained not just to be a power or an authority or a jurisdiction, but ordained to be God's deacon, God's exactor of righteousness, and God's public worship. And consequently, in verses 3 and 4, God limited civil government to two simple functions.
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Protection of the innocent and the punishment of the unrighteous. Now, watch carefully. Just as it is improper and sinful for a father and a husband to leave his sphere of authority and go over and above and beyond the word of God, just like it is improper and sinful for a church to leave its proper sphere of authority and go over and above and beyond the word of God, likewise it is improper for civil government, and sinful I might add, to leave its proper sphere of function and go over and beyond and above the Word of God as well.
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God's only ordained three institutions. He ordained the family to be a ministry of education, the church a ministry of grace, and civil government to be a ministry of justice. Now, watch this carefully. Since God is the Sovereign, since God is the Originator, since God is the Author, since God is the creator of each of these three institutions, family, church, and civil government, is it reasonable therefore to assume that therefore He, God, must be in subjection to at least one of the institutions which He has ordained?
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Well, the answer to that is of course not. And yet, it's amazing to me that although no one would say, well, we don't expect God to be the servant of the family, and we don't expect God to be the servant of the church, yet so many people want God to be the servant or slave to civil government. It's unreasonable to assume that God would have to be in subjection to anything that He created. God is transcendent, that is, God is above His creation. He is the transcendent God.
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Now, it is true that as a child, Jesus Christ was subject to His parents. But that's quite different. You see, Christ came into this world to be our Lord and Savior, and part and parcel of that salvation was His obedience to the law. He was sent here, and His time on earth, including His death and suffering, by the way, His time on earth is known as His humiliation. After His humiliation, after He suffered and bled and died and gave a perfect obedience to the law of God, God then raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand, and that is referred to as His exaltation. Now listen carefully. Now that Jesus Christ has been exalted, raised from the dead, He is now the Head of everything.
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Do you know what He said in Matthew 28 in verse 18? He said, "All authority in heaven and earth is given unto Me."
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Now let me ask you a question. If all authority in heaven and earth is given to Jesus Christ, how much is left for anyone else? None. What does that mean? It means if I'm a father and a husband, my authority is derived from Him. If I'm a pastor and we're a church, our authority is derived from Him. If we are civil leaders and we have a civil government, what does it mean? Our authority is derived from Him and for Him alone. Now listen carefully. Jesus Christ is not now in subjection to an earthly family, an earthly church, or an earthly civil government.
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He is the head of all things. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to several passages. Matthew 17, we're coming back there. That is our text. But let me just show you how Scripture specifically states that Christ is the head of everything. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and verse 3. 1 Corinthians 11 and verse 3. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 3, look what the Bible says. The Apostle Paul is writing, and he says, "But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God." Now, who is the head of every man? The answer is Jesus Christ. Turn right over to the book of Ephesians, chapter 1 and verse 22. Ephesians 1, verse 22. In fact, we're here talking about Jesus Christ and the fact that God has raised Him from the dead. In Ephesians 1 and verse 22, Paul writes, "...and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church."
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Now, God has put all things under His feet, and He's given Him to be the head over the church. Look in Ephesians 4 and verse 15. Ephesians 4 verse 15. Paul writes again, "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, or who is the head, even Christ." Look in Ephesians 5 and verse 23. Ephesians 5 verse 23. "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and He is the Savior of the body."
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Now turn over to the book of Colossians chapter 1. Colossians 1. And look, if you would please, at verse 18. Colossians 1 and verse 18. Once again, the Bible says concerning Christ, "For He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning and the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He, Christ, might have the preeminence." Look in Colossians 2 and verse 10. "And you are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power." It doesn't matter what the power is. It doesn't matter what the principality is. Christ is the head of all of it. And the Bible says in 1 Peter 2 and verse 7, you don't have to turn there, but the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the head of the corner. In other words, no matter how you look at it in Scripture, Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ is the head of everything. Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 27, that He, God the Father, hath put all things under His, God the Son's, feet.
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So all things are put under His feet. What does that mean? It means that Jesus Christ is the Sovereign.
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Now, let's go back in our Bibles to Matthew chapter 17. Having understood that Jesus Christ is the Head of everything, I want you to think with me of the implications of Matthew 17 just for a moment. Because there are individuals who try to interpret Matthew chapter 17 to be a tax to the Roman government. If you look at Matthew 17 and verse 24, "And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? And he said, Yes. And when he was coming to the house, Jesus prevented him saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute?"
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"Of their own children or of strangers? Peter said unto him, Of strangers. Jesus said unto him, Then are the children free."
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Now, listen to me carefully. If Matthew 17 refers to taxes of the Roman government, then Christ the Creator, Christ the Sovereign, Christ the Lord, Christ the Head of all things, by paying those taxes, would be bowing to the demands of a pagan, heathenistic, ungodly ruler.
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Now watch this carefully, because even if you try to wiggle out of this implication and try to say, "But this was during our Lord's humiliation. This is while he was on earth." Even if you try to wiggle out of it like that, then may I remind you of 1 Timothy 3, verse 16. You don't have to turn there. I'll quote it. The Bible says, "And without all controversy, great is the mystery of godliness."
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"God was manifest in the flesh." In other words, Jesus Christ was equally God in His humiliation as He is in His exaltation. So you would still have God bowing to the demands of a pagan, heathenistic, ungodly king.
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Now, I want you to turn, before we even get on Matthew 17, I want you to turn to John chapter 19. Because in this passage, when Pilate tried to assert his authority over Jesus Christ, let me put it to you bluntly, when Pilate tried to assert his authority over Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ told him how the cow ate the cabbage. Okay? Look what he said. John chapter 19 and verse 9. "And he went again into the judgment hall and said to Jesus, 'Whence art thou?' But Jesus gave him no answer. Then said Pilate unto him, 'Speakest thou not to me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and I have power to release thee?' Jesus answered and said, 'Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.'" What's he saying? "You're not my authority, Pilate. And the only reason you have any authority is God put you where you are. You have no rightful authority over me." Basically what he was saying.
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And he said, "The only reason you're here now is God gave you the little bit of authority that you have." Now, I want you to see the grave theological implications in an erroneous view of Matthew 17, verses 24 through 27. Because if you interpret this passage as Jesus Christ paying tribute to the Roman government, then what you have is this. You have the kingdom of God being in subservience to the kingdom of man. Jesus Christ did not come to serve the Roman government. Jesus Christ came to serve his father.
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You say, "Well, Pastor, how in the world do we get out of this dilemma? Because very obviously, the tax is paid." Well, we get out of the dilemma by studying Scripture and by examining it in its context. Do you realize the tax or the tribute that was being demanded in verse 24 of Matthew chapter 17 was not a Roman tax. It was a temple tax. And I'll explain it in just a moment.
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Now I want you to understand something. The temple tax was not something that was dreamed up by the scribes and the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The temple tax was a tax that was imposed by God Himself. The temple tax was what you and I would call the redemption money. It was the ransom price which every Israelite 20 years old and older paid and was ordered to pay for the support of the sanctuary.
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Let me show it to you. Hold Matthew 17, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 30. Exodus chapter 30, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. Exodus 30 verse 12.
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Now remember, every Israelite 20 years old and over was to pay this half shekel. Exodus 30, beginning with verse 12. God says, "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord. When thou numberest them, that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them, this they shall give everyone that passeth among them that are numbered half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary, a shekel is 20 gerahs, a half a shekel shall be the offering of the Lord." So each Israelite, 20 years old and older, had to give this temple tax. It was an offering for the support of the sanctuary. Look in chapter 38 of Exodus and verse 26. Exodus 38 and verse 26. Once again, the Word of God says, "...a bekah for every man, that is, a half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone that went to be numbered from 20 years old and upward, were 600,000, 3,000, and 550 men."
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So he gave the number right there, but there was the half shekel. Now if you'll turn over to 2 Chronicles 24, you'll see how some of this was taken even in temple times. 2 Chronicles 24, look at verse 6.
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And then verse 9. 2 Chronicles 24, verse 6. "And the king called for Jehoiada, who was the high priest, by the way. And the king called for Jehoiada the chief and said unto him, 'Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection according to the commandment of Moses, the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel for the tabernacle of witness?'" So here the king is asking the high priest, "Why are you not observing God's law? Why are you not receiving this half shekel the way God commanded it?" Now skip down to verse 9. "And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to bring into the Lord the collection that Moses, the servant of God, laid upon Israel in the wilderness."
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So what you have in Matthew chapter 17 is not a Roman tax, it is the tax of the temple. Now, the tax amounted to a half shekel equal in value to what you and I would call a didrachma. Literally, if you look in Matthew 17, look in verse 24, Matthew 17, verse 24, here is what the word actually is. "And when they came to Capernaum, they that received tribute money," or they that received the didrachma, "came to Peter and said, 'Does your master pay the didrachma?'" Now, the didrachma was not a Roman coin. The didrachma was a Greek silver coin. It was equivalent to the half shekel. But now you've got to remember, in the temple in those days, the money changers had their table set up. You remember whom Jesus Christ drove out.
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But what they would do is this. They would say, "Well, you can't bring that didrachma to the temple. That's a Greek coin. And we're going to make you change it for a Jewish coin. But we're going to charge you a little interest or a little exchange rate to do so." That's how they made their money. But the didrachma was the coin of the time that was equaled to the half shekel. So the tax then in Matthew chapter 17 is not a man-made tax. It was not a governmental tax. It was not a tax of Rome. And in this passage, Rome was not trying to assert its authority over Christ. This tax was the ransom which was given for the support of the sanctuary.
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Now, let's go back to verse 24. Because there are innumerable questions that have to be answered. "And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter and said, 'Does not your master pay tribute?'" Now, verse 24 makes it clear that the men asking for the didrachma were men who were from Capernaum. Now, why did they ask Peter, "Does your master pay the didrachma?" Well, there are several reasons that we possibly could give, although we're not exactly sure why they specifically asked Peter this question. They could have asked him this question because they knew already that Jesus Christ had several confrontations and several conflicts with the scribes and the Pharisees, and certainly where he destroyed their traditions and went contrary to their traditions. It could be, secondly, that they were asking this in a reproachful manner to try to cast aspersion upon Jesus Christ. But thirdly, they could have been asking this question also because, according to the Word of God, the priests and the Levites were exempt from this tax.
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And they may have been wanting to know, "Is your Master going to claim exemption as a priest?" We don't really know why they asked Peter that particular question. But I do want you to note in verse 24, "And when they were come to Capernaum," it was the men of Capernaum who asked this particular question about the ransom money. Now, why in the world would the men of Capernaum be asking this question?
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Well, let me show you why. Hold Matthew 17, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter 4. Matthew 4, and notice verse 13. Matthew 4, verse 13. Someone tell me very quickly, where was Jesus raised? Nazareth. Okay. He was brought up. He was called a Nazarene, right? But look in Matthew 4, verse 13. "And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt" where? "In Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast and the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim." So where was Jesus living at the time? In Capernaum. Well, where did Peter live? Look in Matthew chapter 8 and verse 5. Matthew 8 and verse 5.
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Now, I'm calling this to your attention to show you this particular truth. "And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him a centurion beseeching Him."
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Now watch if you would. He entered where? Capernaum.
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Now skip down to verse 13. He takes care of the centurion's servant. Here's what happened. Remember, they were in Capernaum. Verse 13, "And Jesus said unto the centurion, 'Go thy ways, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.' And his servant was healed at the same hour. And when Jesus was come into" whose house? "He saw his wife's mother laid and sick of a fever, and he touched her." Where did Peter live? In Capernaum. That's where they were. So why then did the men of Capernaum come and ask Peter, "Does your Master pay the didrachma?" Because both Peter and Christ were living in Capernaum at the time. And if you look in Matthew 16 and verse 13, before you get to Matthew 17, Peter and Christ had been away on a preaching mission. Notice Matthew 16 and verse 13. "When Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, 'Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?'" So, in Matthew 16, He's in the coast of Caesarea Philippi preaching, and in Matthew 17, He comes back into His home in Capernaum, and the men in Capernaum, who were responsible for the temple tribute, now ask Peter, "Does your master, does your teacher, pay the didrachma?"
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Now, I want you to notice a very important truth. I want you to skip down to Matthew 17 and verse 27. Matthew 17, verse 27. I'll deal with this verse before I close today, but verse 27, "Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up. When thou openest his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money, that take, and give it unto them," what's that next phrase? "For me and thee." Now isn't that interesting? Christ said, "Now Peter, you go catch a fish. First one you catch, only one you need to catch. Open his mouth."
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"There'll be a coin there. It will be sufficient to pay the tax for thee and me." Here's my question. Why did Christ not order Peter to pay the tribute for all his disciples?
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Now, let's think about that just for a moment. Well, first of all, the very obvious answer is only Peter and Christ lived in that area. We don't exactly know where all the others lived, but only Peter and Christ were living there for sure that we know of. But here's the second, and I believe the more important reason. Peter had already volunteered Christ to pay in verse 25. Look. They come in verse 24. They ask, "Doth your master pay tribute?" He said, "Yes." "Yes. My master's going to pay this temple tax." Now, Peter did not volunteer for anyone else. He only volunteered for Christ. Now, regardless of whether or not Christ was obligated to pay for the support of the temple, Peter rashly volunteered him to do so.
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Now, let me tell you something about the Word of God. And let me tell you something about giving your word. Did you know that when you give your word, God expects you to keep it? Do you remember Joshua chapter 9? You don't have to turn there. You'll remember the story. Joshua 9 and 10. Here the children of Israel are going into the land and God had told them to take their sword and to kill all the Amorites, the Hittites, the Jebusites, kill them all, wipe them all out. And all of a sudden, here's some men that come to Joshua.
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And they've got rotten cast clouts on for clothes, their clothes are falling to pieces. Their wine bottles are moldy, their cheese, their food is moldy. And they came and they said, "We want to make a treaty with you." And Joshua and the men said, "Well, wait a minute. How do we know that you're not of these people that we're supposed to kill?" "Oh," they said, "look at our clothes. Man, we just got these new before we left home. Look at our bread. Well, it's fresh out of the oven. Look at our wine bottles."
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"We've come from a long way off." No one checked with the Lord. And so Joshua and the elders entered into a covenant with the Gibeonites. And only after they entered in the covenant, guess what? They found out then that they were of the Amorites, they were the people that they were supposed to have killed. You know what God did? God said, "Now you can't kill them. You've given them your word."
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"I expect you to keep it." Now, they did make them drawers of water and hewers of wood. They made them servants, but they could not kill them. They had given their word.
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Now, turn in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Ecclesiastes, hold Matthew 17. But look in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5. Let me show you something about vows. Ecclesiastes, chapter 5. And look at verse 2. Ecclesiastes chapter 5. Ecclesiastes 5 verse 2, look what God says, "Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God. For God is in heaven and thou upon earth, therefore, let thy words be few." So God says, "Watch what you say. And watch what you obligate yourself for." Skip down to verse 4. Look what he says. "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it."
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"For he hath no pleasure in fools. Pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin. Neither say thou before the angel that it was an error. Wherefore, should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thine hands?" What does God say? God says, "When you give your word to me, I expect you to keep it." Now, He says you don't have to vow to me, but when you vow, you keep your word. When you give your word, you keep it. You remember the old saying, "A man's word is his bond?"
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That used to be true in this country. Of course, it's not true any longer. But it should be true in regards to the children of God. We should be men and women who give our word and we keep our word. So Peter then was asked, "Does your master pay the didrachma?" He said, "Yes. Sure, we do. We pay it."
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Now, go back to Matthew 17. In Matthew 17, evidently, these men came to Peter while he was out on the street. Because in verse 24, they come to Peter and they say, "Doth your master pay tribute?" In verse 25, he answers, "Yes." And then the next statement says, "And when he was coming to the house." So he was outside the house when he was approached by these men. And so when he walked into the house, undoubtedly, he was probably going to tell Christ about the conversation. But before he can ever open his mouth, Christ said, "Peter, I've got a question for you." And then he asked this question. "What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute?"
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"Of their own children or strangers?" Now, let me just stop right there momentarily. The word custom refers to toll usually taxes in general, but especially a tax on wares. Kind of like a sales tax or an import and export tax. The word tribute is actually the word for census and it refers to a poll tax. It's the exact same word that is used in Matthew 22. If you look there, verse 17, the exact same word when they come to Christ and say, "Tell us therefore, what thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute or a poll tax unto Caesar or not?" It's the exact same word. So it really refers then to a poll tax. Custom, listen carefully, custom would refer to indirect taxes, and tribute would refer to direct taxes. Now before I go any further, our Lord says, "What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take indirect and direct taxes? Of their own children or of strangers?" Now let me explain to you the word strangers. The word strangers literally means belonging to another, not one's own, foreign, strange, not of one's family, even an enemy.
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So the question is, "Simon, of whom do the kings of the earth take custom, or toll? Of the children, or those who they consider not their own family, those who are strangers and foreigners, even enemies." So Christ asks him this simple question, and Peter answers it in verse 26, "And Peter said unto him, 'Of strangers.'" Are you listening? Kings do not tax their own families. They do not tax their own children. Taxes always come from strangers, and usually in the form of tribute, which means it comes from a conquered territory or a conquered people. It is not the family who pays, it is the strangers who pay. Now our Lord asks this question. He asks, "What thinkest thou, Simon, of whom do kings of the earth take custom and tribute of their own children of strangers?" And Peter says unto him, "Of strangers." And then our Lord makes a remarkable and an astounding observation. He says in verse 26, "Then are the children free." Then are the children free. Now, first of all, let me tell you that this statement, "Then are the children free," is an absolute rebuke to Peter.
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He's not merely instructing Peter, he is rebuking Peter. You say, "How in the world can it be a rebuke to Peter?" Hold Matthew 17, but go in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews, chapter 3. Hebrews, chapter 3. And let's read the first six verses. I'll quote some others, but I want you to see these. Hebrews, chapter 3. And let's begin reading there with verse 1. Hebrews 3 and verse 1. Very clearly, verse 1 tells us we're talking about Jesus Christ. "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house." So we're considering Christ. Verse two tells us that Christ was faithful to the Father. Then he says in verse three, "For this man," that is Christ, "was counted worthy of more glory than Moses inasmuch as he who hath built the house hath more honor than the house. Now watch. For every house is built by some man, but he that built all things is God."
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"For Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a Son was over His own house. Whose house are we? If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end."
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Now, I think some of you are already seeing it. Christ is the head of His own house. Was not Jesus Christ the Son of God by nature? Yes. Was not the temple His Father's house? Do you not remember in Luke 2 and verse 49 when His parents sought Him He said, "Why is it that you sought Me? Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" And do you not remember in John 2 and verse 16, He told those people, He said, "You've made My Father's house a den of thieves." Christ was the head of His own house. And was He not, according to His own words, in Matthew 12 and verse 6, greater than the temple? Well, of course. Was He not therefore then free from the temple tax? Yes. Was not Peter therefore free? Yes. Why? Because Peter was a son by adoption.
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What's the Bible say in Galatians 4, 4-6? "But in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons, and because we are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his Son in our hearts, crying, Abba, Father." So I'm trying to tell you, folks.
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Our Lord was not just simply instructing Peter. He was rebuking Peter and he was also teaching Peter and I might also say and us. To think. Before we speak. "Does your master pay the temple tax?" Peter should have said no. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. As a son, He's free. Jesus Christ is head of His own house. And we're His sons by adoption. So therefore, we're free.
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Now, I want you to follow with me. Go back to Matthew 17. We're looking at verse 26. "Jesus said unto him, 'Then are the children free.'" I told you there were some astounding implications in what our Lord is saying. Here's the second one. Is it not clearly observable and undeniable that the government of this country was founded upon this principle? Now listen carefully. From where did our original, organic, constitutional, and republican form of government derive its money? I'm talking about our original, organic, constitutional, Republican form of government. Where did our country initially derive its monies?
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Read the Constitution of the United States. It got it from duties, from imports and exports. That's it. Why did it derive its monies from imports and exports? Because the children were free. That's the way our founding fathers set it up. We were free until 1913. Until the institution of the Federal Reserve Act and the progressive graduated income tax. Now listen carefully. Everywhere I go, I hear people say, "Well, I need to pay my taxes so I can support my government." Please listen to this. If you think your tax monies run our government today, you're sadly mistaken.
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Let me ask a question. How did our government fund itself under the Constitution from 1789 to 1913 and remain basically debt free? Debt free! Imports, and exports, and that was it. The current taxation scheme does not fund or run the federal government. You know where our government gets its money? It borrows it. It borrows it into existence. It borrows it without any regard to the Constitution. Taxes today merely help pay the interest of the international bankers on the national debt, which itself, by the way, is based upon fraud.
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I want you to follow me. I want to give you a quote. I just recently received an article written by Douglas Baker. He's a writer who lives and works in Washington, D.C., a professing Christian, and he wrote this article and I only excerpted two paragraphs from it. The name of the article is "Taxation, a Moral Issue." Let me read to you just these two paragraphs. He writes, "Nearly a century ago, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, 1913, enabled the government to legally redistribute wealth under a law code touted at that time as just and fair."
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By the way, do you remember? I know not everybody was around in 1913, but those who've done the reading and studying, mainly the tax was to be upon what group? The rich. Only the rich. Because the common man wouldn't be paying anything. Oh, by the way, did you know when Franklin Delano Roosevelt instituted the Social Security tax, he made a promise that it would never be over $35 a year? He did. He did.
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But, well, let me go back. I'm quoting. All right. He said, I don't want to stop and preach on that. All right. He says, "The 16th Amendment to the Constitution, 1913, enabled the government to legally redistribute wealth under a law code touted at that time as just and fair. The amendment accomplished this goal through direct taxation on income. Proponents of the income tax defined justice in terms of forced compliance that would level society and create social equality. Opponents of the income tax saw it as theft by statute, a confiscation of wages earned through the efforts of hard work. Both sides understood something. Government policies have far-reaching influence for good or ill on society. To impose a policy on the wages of workers, rich or poor, was a new level of intrusion that had only been used thus far in United States history for national emergencies such as the Civil War."
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"Such an action could not help but have a dramatic effect on the country's future." Now, let me just stop there. Notice what he said. To impose such a policy was now an intrusion that had never been used in history except during time of emergency. Here's the second paragraph. "Taxes, when viewed under Scripture's guidance, are laden with theological implications. Understanding this, the framers of the Constitution crafted principles for a moral fiscal code prohibiting direct taxation of income, blocked off many blind alleys of escape for those who might later seek to use the law as a means for private gain at public expense."
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"With the passage of the 16th Amendment, an inevitable expansion of government has taken place, and with it a certain shaping of the nation's soul. Government is now seen more as a savior and less as a servant. The federal bureaucracy is so large and the tax code so complicated that even the likes of Albert Einstein once declared, 'The hardest thing in the world to understand is the federal income tax.'"
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Now listen to what he's saying. He is saying since 1913, there has been a drastic change in this country. I'm going to go a little bit further. It was President Ronald Reagan who said this, quote, "There's a clear cause and effect here that is neat and predictable as a law of physics. As government expands, liberty contracts." That was the President, Ronald Reagan. As government expands, liberty contracts.
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Folks, let me tell you something. As we neglect and turn from the truth of the Word of God, our liberty contracts or diminishes more and more. Do you realize God's plan for His children is that we be free? Do you know what Paul said in Galatians 5 and verse 1? Let me just quote it. He said, "Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath set you free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Did you hear that? Stand fast in the liberty where Christ has set you free. We as God's children are free from the guilt and pollution of sin. We're free from traditions. We're free from tyranny. And in 1 Corinthians 7 verse 23, he tells us that we're not to be the slaves to any man. We are to be free and not under tyrants and not under dictatorships. However, I want you to understand something. Freedom is to be found only in obedience to Jesus Christ and His Word. And Christ emphasizes this one truth to Peter. He says, "Then are the children free."
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Now, I'm not going to preach this today, but I want to encourage you to go back and read when you get home, 1 Samuel chapter 8. Now, 1 Samuel chapter 8 is where the children of Israel chose a man for their king and rejected God. And the only way you can understand 1 Samuel chapter 8, is to see it as a transition from one law structure to another. In other words, they are now leaving God's law structure, and they are now submitting themselves to man's law structure, and God says, "If you want a king, I will give him to you, but I'm going to tell you what he's going to do to you," and then you look at everything that king's going to do and compare it with what is happening in this country today. Let me tell you, the government that we have today is the price that we are paying as a people and as a nation for rejecting God and His law. Okay?
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Now, you say, "Brother, we understand everything that you've just told me, but Christ did pay the temple tax." Yes, He did. But I want you to notice where the money to pay the temple tax came from. Look at Matthew 17, if you would please. And verse 27, our Lord says, "Notwithstanding this, we should offend them, go thou to the sea and cast an hook and take up the fish that first cometh up. When thou openest his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money. Take that and give it unto them for me and thee." So the money came from where? From a fish.
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Let me point it out to you. The money did not come out of the treasury. Did you know that the disciples had a treasury? Sure they did. In fact, go back in your Bibles or turn over, I should say, to the book of John. Look in John 12. Would anyone like to guess who carried the bag? Judas. Judas. All right. Judas. All right. Look at it in John chapter 12 it is and verse 6. John 12, verse 6. John 12 and verse 6, the Word of God says this. "This He said," talking about Judas, "not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag and bare what was put therein." Look in John chapter 13 and verse 29. John 13, verse 29. "For some of them thought because Judas had the bag that Jesus had sent unto him, 'Buy those things that we have need of against the feast,' or that he should give something to the poor." So there was a treasury. There was money in the treasury.
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So here's my question. Why did Jesus Christ not just simply take the money out of the treasury? I mean, the money was there. I'll tell you why. Because it was Peter who had gotten them into this situation, and the rest of the disciples were not responsible for Peter's actions. Why should they have to suffer for something that Peter had done? Rashly. The rest did not have to go fishing. Only Peter had to go fishing. Peter was the one who got them into the mess. And so our Lord says, "Alright Peter, you go and get the money. It is not coming out of the Treasury." Now, in verse 27, since Peter had given his word, since he had already volunteered to pay the tax, our Lord says, "Lest we should offend them." Now, that is, lest we give them a ground for rejecting the message of Christ, Christ told Peter, "Since you've given them your word, I expect you to keep your word. You go catch the fish, get the coin, and pay for it." Neither Christ nor Peter owed the tax.
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But since Peter had agreed to pay it, Christ said, "I expect you to keep your word." Now look in verse 27. Our Lord says, "Lest we should offend them." The "them" does not necessarily have to refer to the men who were collecting the temple tax. The "them" could refer to other persons in Capernaum who would not understand the spirituality or the reality of the message of Christ and would think that by him not paying the tax, that he might be setting himself in opposition to the temple. So Christ said, "Peter, you've opened your mouth, you've committed us rashly."
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"Now you take care of it. You go fishing, you catch the fish, you do the work, you go pay the temple tribute."
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Now, let me make several applications before I close today. The first one should be obvious. I want you to see the wondrous omniscience of our Lord. He not only knew the conversation of Peter, He knows everything. Peter was outside talking to the men who gathered the temple tax, and when Peter walked inside, our Lord said, "Peter, let me ask you a question." He already knew exactly what was going on. The omniscience of our Lord means that Jesus Christ knows everything. Everything possible. Everything actual. All past. All present. All future. He knows everything.
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It was the psalmist in Psalm 139. It says, "...thou hast beset me before." He said, "...such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain unto it." He said, "...there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether." And our Lord does know our words. And even when we think no one else is around and no one else is listening, God hears and God knows.
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So we need to make sure we guard our mouths. Better, he says, that thou shouldest not vow, and thou shouldest vow not pay. Why should you allow your mouth to suffer you to sin? Here's the second application. And to me, this is astounding. I want you to consider the marvelous graciousness of Christ in helping his children out of situations that they have rashly gotten themselves into without thinking.
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Now, let me ask you a question. Have you ever gotten yourself in a mess because of your own stupidity? I mean, man, I have. And isn't it marvelous and a miracle of grace that when you realize it, you say, "Oh God, how could I have ever been so stupid? Lord, if you just get me out of this mess, I won't ever do it again." And guess what?
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He gets you out and you do it again. And he still gets you out again. "Peter, you shouldn't have said yes, but now that you've said yes, I'm going to get you out of it, but you're going to be the one doing the work and you're going to be doing the footwork. You go catch the fish. You go pay the temple tax." The third application is this.
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We must also observe Christ's absolute knowledge and his control over all creation. You know, the amazing thing to me is not just that Christ knew a specific fish that had a specific coin in its mouth or stomach that would be sufficient. But Peter went and our Lord said, "You drop the hook in, and the first fish that comes up," the Lord sent that one fish out of all the fishes in the sea. He sent the one fish that had the coin in its mouth. You know, the Bible says in Psalm 50, verse 10, God says it like this, "For every beast of the forest is mine and the cattle upon a thousand hills." Our Lord controls all creation. You know, I will tell you this and those of you that know me know it's true. The Lord has blessed me in hunting many times.
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And I'm thankful because we love venison. And that's basically the meat we eat all the time. But I'll give you a little secret. You know one reason why I've been so successful in hunting? Because when I go hunting, I pray. I say, "Lord, please send me the deer that You've appointed to die this day." Well, they die every day, don't they? Well, sure they do. Well, "Lord, You just send me the one that is going to meet our needs."
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He has control of them. Let me tell you something, folks. If God doesn't send an animal to you, you hunt in vain. It's that simple. You remember how when Jacob was deceiving Isaac, his father, and he went out and he got that goat and his mother fixed it up and made it taste like venison?
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Now, she was a cook. And so Isaac did not discern Jacob, and he said, "How is it thou returnest so soon, my son?" And Jacob said, "The Lord thy God sent it to me." That's what I ask the Lord to do. Send it to me, Lord. Well, he sent that one fish to Peter. You know, that just gives me an idea. Maybe this year I'll ask the Lord to send me a deer with a gold coin in his mouth.
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Now, that would be wonderful, wouldn't it? Or gold-plated antlers or something. Alright, here's the fourth application. Watch carefully. Look in verse 26. "Peter said unto him, 'Of strangers.' Jesus said unto him, 'Then are the children free.'"
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Now, I want you to think about this. If we as Americans were free until 1913, and are no longer free now but are held under tribute. The only deduction that can be made is this, that we have been taken over by an alien law order. One that is no longer constitutional. Do you realize in 1913 there was a change in our form of government without a shot ever being fired? We no longer have a constitutional republic, and consequently, we're no longer free in our own land. There has to be a different form of government operating rather than the one that was established by our founding fathers, because under them, the children were free. And today, the children are enslaved. Here's the fifth application.
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The children of the kingdom, the sons of God, are the living Temple and cannot be brought back into bondage by legalism, traditionalism and Phariseeism. Read Ephesians 2 verses 19 through 22. We are living stones. We are the house of God. And I'll tell you this, folks, one of the greatest dangers to the church of Jesus Christ is that people keep trying to bring the church into bondage to that which is not biblical and that which is not scriptural.
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There are so many churches that are overrun and eat up with traditions. It is unbelievable. We cannot be bound by traditions, we must be bound by the Word of God. Let me give you one final application. I want you to think about this. This is so serious. For the record, if you have not been able to make the necessary deduction from Scripture, allow me to say it plainly. Here it is. The Church of Jesus Christ is not, will not, and cannot be dominated by any other institution or jurisdiction. Such submission or domination would be nothing less than a denial of the headship and the lordship and the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. The civil government has no authority over the church of Jesus Christ. It is a totally separate jurisdiction. Civil government does not have the right to dictate anything, demand anything, or mandate anything. Why? Because Christ is Lord over His own house. All government, family, church, and civil is subject to Christ. Christ is subject to none, for He is the Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth.
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Now, let me just point this out, because I want you to understand the concept that I am teaching you today has been around and has been believed for centuries. You say, "Well, I've never heard of it." Well, you need to come to church more often because I've preached it before. But let me give you one clear illustration. During the Byzantine Empire, which empire, by the way, lasted a thousand years. During the Byzantine Empire, the church was a totally separate jurisdiction. If a murderer, and by the way, the Word of God certainly does not condone murder, but I'm just using this for an illustration. But if a murderer got away from the civil authority and made it into a church building, guess what? All the civil authority could do, all the army could do, would be to surround the property. They would not step one foot on that church property or go into that church building because they had absolutely no authority and no jurisdiction.
#85 | 1:04:32 to 1:05:50 | cleaned
And what they did, they just simply kept outside and waited until either the pastor talked the man into giving himself up or until the man voluntarily came out. But they would not go into the church building after him. They had no authority. Did you know that in England, of course, I know a lot of people don't know this, but we have crossroads. Do you know where the term crossroads came from? Not just because two roads crossed, but in England, in England, there were crosses set up at specific intersections all throughout the country. And if the civil authority was after you for some reason, whether you were guilty or not, it's immaterial, if the civil authority was after you, if you made it to one of those crossroads where a cross was and you held on to that cross, the civil government could not touch you until first the church came and got you and listened to you and found out whether or not you had really committed any crime worthy of civil government's punishment. If so, they turned you over to the civil government.
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All I'm trying to point out is this, folks. Listen carefully. The church has always been a separate jurisdiction. It is only in times of apathy, ignorance, and apostasy that civil government has usurped the throne of God. And if someone tries to take Matthew 17 and says, "Well, Christ pays a tribute," and tries to interpret that as a Roman tax, it's absolutely blasphemous. For that would be to say that the kingdom of God is in subjection to the kingdom of man, which is absolute and utter blasphemy. The kingdom of man does not rule over everything. The kingdom of God does, for God alone is sovereign. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ for Your grace, for Your mercy, for Your love to us. We ask that you teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, and help us, Lord, to see and comprehend the principles of the Word of God and make the proper applications to our lives. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T02:54:59Z

The Temple Tax

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver argues that Matthew 17:24-27 refers to the temple tax (the half-shekel redemption money), not a Roman tax. He emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the sovereign head over all institutions, and that the children of God are free from man-made bondage. The sermon rebukes the misuse of this passage to support unlimited submission to civil government, and highlights the omniscience and graciousness of Christ in helping Peter out of a rash vow.

Opening

So Matthew chapter 17, and let's begin reading there in verse 24. Matthew 17, verse 24,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 17:24-27

"And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He said, Yes. And when he came into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus said unto him, Then are the children free. 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. Take that, and give it unto them for me and thee."

Introduction: Misuse of Matthew 17

The passage has been misused to support unlimited submission to civil government. Civil government is not God; God alone is sovereign.

God's Limited Delegation of Authority

God has ordained three institutions (family, church, civil government) with limited spheres. None may go beyond God's Word.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:4

"...whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the law, for sin is the transgression of the law."

Civil Government's Biblical Role

Romans 13 defines civil government as God's deacon, exactor of righteousness, and public worship, limited to protecting the innocent and punishing the unrighteous.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:4

"...whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the law, for sin is the transgression of the law."

Christ's Exaltation and Headship

After His humiliation, Christ is exalted as head over all things. All authority in heaven and earth is His; all other authority is derived from Him.

Scriptural Proof of Christ's Headship

Multiple passages (1 Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 1:22, 4:15, 5:23, Colossians 1:18, 2:10) affirm Christ as head of every man, the church, and all principality and power.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:3

"But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God."

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 1:22

Now, God has put all things under His feet, and He's given Him to be the head over the church. Look in Ephesians 4 and verse 15. Ephesians 4 verse 15. Paul writes again, "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, or who is the head, even Christ." Look in Ephesians 5 and verse 23. Ephesians 5 verse 23. "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and He is the Savior of the body."

So all things are put under His feet. What does that mean? It means that Jesus Christ is the Sovereign.

The Tax in Matthew 17 is the Temple Tax

The tribute demanded was the didrachma, equivalent to the half-shekel temple tax ordained by God in Exodus 30:12-16 for the support of the sanctuary, not a Roman tax.

Now remember, every Israelite 20 years old and over was to pay this half shekel. Exodus 30, beginning with verse 12. God says,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 30:12-16

"When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord. When thou numberest them, that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them, this they shall give everyone that passeth among them that are numbered half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary, a shekel is 20 gerahs, a half a shekel shall be the offering of the Lord."

Scripture Reading — Exodus 30:12-16

"...a bekah for every man, that is, a half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone that went to be numbered from 20 years old and upward, were 600,000, 3,000, and 550 men."

And then verse 9. 2 Chronicles 24, verse 6.

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 24:6,9

"And the king called for Jehoiada, who was the high priest, by the way. And the king called for Jehoiada the chief and said unto him, 'Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection according to the commandment of Moses, the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel for the tabernacle of witness?'"

So here the king is asking the high priest, "Why are you not observing God's law? Why are you not receiving this half shekel the way God commanded it?" Now skip down to verse 9.

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 24:6,9

"And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to bring into the Lord the collection that Moses, the servant of God, laid upon Israel in the wilderness."

Peter's Rash Vow and Christ's Rebuke

Peter rashly volunteered Christ to pay the tax. Christ rebuked him by teaching that kings tax strangers, not their own children, and therefore the children (sons of God) are free.

Scripture Reading — Ecclesiastes 5:2,4-6

"Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God. For God is in heaven and thou upon earth, therefore, let thy words be few."

So God says, "Watch what you say. And watch what you obligate yourself for." Skip down to verse 4. Look what he says. "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it."

Christ's Gracious Provision and Peter's Responsibility

Though free, Christ provided the tax money miraculously through a fish to avoid offense, but made Peter do the work because he had rashly given his word.

Applications: Omniscience, Grace, Sovereignty, and Freedom

The Temple Tax

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	121503101752
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Civil Government: Magistracy, Authority, and Romans 13: Christian & Civil Government
Genre	Sermon
Date	2003-05-04
Dictation Name
Book	Book 008: Civil Government: Magistracy, Authority, and Romans 13 — Chapter 7
Source Timed Segments	87

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: Misuse of Matthew 17: The passage has been misused to support unlimited submission to civil government. Civil government is not God; God alone is sovereign.
God's Limited Delegation of Authority: God has ordained three institutions (family, church, civil government) with limited spheres. None may go beyond God's Word.
Civil Government's Biblical Role: Romans 13 defines civil government as God's deacon, exactor of righteousness, and public worship, limited to protecting the innocent and punishing the unrighteous.
Christ's Exaltation and Headship: After His humiliation, Christ is exalted as head over all things. All authority in heaven and earth is His; all other authority is derived from Him.
Scriptural Proof of Christ's Headship: Multiple passages (1 Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 1:22, 4:15, 5:23, Colossians 1:18, 2:10) affirm Christ as head of every man, the church, and all principality and power.
The Tax in Matthew 17 is the Temple Tax: The tribute demanded was the didrachma, equivalent to the half-shekel temple tax ordained by God in Exodus 30:12-16 for the support of the sanctuary, not a Roman tax.
Peter's Rash Vow and Christ's Rebuke: Peter rashly volunteered Christ to pay the tax. Christ rebuked him by teaching that kings tax strangers, not their own children, and therefore the children (sons of God) are free.
Christ's Gracious Provision and Peter's Responsibility: Though free, Christ provided the tax money miraculously through a fish to avoid offense, but made Peter do the work because he had rashly given his word.
Applications: Omniscience, Grace, Sovereignty, and Freedom: Applications include Christ's omniscience, His grace in helping us out of self-made messes, His control over creation, the loss of American freedom since 1913, and the church's separate jurisdiction under Christ's headship.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Matthew 17 is not about Roman taxes

The tribute in Matthew 17:24 is the didrachma, equivalent to the half-shekel temple tax, not a Roman tax; interpreting it as Roman would imply Christ submitted to a pagan ruler, contradicting His sovereignty.

If Matthew 17 refers to taxes of the Roman government, then Christ the Creator, Christ the Sovereign, Christ the Lord, Christ the Head of all things, by paying those taxes, would be bowing to the demands of a pagan, heathenistic, ungodly ruler.

Christ's question reveals sons are free

Christ's question about kings taxing strangers, not children, teaches that as the Son of God and head of His own house, He and His adopted sons are free from the temple tax.

Jesus said unto him, Then are the children free. ... Christ was the head of His own house. ... Was He not therefore then free from the temple tax? Yes.

Peter's rash vow obligated him, not Christ

Peter, not Christ, volunteered to pay the tax; Christ honored Peter's word but made Peter do the work to obtain the money, showing personal responsibility for rash speech.

Peter had already volunteered Christ to pay ... Peter rashly volunteered him to do so. ... Since Peter had given his word, since he had already volunteered to pay the tax, our Lord says, 'Lest we should offend them.'

Civil government is limited by God's law

Romans 13 limits civil government to protecting the innocent and punishing the unrighteous; it is sinful for government to exceed its God-ordained sphere.

God limited civil government to two simple functions. Protection of the innocent and the punishment of the unrighteous.

American freedom was lost in 1913

The U.S. was founded on the principle that 'children are free,' funding government through duties on imports/exports; the 16th Amendment and income tax brought Americans into tribute and bondage.

From where did our original, organic, constitutional, and republican form of government derive its money? ... It got it from duties, from imports and exports. ... Because the children were free. ... We were free until 1913.

Scripture References

Matthew 17:24-27: The main text: the temple tax incident where Jesus instructs Peter to get a coin from a fish's mouth to pay the tax.
1 John 3:4: Definition of sin as transgression of the law, used to argue that church discipline is only for violations of God's law.
Romans 13:3-4,6: Civil government is God's deacon, exactor of righteousness, and public worship, limited to protecting the innocent and punishing the unrighteous.
Matthew 28:18: Christ's declaration that all authority in heaven and earth is given to Him, supporting His absolute headship.
1 Corinthians 11:3: The head of every man is Christ, demonstrating Christ's headship over all humanity.
Ephesians 1:22: God put all things under Christ's feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church.
Ephesians 4:15: Christ is the head, into whom believers grow up.
Ephesians 5:23: Christ is the head of the church and the Savior of the body.
Colossians 1:18: Christ is the head of the body, the church, that in all things He might have preeminence.
Colossians 2:10: Christ is the head of all principality and power.
1 Peter 2:7: Christ is the head of the corner, emphasizing His foundational and supreme role.
1 Corinthians 15:27: God the Father has put all things under Christ's feet.
John 19:9-11: Jesus tells Pilate he would have no power unless given from above, showing Christ's authority over civil rulers.
Exodus 30:12-16: The half-shekel ransom money for the sanctuary, the biblical basis for the temple tax.
Exodus 38:26: The half-shekel collected from those numbered, confirming the temple tax practice.
2 Chronicles 24:6,9: King Joash commands the collection of the tax according to Moses' commandment for the tabernacle.
Ecclesiastes 5:2,4-6: Warning against rash vows and the obligation to pay what is vowed, applied to Peter's rash promise.
Hebrews 3:1-6: Christ as Son over His own house, greater than Moses, supporting His freedom from the temple tax.
Galatians 4:4-6: Believers receive adoption as sons, crying 'Abba, Father,' thus sharing in Christ's freedom.
Galatians 5:1: Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, applied to freedom from bondage.

Historical References

Federal Reserve Act and 16th Amendment (1913): The 16th Amendment enabled direct taxation on income, ending the founding principle that 'children are free' and leading to government expansion and loss of liberty.
Byzantine Empire church sanctuary: During the Byzantine Empire, the church was a separate jurisdiction; civil authorities could not enter church property to arrest someone, illustrating the church's independence.
English crossroads sanctuary: In England, crosses at intersections provided sanctuary; civil government could not touch a person holding onto a cross until the church investigated, showing separate church jurisdiction.
Ronald Reagan quote on government expansion: President Reagan stated, 'As government expands, liberty contracts,' used to illustrate the effect of departing from God's law.
Albert Einstein quote on income tax: Einstein reportedly said, 'The hardest thing in the world to understand is the federal income tax,' highlighting the complexity of the modern tax code.

Important Quotes

Civil government is not God. God is God.

Foundational statement establishing God's ultimate sovereignty over all human government.

All authority in heaven and earth is given unto Me.

Christ's own declaration of His absolute authority, central to the argument that He is not subject to any earthly institution.

Then are the children free.

Christ's conclusion that as Son of God, He and His adopted sons are free from the temple tax; a key principle for spiritual and historical freedom.

The tax or the tribute that was being demanded in verse 24 of Matthew chapter 17 was not a Roman tax. It was a temple tax.

The central exegetical claim that reinterprets the passage and avoids theological problems of Christ submitting to pagan authority.

As government expands, liberty contracts.

Quote from Ronald Reagan used to illustrate the inverse relationship between government power and individual freedom.

The Church of Jesus Christ is not, will not, and cannot be dominated by any other institution or jurisdiction.

The ultimate application: the church's independence under Christ's headship, rejecting civil government overreach.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does understanding Matthew 17 as the temple tax rather than a Roman tax change our view of Christ's relationship to civil government?

[Context]

The sermon argues that interpreting it as a Roman tax would make Christ subservient to a pagan ruler, contradicting His sovereignty.

[Question]

In what ways might Christians today rashly obligate themselves or others, and how should we respond when we do?

[Context]

Peter's rash 'yes' led to personal responsibility; the sermon applies Ecclesiastes 5 on keeping vows.

[Question]

What does it mean practically that the church is a separate jurisdiction under Christ's headship, and how should that affect our response to government mandates?

[Context]

The sermon emphasizes that civil government has no authority over the church, citing historical examples of sanctuary.

[Question]

How does the principle 'then are the children free' relate to the founding of the United States and the changes brought by the 16th Amendment?

[Context]

The sermon connects the biblical principle to early American taxation policy and the loss of freedom in 1913.

[Question]

How can we balance the biblical command to submit to governing authorities (Romans 13) with the truth that Christ is head over all and the church is free?

[Context]

The sermon limits civil government's role to protection and punishment, and insists Christ is not subject to it.

Applications

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