Parable Of The Lost Coin Series

Parable of the Coin – Grace 8

• We move on from the Parables of the Kingdom to the Parables of Grace

• One point I should make before we go any further

• The parables of Jesus are not just cute stories that He told. As with all His teaching and actions they contain the words of life

• We need to be careful we don’t make the same mistake as the Pharisees did and think the scriptures of and by themselves are the source of eternal life

• John 5:39 (NKJV) 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

• The NLT is even more emphatic

• John 5:39 (NLT) “You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

• What scriptures did the Pharisees have? The OT

• So the most important point in reading the OT according to Jesus is to see their relevance in identifying Him firstly as the coming Messiah and secondarily as the true source of Eternal Life

• Notice the two points Peter makes when Jesus challenges the disciples if they too are going to leave Him

• John 6:67-69 (NKJV) 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” 68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

• So when we read scripture this is the paradigm or framework through which we should view all of scripture. Jesus should literally jump off the pages of the Bible

• So if we miss these points we miss the whole purpose of Scripture

• But now that the “Word” Himself has arrived what weight should be placed on His words?

• Jesus’ words carry the power from which they emanate – He is the Logos, the Word or spokesman of God Himself

• So Jesus’ words have behind them the power of what He is

• Therefore His parables are not just “cute stories” or “word pictures” of external subjects as much as they are representative of Himself

• They are just as representative of Himself as say His death and resurrection are

• In other words the Parables of Jesus carry the same weight as the Activities of Jesus and we need to give them that kind of respect

• After all He is the Word and the true source of eternal life

Let’s move on to the Parables of Grace

• The Parables of the Kingdom primarily focused on the characteristic of the Kingdom – how it operates in the world now, not just some future time; how it reaches out and embraces all mankind; how it is hidden and mysterious rather then visible and tangible

• Up till this point Jesus does not in a deliberate way talk about how this Kingdom is to be accomplished, that is through his own life, death and resurrection

• This is the subject He now turns to in the Parables of Grace

• And it is only natural as these events are quickly approaching that He begins to be preoccupied with these matters

• The say nothing focused the mind like impending death

The first parable is the Coin in the Fish’s mouth

• First thing we need to mention is that there are two types of Parables. One is a hypothetical story Jesus makes up to illustrate a point like the ones we have already looked at

• The second type are real live events which Jesus uses to illustrate a point

• These are called “acted” parables. This one is an acted parable

• Matthew 17:24-27 (NKJV)24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”

• The temple with its religious activities played a huge role in the economy of Jerusalem in much the same way that the Vatican plays a similar role in Rome today

• And as a way of supporting these activities, every Jew over twenty was expected to contribute half a shekel to the upkeep of the Temple

• Now there are a couple of things happening here in relation to the question Peter is asked by the tax collectors

• First thing is, “Did Jesus really need to pay this tax?” No, why not?

• Remember when Jesus’ disciples were accused of eating grain on the Sabbath in Matt 12, what did Jesus say? One greater than the temple is here!

• And when the disciples were marveling at the grandeur of the temple, what did He say, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”