Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Abbreviations
- Foreword
- The Zealots and Jesus
- The revolution theory from Reimarus to Brandon
- The date and character of Mark
- Some observations on Tendenzkritik
- Argumentum e silentio
- The Poor and the Zealots
- The opposition between Jesus and Judaism
- Judaeo-Christianity and the Jewish establishment, A.D. 33–66
- A.D. 70 in Christian reflection
- The trial of Jesus in the Acta Pilati
- Christ as brigand in ancient anti-Christian polemic
- Jesus as a political agent in a version of the Josippon
- The Feeding of the Multitude
- The coin of ‘Render unto Caesar …’ (A note on some aspects of Mark 12: 13–17; Matt. 22: 15–22; Luke 20:20–26)
- Render to Caesar
- The Temple tax
- ‘Not peace but a sword’: Matt. 10:34ff; Luke 12: 51ff
- The decision of the Supreme Court to put Jesus to death (John 11:47–57) in its context: tradition and redaction in the Gospel of John
- The ‘triumphal’ entry
- The two swords (Luke 22: 35–38)
- The titulus
- Romans 13
- Biblical criticism criticised: with reference to the Markan report of Jesus's examination before the Sanhedrin
- The political charge against Jesus (Luke 23: 2)
- The trial before Pilate
- ‘His witness is true’: A test of the Johannine claim
- Index of Authors
- Index of References
The Temple tax
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 January 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Abbreviations
- Foreword
- The Zealots and Jesus
- The revolution theory from Reimarus to Brandon
- The date and character of Mark
- Some observations on Tendenzkritik
- Argumentum e silentio
- The Poor and the Zealots
- The opposition between Jesus and Judaism
- Judaeo-Christianity and the Jewish establishment, A.D. 33–66
- A.D. 70 in Christian reflection
- The trial of Jesus in the Acta Pilati
- Christ as brigand in ancient anti-Christian polemic
- Jesus as a political agent in a version of the Josippon
- The Feeding of the Multitude
- The coin of ‘Render unto Caesar …’ (A note on some aspects of Mark 12: 13–17; Matt. 22: 15–22; Luke 20:20–26)
- Render to Caesar
- The Temple tax
- ‘Not peace but a sword’: Matt. 10:34ff; Luke 12: 51ff
- The decision of the Supreme Court to put Jesus to death (John 11:47–57) in its context: tradition and redaction in the Gospel of John
- The ‘triumphal’ entry
- The two swords (Luke 22: 35–38)
- The titulus
- Romans 13
- Biblical criticism criticised: with reference to the Markan report of Jesus's examination before the Sanhedrin
- The political charge against Jesus (Luke 23: 2)
- The trial before Pilate
- ‘His witness is true’: A test of the Johannine claim
- Index of Authors
- Index of References
Summary
The early church could learn the Lord's teaching on taxation from Matt. 17:24–7, Mark 12: 13–17 and parallels, and a passage of the Unknown Gospel (Pap. Egerton 2, Fragment 2, recto). Matt. 17: 24–7, viewed with the narratives of the tribute-money, was often also referred to Roman taxation, although the half-shekel was sometimes recognised as a Jewish levy. The story continues to figure in discussion of Jesus's attitude to tax and government. It is examined here with this question in mind. We consider the distinctive features of the passage, the light thrown by criticism on its evidential value, and its setting in Jewish history and the life of Jesus. On this basis an attempt is made to understand its primary meaning and historical significance.
Matthew 17: 24–7, a paragraph peculiar to this Gospel, stands out from the other taxation-narratives in both content and form. It begins with a question from tax-collectors rather than disputants, on the Temple half-shekel rather than the tribute-money. St Peter, who replies, is then met and taught by the Lord indoors, and commanded to pay for himself and his master with a stater to be found in a fish's mouth. The dominical teaching – payment is not obligatory, but advisable in practice to avoid offence – resembles apostolic injunctions on secular tax, and is more explicit than the reply on the tribute-money.
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- Jesus and the Politics of his Day , pp. 265 - 286Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1984
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