MATTHEW LESSON 35

     We will begin this lesson in Matthew 17:22 "And while they abode
in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed
into the hands of men:" Matthew 17:23 "And they shall kill him, and
the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding
sorry."

      Jesus did not want His death on the cross to come as such a
shock to the disciples.  He was trying to explain to them that this
was the salvation plan that had been worked out from the beginning of
the earth.  He was trying to make them understand that this was
victory, not defeat, because He would rise again.  They really could
not receive the fact that He had to die this cruel death.  They were
saddened knowing of His eminent death to the world.

     Matthew 17:24  "And when they were come to Capernaum, they that
received tribute [money] came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master
pay tribute?"

     There is no other way to say this.  These were tax collectors of
whom Matthew had been one, until Jesus called him to follow Him.  This
is a very good question, and one many Christians are having to pray
long and hard about today.  Many legislators are trying to get a bill
passed that would cause churches to pay taxes.  Most preachers, and in
fact all Christians, believe if church and state truly are two
separate things, then churches should not be required to pay taxes.
In my opinion, I cannot see a church paying taxes to a government who
is doing things the church could not approve of.  One thing in
particular is using government money to print Play Boy for the blind.
These people are suffering more than one kind of blindness, if they
even want it changed.  God's money cannot be used for unholy purposes.
God's money should be used only for the purpose of winning more souls, and 
for no other purpose.  To answer the question that the tax man asked
Peter: Jesus had not been paying taxes up until this time.  Peter
spoke too quickly, again.

     Matthew 17:25 "He saith, Yes. And when he was come 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?"

     You see, Peter answered without checking with Jesus first.  Peter
was in error.  Jesus asked Peter, what made you think that?  You see,
there is a really good argument for separation of church and
government right here.  Christians are children of God.  He (Jesus),
also, said that kings collected taxes from strangers (their own children
never paid taxes).  That would be a good system here in the U. S.
today.  If we would charge a tariff on all the goods that are brought
in here, and remove the taxes off our own citizens, we would not have
a trade imbalance.  Our citizens would invest at home, and imports
would be sharply curtailed, and our government would be on a much
sounder system.  The answers to even the problems with the government
are in the Bible.  Imports are what has ruined our economy, and U.S.
citizens' capital investments overseas.

     Matthew 17:26 "Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith
unto him, Then are the children free."

     Never has there been a time in history when the people of the
United States have been more afraid of their own government.  People,
who have never cheated a nickel on their income tax, live in mortal
fear that they will be checked and found to be wrong on something on
their tax form.  They pay millions of unnecessary dollars out to
certified public accountants, so that they can feel reasonably sure
that this will keep them from the dreaded audit of the Internal
Revenue Service.  This is not right.  The United States was
established on Bible principles and their people should not live in
constant fear of their own government.  This Scripture above, said the
children are free.  This is certainly not true in our society today.
There needs to be some way, like a national sales tax, where the
people can pay as they go and not be worried to death with all this
government red tape.  I do not believe anyone truly wants a free ride.
Everyone really wants to do their share.  They just do not want to be
scared to death of their own government.

     Matthew 17:27 "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: that take, and give unto them for me and thee."

     Jesus was saying to Peter: we do not owe them anything, but even
though we do not owe them, we will pay them, to keep from causing a
problem.  Jesus had already made His point to Peter, that they did not
owe any thing.  The word "notwithstanding" means nevertheless, or in
spite of the fact.  Going against the truth of the matter, or to make
it short, pay them even if we do not owe.  Then Jesus gave Peter an
unusual answer.  He said go fishing.  This just shows the Divine
Provision that God has for His own.  Everything on this earth belongs
to God, including the money.  God, or His Son, can request it to be at a
given place at a given time, and it would have to obey.  This had to
be a gold coin to be enough to pay both taxes.  "Gold" means purity of
God.  God is our provision even for our taxes.


     Next lesson, we will begin in chapter 18 of Matthew.












                         Matthew 35 Questions


1.  Who did Jesus tell that He would be betrayed?
2.  Where were they at the time?
3.  When they killed Him (Jesus), what would happen?
4.  Did the disciples understand His death, or His resurrection?
5.  How long had this been planned?
6.  In what city were they when the tax collector came?
7.  Who did the tax collector come to?
8.  What question are Christians praying hard about today?
9.  Preachers and Christians believe what about the relation of church
    and state?
10. What is the only thing God's money should be used for?
11. What example did Jesus give, that would make you believe natural
    residents should not pay tax?
12. Kings collect taxes from whom?
13. The answer to the problems with the government is found where?
14. In verse 26, the children were what?
15. What country was established on Bible principles?
16. What does the word "notwithstanding" mean?
17. What did He tell Peter to do?
18. Where would he find the money?
19. What type coin was it, probably?
20. Why was it in the fish's mouth?
21. What does this show?