Do we ignore Jesus' teaching not to be offensive? This is interesting, because so much of Jesus' ministry is offensive to both the religious powers and the government powers. It was true then and it is true today. All through the gospels, Jesus sets an example for us of living in love AND speaking truth at the same time. Even just a few verses back, he is refusing to wash his hands before a meal in protest of the Pharisee's laws and tradition. But here, he compromises. Weird! And unexpected!
Matthew 17:24-27 24 When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?" 25 He said, "Yes, he does." And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?" 26 When Peter said, "From others," Jesus said to him, "Then the children are free. 27 However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me."
The truth at stake before him in the hand washing incidence was: "Do followers of Christ follow Jesus or a list of rules and traditions?" The answer was Jesus. Here another truth is at stake: "Does the son of the King need to pay the temple tax (a tax all adult males had to pay)?" Jesus, being the son of God (who is King of all), would not be obligated to pay the tax. Jesus could make the point that he is the Messiah by refusing to pay the tax. But this time, he takes on a servant attitude and pays it anyway.
Could that be the difference? In the earlier case he defends the truth of the gospel, rather than himself, and in this case he takes on a servant attitude refusing to defend himself? Or maybe it just wasn't time to make his Messiahship the public issue. Either way, he doesn't want to offend at this time so he goes ahead and pays it. Can we learn that we need to choose our battles? That sometimes survival is important so that the message can be delivered later in God's time? Obviously survival is not always more important than the message - Jesus makes this clear to his disciples over and over again even telling them that some of them will die in his service - and he especially demonstrates this in his own death. The time to "speak truth" and when "not to speak truth" can only be determined by being in close relationships with the Father. Am I walking close enough to God to know the difference? Remembering that success can not be judged by survival.
Also interesting is that Jesus pays the tax with a coin delivered supernaturally. What is the significance of a coin found in a fish's mouth - a coin not earned? Will think on this some....
Do we ignore Jesus' teaching that offending is not always the way to go? Which direction to take is a matter of walking close enough to God to know God's will for a particular situation. Do I walk close enough to know? Or do I just wing it based on how I feel at the time?
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