Matthew 17:24-27
The Temple Tax
24After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?"
25"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 sons or from others?"
26"From others," Peter answered.
"Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. 27"But so that we may not offend them, 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."
Peter is ask if His teacher pays taxes on the temple...Peter immediately says yes...Peter may have overstepped his bounds by saying this...Peter may have answered impulsively...We do not know, if Peter actually knew Jesus' view or if Jesus even had a view on earthly taxes...When Peter came into the house he saw Jesus...Jesus knew what was on Peter's mind...Jesus asks him, who do kings on earth collect taxes from, from their sons or from others...Peter says that kings collect taxes on others and not their sons...Jesus reminds Peter that kings exempt their sons from taxes...
In a financial sense, Jesus was poor...He did not have money to pay the temple tax...But He is divine...He knew that there was money lodged in a fish, and Peter would be allowed (by Him) to catch that fish to pay for Peter's tax and His...Not only did Jesus was going to pay His taxes, but He was going to take care of Peter's tax...
Our thoughts are not hidden from Jesus...He does not want us to offend people of earthly things when there are more important things...If we spend much of our life and energy on earthly things, we can lose our focus on the Father...
One thing we must not overlook, is nothing is impossible for God...So this may sound funny, but let's say Peter did speak prematurely on Jesus' belief on taxes...Jesus can take language, because He is the Creator of communication and language...What He would say would be perfectly right on Peter's answer and the subject of taxes...Jesus is Son of God in the flesh...God is in control...His providence has no boundaries, including language...God is in control of everything...