Doth Not Your Master Pay Tribute?

And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Mtt. 17:24-27KJV

Does Your Master Pay Tribute?

The religious money-grabbers were particularly upset by the Jesus crowd, because they didn’t seem eager to pay their dues.

So the Temple-tax collectors confronted Christ’s wingman, and asked him bluntly,

Doth not your master pay tribute?

Peter dismissed them with a cursory, “Yes.”

By which he undoubtedly meant, “Of course, you blind-blockheads! You should see how He prays, nobody ever prayed like Him!”

Christian, answer truthfully before reading further, “Does your teacher pay tribute?”

Not sure?

You will be by the end of this article, read on.

In 1989 I heard John Philips (New Life Church, Lincoln UK.) preach on Matthew 17 at an Easter convention in Yorkshire.

I’d only been saved a few months, so still didn’t know what redemption meant, I simply loved Jesus Christ, my LORD, and was doing my utmost to please Him.

Is that you too?

Brother Philips pointed out this was one of the apparently frivolous miracles of Christ; plucking a coin from a fish’s mouth, like the cursing of the barren fig tree.

He commented astutely, “When a miracle seems difficult to comprehend, it probably has more to say than what is actually seen.”

When you hit a vein of divine gold, follow it because it never runs out.

Oh Halleluia! LORD open the eyes of our hearts to know you and your ways more intimately.

“Master” is used in the sense of teacher, like we use the title Head-master, for one who directs school masters.

“Tribute” refers to the fee or gift demanded to honour or appease a king, or state, to which the party is subject, or in obeisance.

So let’s ask ourselves, “Who is my master, my teacher?”

Your Pastors?

Certainly not, you’ve learned better than that!

Following mere men rapidly leads into the ditch of unbelief.

The bible believer’s Teacher is The LORD Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit (Comforter), Jn. 13:13-17, 14:25-26 KJV;

Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.

For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

and…

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

The Spirit of God, The Holy Ghost is the believers’ Teacher and LORD.

Does Your Pastor Follow The Holy Ghost?

You won’t find many pastors in tune with Him because most follow denominational doctrine, so miss the mark of our high calling.

Denominationalism is crumbling, so dead fellowships are banding together around the “least common denominator” principle, a classic luciferian take-over strategy.

If you are not following The LORD Jesus Christ by revelation of the written word of God to your heart by the Holy Ghost within, then wake up, it’s 2025, and Christ is about to appear to gather the elect. Don’t be like the foolish virgins who were shut out of the kingdom of God forever.

The virgins were doing well, waiting for the genuine Bridegroom, until they realised their lamps had no oil, so no light to see clearly.

They’d heard about the Bridegroom, but had no heart relationship with Him. Just like churchgoers who have never been born of God, they have no Holy Spirit in their hearts, no oil to light their lamps and see properly.

Doth not your master pay tribute?

And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

Peter saith unto him, Of strangers.

Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Mtt. 17:24-27 KJV

Hang on Simon, You Like Fishing, Right?

Look how tactfully Christ handles this; instead of chiding Peter for dropping Him in the soup, He complies so’s not to cause offence to the Pharisees, and then does a miracle to teach Peter, you and me a lesson.

You see, the point He made to Peter was that God does not demand tribute of His children: Then are the children free.

Christ did not need to pay tribute to anybody, as the King of kings, and LORD of Lords.

But get this; believers are God’s children by faith in Christ, so are also exempt tribute.

Salvation is free, nothing needs to be paid, no gift need be given to obtain salvation from God: Christ fixed that once and for all by the Sacrifice of Himself.

Our Tribute was paid by Christ in our stead.

So yes, our Master-Teacher does indeed pay tribute, but for us, once and for all, never to be repeated.

Can you see the point of the coin in the fish’s mouth?

The miracle was done to show us that God alone provided the payment for our salvation, just as He provided the ram in place of Isaac for Abraham.

Doth not your master pay tribute?

Answer: Yes, once in full for the sins of the world. The Precious Blood of The Lamb of God.

Embrace The Good News of Christ

What Good News?

The Good News of the good things Christ has already done for everyone.

Good news if you are a sinner, The LORD Jesus Christ has borne your sin, while you are still sinning.

Why?

So that when you repent from unbelief and believe on Him, your sin and guilt can be remitted, and your heavenly account will be made clean as snow instead of black as night.

So what?

Quit rejecting His redemption offered to you today, and accept Christ as LORD and Saviour.

The good news that God in The Flesh has not only borne your sin, guilt and punishment, but also took your diseases and sickness on Himself at Calvary.

Why?

So that as you believe on Him and follow in His steps you will be healed, set free from sickness and all Satan’s power.

So what?

So accept His redemption of both your spirit and your body and be totally healed inside and out.

The Good News that God has come from Heaven and fixed your sin problem once and for all.

Why?

Because you’re lost in sin and bound by demon power, unable to break free.

So what?

So repent from unbelief, the greatest sin of all; believe on Christ as LORD and Saviour, and you will know you are free forever, and will be welcomed into Heaven.

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