SEV Biblia, Chapter 17:24
¶ Cuando llegaron a Capernaum, vinieron a Pedro los que cobraban las dos dracmas, y dijeron: ¿Vuestro Maestro no paga las dos dracmas?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 17:24
Verse 24. They that received tribute] This was not a tax to be paid to the Roman government; but a tax for the support of the temple. The law, Exod. xxx. 13, obliged every male among the Jews to pay half a shekel yearly; for the support of the temple; and this was continued by them wherever dispersed, till after the time of Vespasian, see Josephus, WAR, book 7. c. 6, who ordered it afterwards to be paid into the Roman treasury. The word in the text, which is generally translated tribute- ta didracma, signifies the didrachma, or two drachms. This piece of money was about the value of two Attic drachms, each equal to fifteen pence of our money.
The didrachma of the Septuagint, mentioned Exod. xxx. 13, was twice as heavy as the Attic, for it was equal to a whole shekel, this being the value of that piece of money at Alexandrina, the place where the Septuagint translation was made; for the half shekel mentioned in the above passage, they render hmisu tou didacmou, the half of a didrachma.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 24. And when they were come to Capernaum , etc.] Called Christs own city, ( Matthew 9:1) where he dwelt some time ( Matthew 4:13) and Peter had an house, ( Matthew 8:14) they that received tribute money, or the didrachms; in Talmudic language, it would be ylqh ybwg f972 , they that collect the shekels: for not the publicans, or Roman tax gatherers are meant; nor is this to be understood of any such tribute: there was a tribute that was paid to Caesar, by the Jews; (see Matthew 22:17) but that is expressed by another word, and was paid in other money, in Roman money, which bore Caesars image and superscription; and was exacted of them, whether they would or not: but this designs the collection of the half shekel, paid yearly for the service of the temple: the original of this custom, was an order of the Lord to Moses, upon numbering the people; that everyone that was twenty years of age and upwards, should give half a shekel as atonement money, or as a ransom for his soul; which was to be disposed of for the service of the tabernacle, ( Exodus 30:12-16). This does not appear to have been designed for a perpetual law, or to be paid yearly; nor even whenever the number of the people was taken, but only for that present time: in the time of Joash king of Judah, a collection was set on foot for the repair of the temple; and the collection of Moses in the wilderness, was urged as an argument, and by way of example; nor is any mention made of the half shekel, nor was any sum of money fixed they should pay; but, according to the account, it was entirely free and voluntary. In the time of Nehemiah, there was a yearly charge of the third part of a shekel, for the service of the temple; but this was not done by virtue of a divine order, or any law of Moses, with which it did not agree; but by an ordinance the Jews then made for themselves, as their necessity required. Aben Ezra indeed says, that this was an addition to the half shekel. Now in process of time, from these instances and examples, it became a fixed thing, that every year an half shekel should be paid by every Israelite, excepting women, children, and servants, towards defraying the necessary charges of the temple service, and this obtained in Christs time. There is a whole tract in the Jewish Misna, called Shekalim; in which an account is given of the persons who are obliged to pay this money, the time and manner of collecting it, and for what uses it is put: and so it continued till the times of Titus Vespasian, who, as Josephus says f974 , laid a tax of two drachms, the same with the half shekel, upon the Jews; and ordered it to be brought yearly into the capitol at Rome, as it used to have been paid into the temple at Jerusalem. We need not wonder that we hear of receivers of the half shekel at Capernaum; since once a year, on the fifteenth of the month Adar, tables were placed, and collectors sat in every city in Judea, as they did on the twenty fifth of the same month, in the sanctuary f975 . The value of the half shekel, was about fifteen pence of our money. The Syriac version renders the word here used, two zuzim of head money: now a zuz with the Jews, answered to a Roman penny, four of which made a shekel f976 ; so that two of them were the value of an half shekel; it is further to be observed, that shekels in Judea, were double the value of those in Galilee, where Christ now was: five shekels in Judea, went for ten in Galilee, and so ten for twenty f977 . The receivers of this money came to Peter ; not caring to go to Christ himself; but observing Peter a forward and active man among his disciples, they applied to him; or rather, because he had an house in this place, at which Christ might be: and said, doth not your master pay tribute ? or the didrachms, the half shekel money. Had this been the Roman tribute, the reason of such a question might have been either to have ensnared him, and to have known whether he was of the same mind with Judas, of Galilee, that refused to pay tribute to Caesar; or because they could not tell whether he was reckoned as an inhabitant, or citizen of that city; for, according to the Jewish canons f978 , a man must be twelve months in a place, before he is liable to tribute and taxes; or because they might suspect him to be exempted, as a doctor, or teacher for the Jewish doctors, wise men, and scholars, were freed from all tribute and taxes even from the head money, the Syriac version here mentions; and which was a civil tax paid to kings f980 ; to which sense that version seems to incline: the rule concerning wise men or scholars, is this f981 . They do not collect of them for the building a wall, or setting up gates, or for the hire of watchmen, and such like things; nor for the kings treasury; nor do they oblige them to give tribute, whether it is fixed upon citizens, or whether it is fixed on every man.
But this was not the Roman tax, nor tribute, on any civil account, but the half shekel for religious service: and it may seem strange that such a question should be asked; and especially since it is a rule with them f982 , that all are bound to give the half shekel, priests, Levites, and Israelites; and the strangers, or proselytes, and servants, that are made free; but not women, nor servants, nor children; though if they gave, they received it of them.
But a following canon explains it, and accounts for it: on the fifteenth (i.e. of the month Adar,) the collectors sit in every province or city, (that is, in the countries,) lk tjnb y[bw , and mildly ask everyone: he that gives to them, they receive it of him; and he that does not give, tyl wtwa ypwk ya , they do not oblige him to give: on the five and twentieth they sit in the sanctuary to collect, and from hence and onward, they urge him that will not give, until he gives; and everyone that will not give, they take pawns of him.
So that it seems, there was a different usage of persons, at different times and places: our Lord being in Galilee at Capernaum, was treated in this manner.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 24-27 - Peter felt sure that his Master was ready to do what was right. Chris spoke first to give him proof that no thought can be withholden from him. We must never decline our duty for fear of giving offence; but we must sometimes deny ourselves in our worldly interests, rather tha give offence. However the money was lodged in the fish, He who know all things alone could know it, and only almighty power could bring it to Peter's hook. The power and the poverty of Christ should be mentioned together. If called by providence to be poor, like our Lord let us trust in his power, and our God shall supply all our need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. In the way of obedience, in the course, perhaps, of our usual calling, as he helpe Peter, so he will help us. And if any sudden call should occur, whic we are not prepared to meet, let us not apply to others, till we firs seek Christ __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ελθοντων 2064 5631 V-2AAP-GPM δε 1161 CONJ αυτων 846 P-GPM εις 1519 PREP καπερναουμ 2584 N-PRI προσηλθον 4334 5656 V-AAI-3P οι 3588 T-NPM τα 3588 T-APN διδραχμα 1323 N-APN λαμβανοντες 2983 5723 V-PAP-NPM τω 3588 T-DSM πετρω 4074 N-DSM και 2532 CONJ ειπον 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3P ο 3588 T-NSM διδασκαλος 1320 N-NSM υμων 5216 P-2GP ου 3756 PRT-N τελει 5055 5719 V-PAI-3S τα 3588 T-APN διδραχμα 1323 N-APN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
24. They that received tribute-money (oi ta didracma lambanontev). Rev., They that received the half-shekel. Every male Israelite of age, including proselytes and manumitted Jews, was expected to pay annually for the temple-service a half-shekel or didrachm, about thirty-five cents. This must be paid in the ancient money of Israel, the regular half-shekel of the treasury; and the money-changers, therefore, were in demand to change the current into the temple coin, which they did at a rate of discount fixed by law, between four and five cents on every half-shekel. The annual revenue to the money-changers from this source has been estimated at nearly forty-five thousand dollars; a very large sum in a country where a laborer received less than twenty cents for a day's work, and where the good Samaritan left about thirty-three cents at the inn for the keeping of the wounded man. Jesus attacked a very powerful interest when he overthrew the tables of the money-changers.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
17:24 {They that received the half-shekel} (hoi ta didracma lambanontes). this temple tax amounted to an Attic drachma or the Jewish half-shekel, about one-third of a dollar. Every Jewish man twenty years of age and over was expected to pay it for the maintenance of the temple. But it was not a compulsory tax like that collected by the publicans for the government. "The tax was like a voluntary church-rate; no one could be compelled to pay" (Plummer). The same Greek word occurs in two Egyptian papyri of the first century A.D. for the receipt for the tax for the temple of Suchus (Milligan and Moulton's _Vocabulary_). this tax for the Jerusalem temple was due in the month Adar (our March) and it was now nearly six months overdue. But Jesus and the Twelve had been out of Galilee most of this time. Hence the question of the tax-collectors. The payment had to be made in the Jewish coin, half-shekel. Hence the money-changers did a thriving business in charging a small premium for the Jewish coin, amounting to some forty-five thousand dollars a year, it is estimated. It is significant that they approached Peter rather than Jesus, perhaps not wishing to embarrass "Your Teacher,"a roundabout hint that the tax was overdue" (Bruce). Evidently Jesus had been in the habit of paying it (Peter's).
