From Matthew 17:24-27 / For Jesus’ Two Cents…

Note first: What a most striking balance there is in our Lord in this account.

When it came to truth, especially the truth of the Gospel or about God, Jesus didn’t hesitate to offend anyone or everyone.

But when it was not such a matter, a Gospel matter, here, in what is nothing more than a social custom, Jesus is concerned not to give any needless offense.

This is greatly instructive to us. It is of Kingdom important that we are clear which hills are those to die upon, and which are not so grave. Especially in our interaction with un-Believers.

As in this account, we are reminded that in the whole of the New Testament, neither Christ nor His Disciples are ever recorded as having been offended or taking offense themselves. And they were most certainly ill-treated. This tendency to take offense it seems is found only in their opposers.

I wonder at how easily, I, we, in this generation make so much of offenses. Perceived or real ones. We imagine ourselves wounded at almost every turn. Something conspicuously absent both in our Lord and those who suffered with Him.

Perhaps the ease of our circumstances, the perceived “rights” upon which our society prides itself, the general acceptance we have as Christians – which opens us to precious little true persecution – has made us imagine the world (and people in general) owe us some level of courtesy and regard. Our skins grow exceedingly thin. Every bump is considered battery. Every slight, real sin.

But this is not the Biblical model.

Given the New Testament examples, it would appear we are to be more concerned with not giving unnecessary offense to others, than whether or not they may offend us. We, are about to inherit eternity. And will we wrangle with one another over momentary sensitivities?

Jesus flexes with those around Him as far as He can as long as it does not touch the Gospel.

Is this tax right? No.

Is it fair? No.

Is it wrongfully enforced? Yes.

Is it costly? Yes.

Is it an example of what we hear so much about today – “Government over-reach? Yes.

It was in fact a Jewish tax imposed by the corrupt Sadducean religious leadership and didn’t even have the backing of Roman law. It was just expected.

You would have thought Jesus would use this as a platform on which to denounce corruption in the “Church” leadership.

But He does not such thing.

Is it worth getting into a snit about? No.

Why not?

Because it has nothing to do with the Gospel.

So in the end, so what?

As Christians we might face all kinds of places both in and outside of the Church where what might be unfair and even costly might be imposed upon us.

So what?

What do we gain for the Kingdom by getting our noses out of joint over things which in the end, have no real eternal significance?

Note second: Once again, we are struck by this juxtaposition between the wonder of Jesus’ transfiguration and His being drawn back into the world of pettiness and the mundane.

Captured here is the bane of every preacher’s existence isn’t it? And yet our Savior navigates it without a whisper.

First, He is on the mount and transfigured before Him. Then he is confronted with the demonized boy and his father, and the inability of His key men. And then dragged into the most meaningless controversy about this petty tax. How His spirit must have groaned in being jerked about from the divinely sublime to the most ridiculous. But He bears it all without a flutter. What a Savior.

May we learn to do the same with such utter reliance upon our God’s sovereign providences.

When bandied about from the sublime to the ridiculous, may we submit as easily to The Father’s appointments.