234
q here only in
24. “ENOdvtwv δὲ αὐτῶν
εἲς Καπερναούμ, προσῆλθον ot τὰ.
Frequent 3 δίδραχµα λαμβάνοντες τῷ Πέτρω, καὶ εἶπον, '΄Ὁ διδάσκαλος
25. Λέγει, “Nat.” Kat ὅτε
"Ingots, λέγων, “Τί
es ὑμῶν οὗ *Tedet τὰ] Sidpaypa;”
. ie. εἰσῆλθεν 2 εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, προέφθασεν αὐτὸν 6
υμα. δοκεῖ, Σίµων; οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ τίνωνΣ λαμβάνουσι 17. Mk. τέλη ἢ
xii. 14.
Acts να. 6. Heb. xi. 9, 34.
"κῆνσον; ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτῶν, ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν *addoTpiov ;” 4 “~ Lal t John x. 5. 26. Λέγει αὐτῷ 6 Πέτρος, ''᾿Απὸ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων.”
” aim ας Εφη αὐτῷ ὁ
1 ΝΜΦΓ omit τα here (Tisch.) ; BC retain it (W.H.). 2 εισελθοντα in δὴ (-te D); ελθοντα in B. Tisch. adopts the former; W.H. the:
latter, with εισελθοντα in margin.
3 B has τινος, which W.H. place in the margin.
4 For λεγειν . , - grammatical correction. instead of a full stop as in T. R.
= about fifteen pence; payable annually by every Jew above twenty as a tribute to the temple. It was a tribute of the post-exilic time based on Exodus xxx. 13-16. After the destruction of the Temple the tax continued to be paid to the Capitol (Joseph. Bel. I. vii. 6, 7). The time of collection was in the month Adar (March).—7r@ Π. Peter evidently the principal man of the Jesus-circle for outsiders as well as _ internally.—ovd τελει. The receivers are feeling their way. Respect for the Master (διδάσκαλος) makes them go to the disciples for in- formation, and possibly the question was simply a roundabout hint that the tax was overdue.—Ver. 25. vat: this prompt, confident answer may be either an inference from Christ’s general bear- ing, as Peter understood it, or a state- ment of fact implying past payment.— ἐλθόντα é. τ. 6. The meeting of the tax collectors with Peter had taken place outside; it had been noticed by Jesus, and the drift of the interview instinctively understood by Him.—rpoéd0acev, antici- pated him, here only in N. T. Peter meant to report, but Jesus spoke first, having something special to say, and a good reason for saying it. In other circumstances He would probably have taken no notice, but left Peter to manage the matter as he pleased. But the Master is aware of something that took place among His disciples on the way home, not yet mentioned by the evan- gelist but about to be (xviii. 1), and to be regarded as the key to the meaning of this incident. The story of what Jesus said to Peter about the temple dues is
Π. SYBCL have ειποντος δε (Tisch., W.H.).
The T. R. is a.
The adoption of ειποντος requires a comma before εφη
really the prelude to the discourse follow- ing on humility, and that discourse in turn reflects light on the prelude.—rt ou. δοκεῖ; phrase often found in Mt. (xviii. 12, xxi. 28, etc.) with lively colloquial effect: what think you ὃ-- τέλη ἢ κῆνσον, customs or tribute; the former taxes on wares, the latter a tax on persons = in- direct and direct taxation. The question: refers specially to the Ιαξίετ.- -ἀλλοτρίων, foreigners, in reference not to the nation, but to the royal family, who have the privilege of exemption.—Ver. 26. ἄραγε on the force of this particle vide at vii. zo. The ye lends emphasis to the exemption of the viot. It virtually replies to Peter’s ναί -- then you must admit, what your answer to the collectors seemed to deny, that the children are free. The reply is a jeu d’esprit. Christ’s. purpose is not seriously to argue for exemption, but to prepare the way for a moral lesson.
Ver. 27. ἵνα μὴ σκανδαλ., that we may not create misunderstanding as to our attitude by asking exemption or refusing to pay. Nosgen, with a singular lack of exegetical insight, thinks the scandal dreaded is an appearance of disagree- ment between Master and disciple! It is rather creating the impression that Jesus and His followers despise the temple, and disallow its claims. And the aim of Jesus was to fix Peter’s attention on the fact that He was anxious to avoid giving offence thereby, and in that view abstained from insist- ing on personal claims. Over against the spirit of ambition, which has begum to show itself among His disciples, He