Matthew 16:13-17:27 covers Peter's confession of Christ, the transfiguration, an exorcism by Christ and his coming to Capernaum. Each of these is accompanied by a rebuke or reproof of either all the disciples or Peter in particular. In the case of the transfiguration, the poor guy just doesn't get it, thinking Moses and Elijah would actually be served by having a tent to sleep in! The thrust in my heart as I read this passage is in it's conclusion, beginning with 17:24.
After Peter's confession and hearing directly from God the Father that Jesus is his beloved son, Jesus finally claims his sonship with a question concerning the temple tax. At first it appears that Peter is just receiving yet another correction from Christ. Peter had told the tax collector that Jesus would pay the half-shekel tax, the fee for coming to the temple, but Jesus had another idea of who the king of the temple was. In verse 25 he asks Peter if earthly kings tax their sons or others. After giving the obvious answer, Jesus tells him that he, being a son of the king as Peter himself confessed, will not be paying the tax. This is where I love to envision Peter, likely realizing again his mistake and maybe muttering a lowly response of "yes, rabbi" as he begins to wonder how to deal with the tax collector. But Jesus in his soverignty already has a solution. He tells Peter to go catch a fish, and it will have a shekel in it's mouth. Here I envision Peter looking relieved and grateful, but he had yet to hear the best part. As Jesus completes his instructions to Peter, he tells him to "take it to them for me and for yourself."
Peter looks at his master with a little confusion at this and thinks: "Wait now. "The sons are free..."" Something tells me that Peter, or perhaps anyone else at that point, had never considered himself a son of God. Yet here was his master, "The Christ, the Son of the living God", including Peter with him in his illustration of sonship. What a revelation for Peter! The one who confessed Christ as God's son, now being confirmed by Christ as a son also with him! What joy and wonder must have filled him at the realization of what he had just been told as he cought that fish and paid that earthly tax with his heavenly Father's money.
The sons are free!
Now honestly, I've been too cought up in thinking about Peter to precisely apply the principal to my own heart. There are a couple of ways I think it could be done, but for now they are too broad to put down in writing. For now I think it's good to keep sharing in Peter's joy, and realize anew that I am a son of God, that I am free, and my "tax" has been paid!
Other thoughts:
This is the second time we have heard "a voice from Heaven" saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Both times, Christ is confessed by man prior to this happening. In John's Gospel, by John the Baptist before he baptises Jesus. In our text, by Peter as mentioned above. And Jesus doesn't make any direct claims to his sonship until after this second confession by Peter and then by the Father. I wonder if there is something to the pattern?
Matthew 16-17 are great parallels for Matthew 21 as preached by Pastor Mike Bullmore of Crossway Community Church on March 16th of this year regarding Christ's duality of being both soverign King and suffering Savior. Have a listen and then find for yourself the passages in these two chapters that identify Jesus as both.
Athanatos!
-Jason
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