Taxes FROM Jesus or TO Jesus? Matthew 17:26 (Episode #174)

The Jews called it a "Temple Tax" that everybody paid, every year.  Nice and tidy.  However, this is a bit of a misnomer because Exodus 30: 11-16 tells us that it is an ATONEMENT tax, a JUDGMENT tax, an anti-PLAGUE tax, a LIFE tax or my favorite: a RANSOM tax.  With that weight, I guess we'll just call it a 'temple tax'. 

Without the RANSOM though, there would be no people and no need for a temple, so primarily it is a RANSOM tax.  Secondarily, it is a temple tax.

So TO WHOM IS THE tax owed?  Jesus uses a secular example and says the tax is owed TO the king and it is FROM the people.  Then, TA-Da, He claims that HE is royalty, that HE is family, and that the taxes are to be paid TO HIM, not FROM Him.  Yes, here Jesus is making a claim to DIVINITY, to God-headedness, to equality with God. 

Stay tuned, here we get hints at the Lord's provision, of mercy, of EXCHANGE, of substitution.  There is also the yucky part about us needing to be rescued.  Listen and pay your tax!  Better yet, Listen and have your tax paid for you...