²⁴ On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”

²⁵ “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house.

But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?”

²⁶ “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied.

“Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! ²⁷ However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

18 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

Dear God, this is another one of those stories that has a context that can be lost because of artificial chapter and verse breaks. Matthew didn’t put the break at chapter 18 there. He intended the stories about the Temple tax and the “greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven” question to be read together. The phrase that links them is at the beginning of chapter 18: “About that time…”

So Jesus is making a point in chapter 17 that the Temple leaders of the day are not treating Jesus like the son of God–your son–that he is. They are treating Jesus like an outsider. Just like anyone else. And it’s a fight Jesus isn’t interested in having with them at that moment. Really quick, there’s also a slight intimation in 17:25 that Peter lied to the collectors about Jesus paying his tax. Or at least spoke confidently about something of which he wasn’t sure. Either way, the whole situation sparked a thought in their minds: Jesus will be the top of the food chain in the Kingdom of Heaven. What will the hierarchy look like after that? And How will I fit into it?

I was listening to a story this morning on this week’s Holy Post podcast about gorillas getting too much screen time at zoos around the country. Apparently zoo guests are showing the gorillas videos of themselves and the gorillas are enjoying it a lot and not acting as much like gorillas anymore. They want to see the videos of themselves. One of the Holy Post hosts mentioned that we were spreading our human narcissism to them. They likened it to when the crowd cam goes around a stadium at a sporting event and puts people on the big screen and the people go nuts when they see themselves. We have this deep-seated need in our hearts to know we matter. And I think a lot of us get preoccupied with the future, and especially the end of times future, because we are primarily concerned with how we fit into it. If I get wrapped up in trying to figure out Revelation and the end times, it is probably a lot closer to the root of the disciples question here than I might be comfortable with.

Father, help me to get over myself. Help me to love. Help me to guide people into your presence. Help me to be full of you so that you might overflow into the lives of those around me. Use me however you will. I expect nothing in return. I am yours. You are my God. If you give me scraps from the table (Matthew 15:27), it is still more than I deserve.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen