Matthew 17:24-27 Fishing for Money
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: May 10, 2019 Matthew 17:24-27
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
(Understanding the Text) Matthew is interested in the tax question, I think. He is specific about the amount. It was the 2-drachma tax. The SDA commentary says that this was actually the “half-shekel Temple tax required of every free male Jew 20 years of age or older, for the support of the Temple. This tax was not compulsory in the sense that the tithe was, but its payment was nevertheless considered a religious duty.” The SDA commentary also says that the tax would have been asked for in February or March, so the collectors of the temple tax were telling Peter that his tax was overdue and needed to be paid. However, they did not ask Peter for the tax, but his master. It also points out that in the intervening time period since March, there had been plenty of chances for the Pharisees and scribes to accuse Jesus directly about this, but they had not, so this was a new strategy to try to trip Jesus up. The SDA commentary says that the double drachma, which was almost the same value as the half shekel required for the tax, was “approximately twice the value of a Roman denarius, which was considered a day’s wage,” so when Peter pulled the shekel out of one fish, he was receiving the equivalent of four days’ wages from one fish.
(Revelation of God) How did Jesus know what had happened? Did it spontaneously come into His mind? Was it like EGW where He had a vision ahead of time and when it happened, He recognized the situation and remembered the vision? How did Jesus know about the fish and the shekel? Why did God choose that way?
(Understanding the Text) The location is in Capernaum at Peter’s house by the lake where he has a fishing boat. The SDA commentary says that they had probably come back from a brief tour of Galilee and were staying at Peter’s house. The commentary also says that Peter was probably approached because Jesus was staying in Peter’s house, but that the Greek word for “your” is plural indicating that they were referring to all of the disciples’ Master. Thus, Peter was not just answering for Jesus, but also for all of the disciples.
I think it’s interesting that Jesus gave Peter a miraculous way to pay the tax through his usual method of earning a living. Peter did the usual manner that he would do to raise money, except Jesus instructed him to use a hook rather than a net. The SDA commentary says that this is the only place in the NT where it mentions using a hook to fish. Everywhere else it talks about using a net. Guzik makes a comment on this that I disagree with. ” Peter was a professional fisherman who used nets, not a hook and a line. It must have humbled Peter to fish like this manner, and we can imagine that he hoped none of his other fisherman friends saw him trying to catch one fish at a time.” I think that Peter had already been humiliated by his own impetuous answer, so using a hook would probably not have phased him. In addition, his Master had told him beforehand that a miracle was about to occur, so I think Peter was eagerly looking forward to seeing the miracle happen. He might have even bragged about it to someone. In fact, it is quite possible that the other disciples, including some professional fishermen, accompanied Peter down to the shore to watch the miracle happen. I can just imagine the comradery among the four fishermen as they found a fishing rod and hook, since they might not have had one themselves, and then went down to the shore and decided where to cast the line in. Then, the smiles as a fish immediately bit and laughter as Peter pulled in the line and checked in the fish’s mouth. I can imagine the shouts of joy when he held up the shekel for everyone to see. They might have drawn a big crowd with all their noise so that news of the miracle spread quickly around the whole city. I used to think that Peter bragged about it to everyone, but considering this scenario, the story might have reached the collectors before Peter did. In fact, the collectors may have even been in the crowd that gathered around as Peter fished and witnessed the miracle for themselves!
Peter went fishing, but he would not be selling the fish. He would only need one fish to pay the whole amount. He would receive just enough to cover the necessity. According to the SDA commentary, a double drachma was about half a shekel, so the shekel would be enough for both men. Did the drachma have a picture of Caesar on it? Was this a temple shekel? If so, it would be significant that Peter paid in the money of the temple rather than a Gentile coin. The SDA commentary points out that this miracle was tailor-made for Peter himself. It would have impressed the fisherman with the unlikelihood of catching a specific fish at a specific time with just the right amount of money in its mouth. First, Jesus gave Peter a gentle rebuke with teaching; then He sent Peter off to the reward of a miracle to increase his trust in Jesus. The purpose of this kind of miracle seems to be to increase trust in God.
(Revelation of God / Application) When God gives, it is abundantly and not from our own stress and strain and accomplishment. It is true that some effort and obedience was required, but when the payoff came it was obviously from God and not because of anything that Peter achieved. This seems to be symbolic of how I am to work with God. Yes, I have to do some stuff that He tells me to do. I need to obey in that part, but the achievement will not happen because I stress and strain over it, but because God blesses it. My part is to trust God and go where He tells me to go and do what He tells me to do. Also, I kind of think that Jesus smiled as he told Peter how to solve the dilemma that he had gotten himself into. I think this was a playful solution that was to reward Peter and make him understand the joy of trusting Jesus. I kind of think that God does the same thing with me. Maybe, He smiles a little in anticipation of the blessing I’m going to receive when I trust Him.
This is an example of how God takes even our mistakes and blesses them and makes them fruitful. He knows who we are and what we are capable of and how we mess up, yet He still uses us. I should not beat myself up over my inabilities. Instead, I should simply go forward in confidence in God’s ability to transform my mess-ups into assets. I pray to always serve You and have confidence in Your abilities and not stress over my disabilities. Take my mistakes and blunders and stupidities and transform them into assets that will further Your kingdom on earth.
(Understanding the Text / Prayer) These men were playing power games with Peter. Peter was too naïve to know. The SDA commentary says that Levites, priests, and prophets were exempt from the temple tax. Peter knew that Jesus was not a Levite or a priest, but since prophets were so rare, he may not have even been aware of that exemption, or it simply was not used in modern times, so he simply did not think of it. Another place in the commentary implies that rabbis did not pay the tax. This is something Peter should have been aware of. Jesus helped Peter to get out from under the manipulation. People try to play power games and manipulate others all the time. This is why I pray for wisdom and character so that I can be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove. Navigating these people is way beyond my ability. I saw that when dealing with C. and S. I simply don’t have the cunning to outwit these manipulators. My only hope is to listen to Your guidance and stay true to the wisdom that You have already imparted to me. Then I must trust You to protect me.