August 12, 2026 | The Tribute Money, Temple Tax & The (Second) Draught of Fishes | Lesson 350

MATT. 17:24-27; JOHN 21:1-14

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THE TRIBUTE MONEY, TEMPLE TAX: When the Law of Moses was delivered to the children of Israel at Mt. Sinai and the people were numbered, every male twenty years old and upward was required to give a half-shekel offering to the Lord. This money was used for the service of the tabernacle (Ex. 30:11-16).

At first it does not appear that this was an annual payment, but by New Testament times a yearly tax for support of the temple was indeed the custom. Nevertheless, there was disagreement among the Jews whether this tax was voluntary or compulsory, and certainly there was no means to enforce payment.

The half-shekel (Gr. didrachma, two-drachma) was a Jewish coin worth about thirty cents, approximately the amount of wages for two days at that time. This temple tax was strictly a Jewish concern and should not be confused with the taxes required by the Romans for the support of the Roman Empire.

The setting for this miracle is Capernaum, and Peter is asked by those who gathered the temple tax if Jesus had paid the half-shekel. Peter quickly answered, "Yes." Jesus then used the occasion to teach Peter a lesson regarding the relationship of Jesus Christ the Son to God the Father.

THE SECOND DRAUGHT OF FISHES: This story occurs after Jesus' resurrection. Jesus rose from the grave early on the first day of the week and appeared first to Mary Magdalene at his tomb (Mark 16:9; John 20:1-18). That same day He appeared to some women (Matt. 28:1-10), to Peter (Luke 24:34), to two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), and in the evening to the disciples gathered in a room in Jerusalem, Thomas being absent (John 20:19-25). One week later, also the first day of the week, He again appeared to the disciples; this time Thomas was present (John 20:26-29). Sometime after this, the disciples returned to Galilee. It was there by the Sea of Galilee that Jesus made his seventh appearance after his resurrection, showing (manifesting) himself to seven of his disciples.