CHAPTER XLVIII. BEFORE THE FEAST. T HERE is something intensely human in the return of Jesus to Capernaum in the face of imminent danger.1 It had been His home, and He was in all sinless regards a man. He longed to see the old familiar spots once more; the hills behind the town, among which He had so often wandered; the shady woods and orchards and vineyards, rich in foliage, or glowing with their ripening fruit in these summer months. He had often looked out from them on the sparkling waters, and at the clustered houses, which had yielded the few whom He had gathered round Him in His long sojourn as their fellow-citizen. These He would now fain strengthen in their faith, before leaving them for ever. His entrance into the town was marked by an application to Peter, by the local collectors of the Temple tax, for its payment by his Master. Moses had provided funds for the erection of the Tabernacle, by the imposition of a tax of half a shekel on each male, payable at the "numbering of the people," and this, since the Babylonish Captivity, had been required yearly. It was equal, nominally, to about one and threepence of our money, but really, to at least six times as much,3 and was demanded from all Israelites of the age of twenty, even the poorest. It was mainly from this heavy tax, paid as a sacred duty by every Jew, in whatever country, that the Temple treasury was filled with the millions of silver coins which were so strong a temptation to lawless greed. Crassus, Sabinus, and Pilate, in succession, had laid violent hands on this unmeasured wealth, and the reckless greed of Florus, in its 1 Matt. xvii. 24-27. 2 Exod. xxx. 11, 12. Buxtorf, p. 577. Mosis, vol. iii. § 173. Mark ix. 33. 2 Chron. xxiv. 6. Neh. x. 32. Ewald, Alterthümer, p. 403. Michaelis, Das Recht THE TEMPLE TAX. 249 plunder, was the proximate cause of the last great war, which destroyed both Temple and city.11 b The Shelihim," or "messengers," who collected this tax in Judea, visited each town at fixed times. In foreign countries, places were appointed for its collection in every city or district where there were Jews-and where were they not?-the chief men of their community in each acting as treasurer, and conveying the amounts in due course to Jerusalem.2 Three huge chests, carefully guarded in a particular chamber in the Temple, held the yearly receipts, which served, besides providing the beasts for sacrifice, to pay the Rabbis, inspectors of victims, copyists, bakers, judges, and others connected with the Temple service, and numerous women, who wove or washed the Temple linen. It supplied, also, the costs of the water supply, and of the repairs of the vast Temple buildings. The collection began in the Holy Land on the 1st of Adar -part of our February and March-the month of the " returning sun," and the next before that of the Passover. By the middle of it the official exchangers in each town had set up their tables, and opened their two chests for the tax of the current and of the past year, for many paid it for two years together. They supplied for a trifling charge, to all who required it, the old sacred shekel, coined by Simon the Maccabee, for only that coin was received by the Temple authorities, in homage to Pharisaic and national sentiment. At first everything was left to the good will of the people, but after the 25th, prompt payment was required, and securities, such as an under garment, or the like, were taken even from pilgrims coming up to the feast. It was very likely, therefore, that the time of grace had expired before Jesus reached Capernaum, so that the collectors -apparently respectable citizens-felt themselves justified in broaching the question to Peter, whether his Teacher did not pay the two drachmas? Perhaps they fancied He was of the irreconcilable school of Judas the Galilæan, who would pay no Temple tax so long as the Holy City was polluted by the heathen Roman. His enemies, indeed, had probably insinuated that this was the case, to bring Him into suspicion with the government. 1 Jos., Bell. Jud., ii. 3. 3; 14. 6; 15. 6. 2 Philo, de Monarch., vol. ii. p. 224. Jos., Ant., xviii. 9. 1. Peter, ever zealous for his Master's honour, and, as usual, impulsive, no sooner heard the application than he answered affirmatively, on his own authority, and forthwith set off to find Jesus and report the matter to Him. If the exact time for payment had passed while Christ had been away from Capernaum, the collectors were, doubtless, anxious to gather all arrears, to take with them to Jerusalem at the approaching Feast of Tabernacles in September. As if to show that not even the most insignificant matter that concerned His disciples escaped His notice, even when not bodily present with them, Peter no sooner appeared than He anticipated his errand by asking him his opinion, whether, when kings levy taxes or tolls, they exacted them from their own children, or only from their subjects? "I think," replied Peter, "that only the subjects pay." "Then, of course," replied Jesus, "the king's children are free." He wished to show that it would have been no failure of duty to leave the tax unpaid. Peter had already owned Him as the "Son of God," and it was for the Temple of God the impost was levied. It might, therefore, be just and proper to collect it from the nation at large, but it was not fitting to ask it from Him. "I am a king and a king's son; far more than any Roman or Herodian prince-for I am the Son of God, as thou hast said, and this tax is for the Temple of God, My Father, the Great King, and thus I should be free." 1 C But, while thus maintaining to His apostle His rightful immunity, He was too prudent to urge it in public. He was not recognised as the Son of God outside the little circle of His disciples, but was only an Israelite, like others, to men at large, and, as such, was under the Law. It would have given ground of accusation and misconception had He hesitated to pay what all Jews gave cheerfully as a religious duty.d "It would not do for me, nevertheless," continued He, therefore, "to seem to refuse. They would not understand what I have been saying to you. Take your line and go to the lake; you need not wait till you catch a number of fish to make up the amount. Take the first that comes to your hook, and you will find in its mouth a stater, which is twice as much as is needed. With it you can pay for me and for yourself." The result is not given, but there can be no question that THE OLD THEOCRACY AND THE NEW. 251 the command secured its own fulfilment.1 No lesson could have been given more suited to benefit Peter and his companions. It taught them that, though they were His apostles, they could not claim exemption from labour for their own support, but yet it quickened them to a firm repose on His watchful care, which could help them in any extremity. They remained for a short time in Capernaum, and, happily, we have a glimpse of their quiet private intercourse; doubtless the picture of their ordinary life. He had delayed allusion to the hot discussion on the way till the quiet of evening and home. "Tell me," said He, turning to one of them, "about what were you disputing among yourselves on the road" But the question received no answer, for all were alike ashamed of their unworthy jealousies and ambitions, and sat humbled and silent. It was an opportunity for impressing on them once more. the fundamental characteristic of His kingdom. Their daily work, as disciples, reminded them continually of their relations to it, and it already engrossed their thoughts, but they still failed to realize its purely spiritual character. The trials waiting them rendered it, thus, the more necessary to strengthen and support them beforehand, by correcting their misapprehensions, and elevating their tone. In the Sermon on the Mount they had heard, if they could have understood it, how utterly His kingdom contrasted with all their previous ideas. They had been repeatedly told that moral fitness alone secured entrance to it, and that every external claim-whether the fulfilment of legal duties, or national privilege, or sacred calling, or whatever had hitherto been supposed to give a title to membership in the old Theocracy-must be abandoned as worthless. The reign of God, now proclaimed, was, in fact, only the homage of the soul, which had prepared itself, like a purified Temple, by humble repentance and holy life, to be a habitation of His Heavenly Father. Man must only receive from God; not pretend to give to Him. Citizenship in the New Kingdom of the Messiah was possible only when no thought of claim obtruded. It was thus, in effect, simply a reproduction of the spirit 1 Trench's Miracles, pp. 373-388. Luke ix. 46-50. of Jesus Himself that was demanded, for the great characteristic which gave His life its matchless beauty, was His perfect Divine humility. His lowly meekness had protected Him at the opening of His ministry, when tempted to selfexaltation; it had subordinated His own will, as by a law of His being, to that of God; it had opened His heart to the poor of His nation, cast out and despised by the religious pride of the day; it had made Him, throughout, the friend of the oppressed, the lowly, and the wretched; it had led Him, of His free choice, to despise all worldly honour, and it was now bearing Him, with a kingly grandeur, to the abasement of the Cross, that He might open to His people, and to mankind, the way to peace with their Father in Heaven, and found a kingdom of holiness, truth, and love; to ennoble and bless the present, and expand into eternal felicity in the world to come. It was vital, therefore, for His disciples, then, as now, that they should have the same heavenly temper. Without it, they could neither be efficient instruments in spreading His kingdom, nor have any share in it themselves, for it was, itself, the Kingdom-the reign of God-in the soul. The danger of self-elevation had been greatly increased from the moment when Jesus had accepted from them, at Cæsarea Philippi, their formal ascription of the Messianic dignity. What seductive dreams lay for Galilæan fishermen in their being commissioned by the Messiah, as His confidential friends, and the first dignitaries of His kingdom! They had, indeed, heard Jesus speak of suffering a shameful death, as the immediate result of His proclaiming Himself as the Messiah; but when the mind is already preoccupied by strong views, it is incredibly hard to turn. Even the most discouraging incidents are transformed into supports, or at least argued aside. "Perhaps Jesus had only spoken thus to try them; perhaps it was one of the dark sayings He used so often.' Their future dignity in the Kingdom had been the topic of constant disputes and discussions, ever since the eventful day at Cæsarea Philippi. Had they not received spiritual graces and powers? For what had they gone through so much toil and danger? The reward could not be far distant. When it came, which of them should have the first place, and be the Minister of the New Reign? They must be taught how utterly they deceived themselves. Jesus had sat down in the house and called the Twelve |