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The coin in the fish's mouth

Matt 17:24–27 · Journey to Jerusalem

Scripture

Matthew 17:24–27

nd when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? 25He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? 26Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. 27Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

King James Version · public domain

Mateu 17:24–27

dhe kur erthnë ndë Kapernaum, erthnë përanë Pjetrit ata që merninë pagesën’ e të dy dhrahmivet, edhe i thanë, A nukë paguan mëso-njësi juaj të dy dhrahmitë? 25Ay thotë, Po. Edhe kur hyri ndë shtëpit, Jisuj e priti, dyke thënë, Si të duketë, Simon? nga cilëtë marrënë pagesa a të-dhëna mbretërit’ e dheut, nga bijt’ e tyre, apo nga të-huajtë. 26Pjetri i thot’ ati, Nga të huajtë. Jisuj i tha ati, Bijtë pra janë të-liruarë. 27Po që të mos skandhalisim’ ata, shko ndë dett, e hith një grep, edhe ngre peshkun’ e-parë që të dalë, edhe si t’i hapç gojënë, dotë gjenjç një statir; merr-e, e ep-u’a atyre për mua edhe për ty.

Kristoforidhi, Dhiata e Re Toskërisht 1879 · zotërim publik

In their own words

For, saith He, in every kingdom the children are free, that is, not under tax. Much more therefore should they be free in any earthly kingdom, who are children of that very kingdom under which are all the kingdoms of the earth.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo, Questions on the Gospels (Catena Aurea)

The Coin in the Fish's Mouth (Matthew 17:24–27)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 58 (on Matthew 17:22–27) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/200158.htm

On what the tribute was, and why they came to Peter:

And what is this "didrachma?" When God had slain the firstborn of the Egyptians, then He took the tribe of Levi in their stead... and moreover a custom came thereby in force, that the firstborn should pay this tribute. Because then Christ was a firstborn child, and Peter seemed to be first of the disciples, to him they come.

On "the sons are free," and the Son of the King of Heaven:

And what He says is like this, "I am indeed free from paying tribute. For if the kings of the earth take it not of their sons, but of their subjects; much more ought I to be freed from this demand, I who am Son, not of an earthly king, but of the King of Heaven, and myself a King."

On why He paid what He did not owe:

See how He neither declines the tribute, nor simply commands to pay it, but having first proved Himself not liable to it, then He gives it: the one to save the people, the other, those around Him, from offense. For He gives it not at all as a debt, but as doing the best for their weakness.

On the manner of payment, which discloses His Godhead:

And indeed by the very mode of giving He discloses Himself again. For wherefore does He not command him to give of what they have laid up? That... herein also He might signify Himself to be God of all, and the sea also to be under His rule... For neither was it a small thing, to foretell that the first, who out of those depths should come in his way, would be the fish that would pay the tribute; and having cast forth His commandment like a net into that abyss, to bring up the one that bore the piece of money; but it was of a divine and unutterable power, thus to make even the sea bear gifts.

On Peter's faith, rewarded by being joined to Christ in the payment:

Now as you are amazed at Christ's power, so I bid you admire also the disciple's faith, that to a thing beyond possibility he so gave ear. For indeed it was very far beyond possibility by nature. Wherefore also in requital for his faith, He joined him to Himself in the payment of the tribute.

Origen (c. 185–254)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain.

On the twofold meaning of "then are the children free":

This speech has a twofold meaning. First, that the children of the kings of the earth are free with the kings of the earth; but strangers, foreigners in the land, are not free, because of those that oppress them, as the Egyptians did the children of Israel. The second sense is; forasmuch as there be some who are strangers to the sons of the kings of the earth, and are yet sons of God, therefore it is they that abide in the words of Jesus; these are free, for they have known the truth, and the truth has set them free from the service of sin: but the sons of the kings of the earth are not free; for "whoso doth sin, he is the servant of sin."

On giving no offence even to those who justly claim earthly dues:

We may hence gather as a consequence of this, that when any come with justice demanding our earthly goods, it is the kings of the earth that send them, to claim of us what is their own; and by His own example the Lord forbids any offence to be given even to these, whether that they should sin no more, or that they should be saved. For the Son of God, who did no servile work, yet as having the form of a slave, which He took on Him for man's sake, gave custom and tribute.

Mystically, on Capernaum as the field of comfort:

In the field of comfort, (for so is Capernaum expounded,) He comforts each one of His disciples, and pronounces him to be a son and free, and gives him the power of taking the first fish, that after His ascension Peter may have comfort over that which he has caught.

On the miser drawn up from the sea of covetousness:

And when you see any miser rebuked by some Peter who takes the speech of his money out of his mouth, you may say that he is risen out of the sea of covetousness to the hook of reason, and is caught and saved by some Peter, who has taught him the truth, that he should change his stater for the image of God, that is for the oracles of God.

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew, trans. J. H. Newman, 1841. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xvii.html

Reading the first-caught fish as the first to confess in martyrdom:

When Peter is instructed to take the first fish, it is shewn therein that he shall catch more than one. The blessed first martyr Stephen was the first that came up, having in his mouth a stater, which contained the didrachma of the new preaching, divided as two denarii, for he preached as he beheld in his passion the glory of God, and Christ the Lord.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew, trans. J. H. Newman, 1841. Public domain.

On what to admire most in the miracle:

I am at a loss what first to admire in this passage; whether the foreknowledge, or the mighty power of the Saviour. His foreknowledge, in that He knew that a fish had a stater in its mouth, and that that fish should be the first taken; His mighty power, if the stater were created in the fish's mouth at His word, and if by His command that which was to happen was ordered.

Reading the fish typologically as the first Adam:

That fish which was first taken is the first Adam, who is set free by the second Adam; and that which is found in his mouth, that is, in his confession, is given for Peter and for the Lord.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Questions on the Gospels, as preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew, trans. J. H. Newman, 1841. Public domain.

On the freedom of the children of the kingdom over all kingdoms:

For, saith He, in every kingdom the children are free, that is, not under tax. Much more therefore should they be free in any earthly kingdom, who are children of that very kingdom under which are all the kingdoms of the earth.

St. Gregory the Great (c. 540–604)

From his Homilies on Ezekiel, as preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain.

On avoiding scandal, yet not at the cost of truth:

For we must cast about how, as far as we may without sin, to avoid giving scandal to our neighbours. But if offence is taken from truth, it is better that offence should come, though truth be forsaken.

Patristic sources