Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
The saying states the principle that a king's children are exempt from the tribute or tax that is collected from strangers and subjects. Applied to Himself, it means that Jesus, as the Son of God and Lord of the temple, was under no obligation to pay the annual contribution of temple tribute for its support. The saying belongs to an account that shows His poverty, in that He had no money to pay the tax and obtained the small amount needed by a miracle.
Though free, He provided the money and paid so as not to give offense or provoke needless controversy. His paying in this way did not concede that the claim made against Him was just. In paying, He showed obedience to the reigning and governing authorities and taught His disciples to do the same.
For His followers, freedom in conscience does not require defying civil powers when there is no conflict with God. With minds and souls under obedience to God, they should not gratify the devil by defiance but may submit to fines, penalties, or indignities that have no right to be imposed rather than give offense, as Christ submitted even to the cross, unless obedience would bring them into conflict with God. Applied to Sunday closing laws, this means stopping regular work such as running presses on Sunday and using the day for missionary work to draw souls to Jesus Christ. Refusal is to be reserved for the time when authorities command Sundaykeeping and forbid keeping Saturday, when compliance would bring the mark of the beast.
The saying states the principle that a king's children are exempt from the tribute or tax that is collected from strangers and subjects. Applied to Himself, it means that Jesus, as the Son of God and Lord of the temple, was under no obligation to pay the annual contribution of temple tribute for its support. The saying belongs to an account that shows His poverty, in that He had no money to pay the tax and obtained the small amount needed by a miracle.
Though free, He provided the money and paid so as not to give offense or provoke needless controversy. His paying in this way did not concede that the claim made against Him was just. In paying, He showed obedience to the reigning and governing authorities and taught His disciples to do the same.
For His followers, freedom in conscience does not require defying civil powers when there is no conflict with God. With minds and souls under obedience to God, they should not gratify the devil by defiance but may submit to fines, penalties, or indignities that have no right to be imposed rather than give offense, as Christ submitted even to the cross, unless obedience would bring them into conflict with God. Applied to Sunday closing laws, this means stopping regular work such as running presses on Sunday and using the day for missionary work to draw souls to Jesus Christ. Refusal is to be reserved for the time when authorities command Sundaykeeping and forbid keeping Saturday, when compliance would bring the mark of the beast.