Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 17:27

"But, lest we cause them to stumble, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a shekel: that take, and give unto them for me and thee." — Matthew 17:27 (ASV)

Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them. That is, lest they think that we despise the temple and its service, and thus provoke needless opposition, though we are not under obligation to pay it, yet it is best to pay it to them.

Go thou to the sea. This was at Capernaum, on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias.

Thou shalt find a piece of money. In the original, you shall find a stater, a Roman silver coin of the value of four drachms, or one shekel, and of course sufficient to pay the tribute for two—himself and Peter.

In whatever way this is regarded, it is proof that Jesus was possessed of divine attributes. If he knew that the first fish that came up would have such a coin in its mouth, it was proof of omniscience. If he created the coin for the occasion and placed it there, then it was proof of divine power.

The former is the most probable supposition. It is by no means absurd that a fish should have swallowed a silver coin. Many of them bite eagerly at anything bright and would not hesitate, therefore, to swallow a piece of money.

The "stater" was "half an ounce of silver."

REMARKS ON MATTHEW CHAPTER 17

1. Secret prayer should be practiced alone, or apart from others (Matthew 17:1). Christ often went into deserts and on mountains so that he might be by himself. This should be done for these reasons:

   • To avoid the appearance of ostentation.

     Pride is easily excited when we know that others hear us pray. Everyone should have some place—some closet—to which he may retire daily, with the assurance that no one sees him but God. (See Barnes on Matthew 6:6).

2. In such seasons we shall meet God (Matthew 17:2). It was in such a season that divine favor was specially shown to Christ. Then the transfiguration took place—the brightest manifestation of his glory that ever occurred on earth. So the clearest and most precious manifestations of the love and glory of God will be made to us in prayer.

3. We see the great glory of Christ (Matthew 17:2). No such favor had been granted to any prophet before him. We see the regard in which he was held by Moses and Elias—among the greatest of the prophets. We see the honor which God put on him, exalting him far above them both (Matthew 17:5). The glory of heaven encompasses the Lord Jesus, and all its redeemed pay him reverence. In him the divine nature shines illustriously; and of him and to him the divinity speaks in glory, as the only begotten Son of God.

4. It is right to have particular affection for some Christians more than others, while we should love them all. Christ loved all his disciples but admitted some to special friendship and favors (Matthew 17:1). Some Christians may be more congenial to us in feeling, age, and education than others; and it is proper, and may be greatly to our advantage, to admit them among our special friends.

5. The death of Jesus is an object of great interest to the redeemed. Moses and Elias talked of it (Luke 9:30–31). Angels also desire to look into this great subject (1 Peter 1:12). By that death, all the redeemed are saved; and in that death the angels see the most signal display of the justice and love of God.

6. Christians should delight to be where God has manifested his glory. The feeling of Peter was natural (Matthew 17:4). His love of the glorious presence of Christ and the redeemed was right. He erred only in the manner of manifesting that love. We should always love the house of prayer—the sanctuary—and the place where Christ has manifested himself as especially glorious and precious to our souls, or as especially our Friend and Deliverer.

7. We need not be afraid of the most awful displays of Deity, if Christ is with us (Matthew 17:7). Were we alone, we should fear. No one could see God and live, for he is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). But with Jesus as our Friend, we may go confidently down to death; we may meet him at his awful bar; we may dwell in the full splendors of his presence to all eternity.

8. Saints at death are taken to happiness and live now in glory (Matthew 17:3). Moses and Elias were not created anew but came as they were. They came from heaven and returned there. The spirits of all people live, therefore, in happiness or woe after the body is dead.

9. It is not unreasonable to suppose that saints may have some knowledge of what is done here on earth. Moses and Elias appear to have been acquainted with the fact that Jesus was about to die at Jerusalem.

10. The Scriptures will be fulfilled. The fulfillment may take place when we are little aware of it, or in events that we would not suppose were intended as a fulfillment (Matthew 17:12).

11. Erroneous teachers will endeavor to draw us away from the truth (Mark 9:14). They will do it by cunning, caution, and the appearance of calm inquiry. We should always be on our guard against any teachers appearing to call into question what Christ has plainly taught us.

12. Christ, in his word and by his Spirit, is a safe Teacher (Mark 9:15). When people are suggesting plausible doubts about doctrine, or attempting to unsettle our minds by frivolous objections and inquiry, we should leave them and apply to Christ—the great Prophet, who is the way, the truth, and the life—through prayer and by searching the Bible.

13. Parents should be earnest for the welfare of their children (Matthew 17:15). It is right for them to pray to God in times of sickness, that he would heal them. Miracles are not to be expected, but only God can bless the means which parents use for their sick and afflicted children.

14. Parents may do much by faith and prayer for their children. Here the faith of the parent was the means of saving the life of the child (Matthew 17:14–18). So the faith of parents—a faith producing diligent instruction, a holy example, and much prayer—may be the means of saving their souls. God will not indeed save them on account of the parent's faith, but the holy life of a father and mother may be the means of training up their children for heaven.

15. It is proper to pray to Jesus to increase our faith (Mark 9:24). We may be aware of our unbelief, may feel that we deserve condemnation and that we deserve no favor that is usually bestowed on faith; but we may come to him and implore him for an increase of faith, and thus obtain the object of our desires.

16. Our unbelief hinders us from doing much that we might do (Matthew 17:20). We shrink from great difficulties and fail in great duties because we do not put confidence in God, who is able to help us. The proper way to live a life of religion and peace is to do just what God requires of us, depending on his grace to aid us.

17. We see the proper way of increasing our faith (Matthew 17:21). It is by much prayer, self-denial, and fasting. Faith is a plant that never grows in uncultivated soil and is never luxuriant unless it is often exposed to the beams of the Sun of Righteousness.

18. It is right to weep and mourn over the death of Jesus (Matthew 17:23). It was a cruel death, and we should mourn that our best Friend passed through such sufferings. Yet we should rather mourn that our sins were the cause of such bitter sorrows, and that but for our sins and the sins of the rest of humankind, he might have been always happy.

    'Twas you, my sins, my cruel sins,
    His chief tormentors were;
    Each of my crimes became a nail,
    And unbelief the spear.
    
    'Twas you that pulled the vengeance down
    Upon his guiltless head.
    Break, break, my heart! Oh burst, my eyes!
    And let my sorrows bleed."

19. At the same time, we should rejoice that God made his death the source of the richest blessings that ever descended on humankind. He rose and brought life and immortality to light (Matthew 17:23).

20. We should comply with all the requirements of the laws of the land, if not contrary to the law of God. It is important that governments should be supported (Matthew 17:26). See also Romans 13:1-7.

21. We should also be willing to contribute our just proportion to the support of the institutions of religion. The tribute which Jesus paid here by a miracle was for the support of religion in the temple (Matthew 17:24–27). Jesus understood how valuable the institutions of religion are to the welfare of humankind. He worked a miracle, therefore, to make a voluntary offering to support religion.

    Religion promotes the purity, peace, intelligence, and order of the community, and everyone is therefore under obligation to do his part towards its support. If anyone doubts this, he has only to go to the places where there is no religion—among scoffers, thieves, adulterers, prostitutes, pickpockets, and drunkards. No money is ever lost that goes in any way to suppress these vices.