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BIBLE STUDY LESSON 20

SERIES R --- THE GOOD SHEPHERD

GREATNESS

THE SECRET OF THINGS TO COME

From Luke 9:43-45

The people were still overwhelmed by the miracles of Yeshua when He began to teach His disciples. [Remember what I am going to tell you,] He said. [I am about to be betrayed into the power of men.] The disciples did not understand what Yeshua meant by this. The secret of it was hidden from them and they were afraid to ask Him for some explanation.

YESHUA PAYS SOME TAXES

From Matthew 17:24-27

When Yeshua and His disciples returned to Capernaum, the temple tax collectors came to see Peter. [Doesn’t your Master pay taxes?] they complained. [He certainly does!] Peter answered. When Peter returned to the house, Yeshua spoke to him first. [What do you think, Simon?] Yeshua asked. [Do the kings of the world collect taxes from their own people or from others?] [From others, of course,] Peter answered. [Then their own people are free from taxes!] said Yeshua. [But since we don’t want to offend these people, go down to the water and throw in a fishing line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch. In it you will find a coin that will pay the taxes for you and Me. Take it and pay our taxes.]

THE GREATNESS OF A CHILD

From Matthew 18:1-6

At that time, the disciples came to Yeshua to ask Him a question. [Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?] they wanted to know. Yeshua called a small child to Him and asked him to stand in the midst of the disciples. [I have something important for you to remember,] Yeshua said. [Unless you change and become like a little child, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. The one who is greatest in heaven is the one who humbles himself and becomes like this child. Whoever receives a little child in My Name, receives Me. But whoever causes a little child who believes in Me to turn away from Me will be punished. It would be better for him to have a millstone tied around his neck and to be thrown into the deepest sea.]

COMMENTARY

COINS THAT YESHUA SAW

Each time a new ruler came to power in ancient times, he ordered new coins to be made for his kingdom. To honour him, they often had his picture on the front; an image, such as a pagan god or goddess was on the back. There were many countries and kings in Bible times, so there were many different coins in use. The New Testament mentions several coins that were then common. Although they were made for different rulers, including some who ruled in previous years, they would likely have still been in circulation while Yeshua walked the earth. Since Jews came from all over the world to worship at the temple in Jerusalem, foreign coins were common. But coins with portraits of men were not accepted at the temple. YHVH had Commanded the Israelites not to make any images of Him. Since man was in YHVH’s image, only coins that had no image -- Jewish coins had none -- could be used as an offering for the poor or to buy a lamb for a sacrifice. Moneychangers set up their tables inside the temple court so that people could exchange their forbidden foreign coins for acceptable Israelite money. These men often cheated their customers badly. It was in anger at their dishonesty that Yeshua overturned their tables and drove the moneychangers out of the temple. Because Israel was a conquered country, it was not allowed to make gold or silver coins during Roman times; only the Roman government was permitted to do that. Countries controlled by Caesar could issue only bronze coins. They were much less valuable than the gold and silver money made by Rome. One of the more common Roman silver coins was a denarius. It had an image of Tiberias Caesar on the front. Although it was only about the size of an American dime, a denarius was considered a day’s wages. This was the coin that Yeshua used when the Pharisees tried to trick him with their question about paying tax to Caesar. He pointed to the picture of the emperor and said, [Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to YHVH the things that are YHVH’s.] The mite was a small Israelite coin made of bronze; it was worth the least of any coin made, like the penny in America. When Yeshua saw the poor widow put her two mites in the temple offering, He said that her money was worth much more than all the wealth of the rich, because she had given all she had. Two mites were worth one farthing, but the large bronze coin was not worth very much either. It was the price of two sparrows -- Matthew 10:29, just about the only meat a poor person could afford. Every Jew who lived in Palestine had to pay a tax for the support of the temple of a half-shekel a year. Yeshua had to pay it too, When the tax was due, he sent Peter to catch a fish. He found a silver shekel {made before Roman rule} in its mouth, enough to pay the temple tax for Yeshua and himself as well. Judas made his bargain with the religious leaders for thirty pieces of silver, the usual price for a slave. They agreed to pay him for his betrayal of Yeshua in silver coins that would be accepted anywhere in the Roman Empire. The money he received was probably in the form of large silver tetradrachms from Tyre. They were the most commonly used silver coins during Bible times. Yeshua used money to buy food for Himself and his twelve disciples during His lifetime on earth. But He did not place any true value on metal coins. He taught His disciples and all who would listen that it was infinitely more important to build up treasure in heaven than to desire wealth on this earth.

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