The temple, a tax, a king and a fish  || 丁税、君王和鱼

This Spiritual Waimai is a part of a series entitled Mission Accomplished: the mission of Jesus Christ as told by Matthew and now lived out by you and me.

这篇属灵外卖是“完成的使命”系列文章之一，这个由马太福音所述耶稣基督的使命，现在要由你我活出来。

Matthew chapter 17 ends with a curious story. About the temple, a tax, a king and a fish.

马太福音第17章结尾讲述了一个关于丁税，君王和鱼的稀奇故事。

After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?” “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
Matthew 17:24-27

 

到了迦百农，有收丁税的人来见彼得说：“你们的先生不纳丁税吗（丁税约有半块钱）？”彼得说：“纳。”他进了屋子，Ye Su先向他说：“西门，你的意思如何？世上的君王向谁征收关税、丁税？是向自己的儿子呢，是向外人呢？”彼得说：“是向外人。”Ye Su说：“既然如此，儿子就可以免税了。但恐怕触犯他们（“触犯”原文作“绊倒”），你且往海边去钓鱼，把先钓上来的鱼拿起来，开了它的口，必得一块钱，可以拿去给他们，作你我的税银。”
马太福音 17:24-27

What was the temple tax?
什么是丁税？

Upon arriving at their home base, Capernaum, the local religious authority came to check up on Jesus. The temple tax was a two-drachma tax. It was an annual temple tax required of every Jewish male aged 20 and older. Two drachmas were worth about two days wages. The money was used to for the upkeep of the temple. The Jewish leaders wanted to know: would Jesus pay this yearly tax? Peter once again is the first to speak and puts himself and Jesus possibly in an awkward situation. Why did Peter feel he could answer for Jesus about paying taxes? When Peter got home, Jesus was the first to speak.

他们刚到大本营迦百农，当地的宗教权威就来查问Ye Su。丁税约有半块钱。每年20岁以上的犹太男性都要缴纳丁税。半块钱大约等价于两天的工钱。这笔钱会用于修缮圣殿。犹太领袖们想知道Ye Su会不会每年纳丁税？彼得又是第一个说话的人，他将自己和Ye Su置于尴尬的境地。为什么彼得觉得他可以替Ye Su来回答有关纳税的问题呢？彼得回到家，Ye Su先向他说话。

In this unusual conversation, Jesus revels more of His identity to Peter. Jesus begins by questioning Peter about kings and taxes. We are all familiar with paying taxes. In a civilization led by a king, we could understand that the king and his royal family would not pay taxes. The king is the ultimate ruler who receives the taxes – why would he pay them?

在这段不同寻常的对话中，Ye Su向彼得更加显明了衪的身份。Ye Su首先问彼得有关君王和税的问题。我们对纳税都很了解。在君主制下，我们可以理解君王和他的皇室成员不用纳税。君王是征收关税的最终统治者——他为什么要交税?

What about this temple tax, then? Who is the “king” that would receive the temple tax? Jesus is the King of Kings and the temple is for the glory of God and His Kingdom. The temple was where sacrifices were made to atone for sin and where God was worshipped. When this temple tax was paid, it was for the Lord. Jesus Christ was the true king over the temple. Therefore, He should be exempt from paying this temple tax. But Jesus was no ordinary king.

那么丁税是什么情况呢？谁是征收丁税的“君王”？Ye Su是万王之王，圣殿是用于彰显Shen的荣耀和衪的国度。在圣殿可以献上赎罪祭，也可以敬拜Shen。丁税就是奉献给Zhu的。Ye Su Ji Du才是圣殿真正的君王。因此，不需要向衪征收丁税。但Ye Su并不是普通的君王。

Paying what He did not owe
缴纳无需缴纳的丁税

Jesus was a gracious and merciful king who was even willing to pay His own tax. He was even prepared to suffer, die and be raised from the dead for His own people.

Ye Su是仁慈的君王，衪甚至愿意为自己交税，更甚已经准备好为自己的百姓受苦、受死、再从死里复活。

Did Jesus owe a temple tax? No, He did not. But He paid it for Himself and for Peter. He provided from the mouth of a fish.

Ye Su 要缴纳丁税吗?不，衪不用。但衪还是为自己和彼得缴纳了。从鱼嘴里衪供应了这笔钱。

Our generous King Jesus not only provided the money for a temple tax that He did not owe, He also gave His life to pay the price of sin that He did not owe. He did it on behalf of you and me. What an incredible King we have.

我们慷慨的君王Ye Su不仅提供了衪本无需缴纳的丁税，还为我们舍命，为罪付上衪本不欠的债。衪这么做完全是为了你和我。我们有一位多么奇妙的4君王啊！