When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The collectors specifically approach Peter, not Jesus directly, highlighting their assumption that Jesus, as a rabbi, would follow the established custom of paying the temple tax. Their question isn't just about the money, but a subtle challenge to Jesus' place within the religious and social order, probing whether he respected the traditions that upheld it.
When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus and his disciples have just returned to Capernaum, Jesus' home base, after a significant event on a mountainside where Jesus' divine glory was revealed. As they arrive, collectors for the Temple tax, a yearly half-shekel required for the maintenance of the Jerusalem Temple, approach Peter. They question whether Jesus, as their teacher, participates in this religious obligation.
This wasn't a Roman tax, but a specific payment for the upkeep of God's dwelling place. Why was it collected, and what did it fund?
The collectors asking Jesus about the 'didrachma' tax point to a crucial element of Jewish life: the support of the Temple.
For the Temple's Service
This tax connected every Israelite, no matter where they lived, to the central worship of God in Jerusalem. It was a symbol of their shared identity and commitment to God's dwelling place.
Jesus had a choice: pay the tax and appear ordinary, or refuse and reveal something extraordinary. What did this encounter reveal about His identity?
The collectors' question to Peter, and Peter's confident 'Yes,' sets the stage for Jesus to demonstrate His unique relationship with God.
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The Son's Freedom
Even though Jesus was 'free,' He chose to pay. What practical wisdom can we glean from His decision to avoid causing unnecessary stumbling blocks?
While Jesus established His freedom from the Temple tax, He didn't insist on His rights in a way that would cause others to stumble.
The Greater Good
Understand the original words
didrachma · Greek Noun
The official tax required of every Jewish male for the maintenance of the temple in Jerusalem. Based on Exodus 30:13, it was a symbolic acknowledgment of God's ownership and redemption of the people.
didaskalos · Greek Noun
A title of respect, often used to address rabbis or religious leaders, signifying one who instructs in the Law and interprets the will of God for the people.
The question about the Temple tax probes Jesus' relationship to the religious system he lived within. While the tax was meant for the Temple's service, its collection became a significant financial undertaking, highlighting the tension between established religious practice and Jesus' unique divine authority.
c. 1400 BC
Temple Tax Law Given
The Law of Moses instructs Moses to collect a half-shekel census tax from every male Israelite above twenty years old for the service of the Tabernacle/Temple.
c. 444 BC
Ezra Re-establishes Temple Service
After the return from Babylonian exile, the Temple tax was re-established as a vital part of the restored Jewish religious life and support for the priesthood.
c. AD 30
Temple Tax Collection Intensifies
As Jesus' ministry begins, the annual half-shekel Temple tax (didrachma) is collected, primarily for the upkeep of the Jerusalem Temple.
c. AD 30— this verse
Collectors Approach Peter in Capernaum
Collectors of the Temple tax find Jesus and his disciples in Capernaum and question Peter about whether his Master pays the required half-shekel.
c. AD 70
Temple Destroyed, Tax Redirected
Following the Roman destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, the tax was redirected by Emperor Vespasian to the Roman treasury, specifically for the Temple of Jupiter.
This passage outlines the origin of the half-shekel temple tax for the service of the Tabernacle, directly connecting to the 'tribute money' mentioned in Matthew 17:24.
Nehemiah 10:32-33This passage shows the people of Israel recommitting to paying the annual temple tax for its services, illustrating the ongoing importance of this obligation that the collectors in Matthew were upholding.
Matthew 22:15-22Jesus' encounter with the Pharisees and Herodians about paying taxes to Caesar provides a parallel where Jesus skillfully navigates questions about civic and religious obligations, similar to how he addresses the temple tax here.
John 7:14-18This passage describes Jesus teaching at the temple during a festival, and it highlights His unique authority and discernment, which is mirrored in how He understands and handles the temple tax collectors' inquiry.
barnesMatthew 17:24: "And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?"
And when they were come to Capernaum - See the notes at Matthew 4:13 . They that received tribute - In the original this is, they who received the didrachma, or double drachma. The drachma was a Grecian coin worth about fifteen cents (7 1/2 d.) of British money. The didrachma, or double drachma, was a silver coin equal to the Attic drachma, and, in t…
bengelMatthew 17:24: "And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?"
Matthew 17:24 . Καπερναοὺμ , Capernaum ) where Jesus dwelt.[797]— τα δίδραχμα , the didrachms )[798] the Hebrew שקל , shekel , is frequently rendered διδραχμον by the LXX.— οἱ λαμβάνοντες , they that received ) sc. for the Temple.[799] [797] On a different footing, however, from what He had been on before: for He was now dwelling in obscurity with Hi…
The collectors specifically approach Peter, not Jesus directly, highlighting their assumption that Jesus, as a rabbi, would follow the established custom of paying the temple tax. Their question isn't just about the money, but a subtle challenge to Jesus' place within the religious and social order, probing whether he respected the traditions that upheld it.
Jesus and his disciples have just returned to Capernaum, Jesus' home base, after a significant event on a mountainside where Jesus' divine glory was revealed. As they arrive, collectors for the Temple tax, a yearly half-shekel required for the maintenance of the Jerusalem Temple, approach Peter. They question whether Jesus, as their teacher, participates in this religious obligation.
Jesus and his disciples have just returned to Capernaum, Jesus' home base, after a significant event on a mountainside where Jesus' divine glory was revealed. As they arrive, collectors for the Temple tax, a yearly half-shekel required for the maintenance of the Jerusalem Temple, approach Peter. They question whether Jesus, as their teacher, participates in this religious obligation.
"When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?”" — The collectors specifically approach Peter, not Jesus directly, highlighting their assumption that Jesus, as a rabbi, would follow the established custom of paying the temple tax. Their question isn'…
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Last reviewed October 2026