Friday: Further Thought – Peter and the Rock
The story of how Jesus has Peter pull the money, the exact amount needed, out of the mouth of the first fish Peter catches is extraordinary, so extraordinary that some scholars have tried to argue it away. It was just a “bit of a folk-tale,” a cute story to make a point, nothing more.
Image © Providence Collection from GoodSalt.com
Of course, that’s a totally inadequate solution (it’s no solution at all, in fact). Sure, in contrast to the other kind of miracles—for example, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead, feeding the hungry—this one is of a different nature altogether. In the Bible, too, we do have the floating axe head (2 Kings 6:2-7) and the wet fleece on the dry ground and the dry fleece on the wet ground (Judg. 6:36-40); so, it’s not of a nature totally unknown in Scripture. Why didn’t Jesus simply hand Peter the money and tell him to pay it rather than perform such an amazing feat in order to solve what was a relatively small problem? The text doesn’t say. However, as the lesson said, it does show us the incredible power of God, which should not be surprising to us. After all, we see evidence of His incredible power all the time. Our mere existence, much less than that of the visible cosmos, is an amazing manifestation of the power of our God. If God could do this, a specific coin in a specific fish’s mouth was nothing. Though written in a different context, Paul’s point is so well taken: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33, NKJV). The account in Matthew is just one more manifestation of this truth.
Discussion Questions:
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“Rather than exacerbate the situation, He let it rest.”
Did He leave it totally without challenge?
Read Desire of Ages p 433 & 434
Jesus was master of tact and insight.
This week has been focused on Peter and his relationship with Jesus. Peters’ lessons were examples of the way that Jesus guided Peter as well as all the disciples to form many lasting impressions. The money in the fishes mouth made a lasting impression on the officials that collect the temple tax also. A significant position and probably well aware of Jesus and His reputation. Jesus was solving at least three problems. The tax collector, Peter, and Herod the king. It sounds like there may have been a question in the tax collectors mind as to whether the money was authentic, officially, stamped money. There is no doubt the piece of money that Peter took from the fishes mouth was a genuine Greek , tater. Meaning, a certain coin. How exact and final were the examples that Jesus provided for all to see. Including us as past witnesses.
In the matter of avoiding conflict, How do you know when it’s time to speak and when it’s time to be silent?
Bringing ourselves to God with reservations of certain things that we want to keep is like bringing a lame offering to God.
Sometimes it’s tough to give our will to God in a particular issue but we will be glad we did. God has a better vision and a larger field of vision than we do. We will be glad when we look back and see how he has led us in the past.
In times of difficult situations that’s where God reveal Himself to mankind. Our true maker knows what’s good for us, so let’s worship Him wholeheartedly and love our neighbor no matter how the situation may turns up to be, Amen.