Temple tax

THE

Jewish people in Jesus’ time were burdened with four principal kinds of duties: A land tax, a poll tax, and a tax on personal property, export, and import customs at seaports and city gates, and in Jerusalem a house tax.

Aside from the tribute and taxes due foreign rulers, the people were also levied individually a half-shekel payment annually for the temple. The background of the temple tax was the half-shekel atonement money required of all males 20 years and above (cf Ex 30:1116). In Nehemiah’s time, the Jews paid a third of a shekel to the temple. This was later changed to a halfshekel collected annually from every Jew 20 years and above. After the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, the Roman emperor Vespasian ordered all Jews to continue the tribute payable annually for the Capitol in Rome.

Gospel • Mt 17:22-27

As Jesus and His disciples were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is to be

handed over to men, and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.” And they were overwhelmed with grief.

When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes,” he said. When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for Me and for you.”

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2019,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.