Jesus and Taxes

It’s April!

In the US of A it’s Tax Month! And midway through it the Tax Man lowers the guillotine! April 15. The day that, year–after–year “lives in infamy”!

What would Jesus do about April 15?

I find it rather surprising that, right about this time, with Passover approaching and the grim realities of His imminent death continually on His mind, Jesus actually deals with the Tax question.

Matthew recalls the incident. “When they arrived at Capernaum, the tax men came to Peter and asked, ‘Does your teacher pay taxes?’ Peter said, ‘Of course.’ But as soon as they were in the house, Jesus confronted him. ‘Simon, what do you think? When a king levies taxes, who pays—his children or his subjects?’ He answered, ‘His subjects.’ Jesus said, ‘Then the children get off free, right? But so we don't upset them needlessly, go down to the lake, cast a hook, and pull in the first fish that bites. Open its mouth and you'll find a coin. Take it and give it to the tax men. It will be enough for both of us.’” (Matthew 17: 24 – 27 THE MESSAGE)

The “tax men” in this story are collecting the Temple Tax; a levy as old as Judaism. From the time the levy was to cover the costs of maintaining the Tabernacle in the Wilderness to Jesus day when it was to cover the cost of sacrifices offered on behalf of people who could not afford their own, all Abraham’s male children paid it. In short it was money levied in the interest of worship. And whom did they Worship. Jesus’ Father, God. By a simple exercise of question and answer Jesus showed Peter that the Children of the King, He and His Followers, were technically exempt from such taxes. But then He established a Kingdom principle which would always stand. “We don’t want to upset them needlessly.”

Who was it He did not want to “upset needlessly?” The very people who would try Him in a rigged proceeding; falsely accuse Him; and intimidate a weak Governor into crucifying Him. Still He chose not to offend them.

In His dying, as in His living, Jesus chose to live graciously. He even washed the feet of a man who would betray Him. For that matter most all of the men whose feet He washed that dreadful night failed Him. Still, after His Resurrection, He went looking for them.

There are and will always be people who disappoint us; who will abuse and treat us rudely. But Kingdom people don’t retaliate. If vengeance is to be they leave that to God who insists that “vengeance is mine. I will repay.” Nor do they insist on privilege or condescendingly overlook those who are marginalized by false measures of worth.

As we follow Jesus to Gethsemane, and the Praetorium, and finally the Cross we must remember “we don’t want to upset” those we encounter on the way “needlessly.” Jesus could have “called thousands of Angels” to retaliate on His behalf that day. Instead He surrendered Himself to a hostile mob and the pseudo-religionists who’d hyped them into their derision, even praying for mercy on them as He suffered and died. It’s the way of the Kingdom to melt the heart of the enemy with a love that sacrifices its personal interests for his or hers.