Believing 101 Series

Go Fish

Matthew 17 records one of the wildest and wackiest miracles in the gospels. It tops my current list of favorite miracles. Verse 24 says, “After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, ‘Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?’ When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. ‘What do you think,’ Simon. ‘From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?’ Peter answered, ‘From others.’ Jesus said, ‘Then the children are exempt, but so that we may not cause an offense, go the bank, withdraw four drachma, and pay the tax’.” That’s not what it says.

Jesus said, “Go the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth, take out the hook; sell it at the fish market and pay the tax.” That’s not what it says.

Jesus said, “Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

I think we’re so accustomed to Jesus doing amazing things that we can read a story like this and it goes in one ear and out the other. But is this not the wackiest and wildest miracle you’ve ever heard of?

Think about it.

Part of me wonders if Peter thought Jesus was joking. As I read the gospels I’ve got to believe that Jesus pulled his share of pranks. I think he was a practical joker. I wonder if Peter is trying to figure out whether Jesus is serious or joking. This has to rank as the craziest thing Jesus has ever asked Peter to do: fish for taxes.

Been There Done That

So here’s my question: why did Jesus do it this way? I mean he could have provided the four-drachma coin any way he wanted. He could have said, “On the way to the temple you’ll find a four-drachma coin on the sidewalk.” Or “Go to the bank and when you make the withdrawal you’ll discover than a four-drachma deposit has been wired from an account in Geneva, Switzerland.” The possibilities are endless. He could have provided this four-drachma coin any which way he wanted to. So why did he do it this way?

I think Jesus loved doing miracles in different ways. He never seemed to do the same miracle the same way. I don’t think the disciples ever once said, “Been there, done that.” But this one takes the cake, fishing for money! Where did Jesus come up with these ideas? And why did he do it this way?

Here’s a thought.

What did Peter do before following Christ? He was a fisherman right? A professional fisherman. This was his vocation. I think he thought he knew more about fishing than Jesus. He could fish with both hands at the same time. He could cast between his legs and around his back. He could do three-sixties with his boat. He knew the tricks of the trade. It was his area of greatest proficiency and self-sufficiency. It was the thing he knew best. And I think Jesus wanted to do a miracle where he least expected it. Let me explain.

How many fish do you think Peter caught lifetime? Let me do a little math. In John 21, the disciples have been fishing all night and they don’t catch a thing. Jesus tells them to try the other side of the boat and they catch 153 fish. So let’s assume that 153 fish is a miraculous catch. Maybe an average day on the Sea of Galilee is 25 fish. So let’s say the average catch was 25 fish and Peter fished 300 days a year and let’s say Peter is the same age as Jesus, approximately thirty-three years old.