Daily Reflection Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Today’s gospel story sounds more magical than miracle. Peter pulls a coin from a fish’s mouth which he will use to pay the Temple tax. Usually when Jesus performs a miracle it is in response to sickness or death, or demonic possession, or a natural disaster. Then a crowd of people who witness the miracle are left to wonder about the power of almighty God. This is not a miracle story. Instead, we are to focus on Jesus and his relationship with his followers, the Jewish-Christians. Jesus will not become a source of scandal to them.



This incident concerns paying the temple tax. Every Jew was expected to help pay for the upkeep of the temple. One day the tax collectors came by and asked the disciples, “Does not your teacher pay the tax?” Jesus could have explained that he was exempt from the tax. Since the Temple is the House of God, it stands to reason that the Son of God should be exempt from paying the tax. Furthermore, this principle could extend to his followers; they should be exempt as well.



Yet by not paying the tax, they could cause scandal. They would call more attention to the followers of Jesus and further separate themselves from the larger community. The beginning of this passage, with the second prediction of the passion, sounds a warning. Jesus’ followers must be aware of the growing threat around them. In the end, the moral is not about the temple, but the Messiah who reveals the presence of God.