Psalm 101, 109; 1 Maccabees 3:42-60; Revelation 21:9-21; Matthew 17:22-27
No matter how much patriotism we may have for America, we still can’t imagine fully how the Jews felt about Jerusalem and the temple being occupied by Gentiles. Jerusalem isn’t just a city, it is the city of God and the temple was God’s dwelling place among them. There is nothing remotely similar to this in a secular nation such as America. The men prepared for battle and gathered for prayer. They mourned over the state of things and they sought insight and understanding from the word of God. They went up to do battle but in the end they simply prayed, “God’s will be done.” They left the results to the Lord.
As Jesus and His disciples come to Capernaum, he continues to prepare them for his eminent demise and we see that they were “greatly distressed.” They are no longer arguing with Him over this statement. When they arrive at Capernaum the collectors of the temple tax come to Peter and ask whether Jesus subscribes to the tax and Peter simply answers, “Yes.” We have no idea how Peter planned to pay the tax for Jesus. When Peter comes into the house Jesus asks a strange question concerning taxes. The sons of rulers of nations are exempt from paying taxes, that is for others to do. Similarly, Jesus, as the Son of God, would be exempt from the temple tax but He nonetheless instructs Peter to go fishing, his natural occupation, and there he will find the money to pay the tax for both Peter and Jesus. It is an extraordinary statement of Christology, a revelation of who Jesus claims to be and in the fishing a very personal affirmation of that truth for Peter.
The beauty of the new Jerusalem is unimaginable. The foundation stones are precious stones and the gates made from single, enormous pearls. Nothing prepares us for what is to come in the eternal city of God. We will surely gasp with delight and wonder when we see what is in store for us in eternity. Knowing that, should we not also mourn for the state of God’s creation today? Should we not also commit everything we have and all that we are to Him who has saved us and paid the price for us to enter the kingdom?
Where the Paschal blood is poured,
death's dark angel sheathes his sword;
Israel's hosts triumphant go
through the wave that drowns the foe.
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
Paschal victim, Paschal bread;
with sincerity and love
eat we manna from above.
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