Have you ever been out driving and come to a fork in the road?

Popular book. (2001): When you come to a fork in the road, take it! Yogi Berra.
The English word "tax" replaced the Old English word "gafol" ≈ "tax, rent, tribute" and is cognate with the Latin word "habeo" ≈ "own, possess, have".

Interestingly, another meaning of the Old English word "gafol" ≈ "fork" where one apparently had to literally "fork over" what one had of value. The German word "die Gabel" ≈ "the fork".

The Old English word "gafol" ≈ "tax, rent, tribute" is the source of the English word "gavel" as in "rent" or "interest" and it is not clear if it is related to a "gavel" as used by a judge.

More: Yogi Berra

About the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar Jesus was walking and teaching in Judea. The Roman Empire, representing the power of the world, was continually concerned with wealth and taxation of all kinds. In the first century, Emperor Tiberius Caesar (42 BC to 37 AD) would often tell his people the following about taxes.

It is the duty of a good shepherd to shear his sheep, not to skin them. Emperor Tiberius

In John 10, Jesus talks about the "good" "shepherd".

The "wolf" can be related to a "wolf dog" or "bird" who, as a false teacher and/or false leader. Sometimes, the "hireling", as a "pig", will "flee" to the "wolf dog" or "bird" and start working against the "sheep".

Do homeowners actually "own" their home? Or do they think they own their home and are just paying "rent" in the form of "taxes" on it. What about inheritance taxes?


This verse appears to assume that the "world" is the "universe" rather than the usual "people" who "adorn" the "earth". The verse also assumes that "we" are "nothing" and that the "things" are material (physical) things and not abstract (information) things (e.g., the soul).

Due to certain word usages and logical issues with what, for example, Jesus says, it appears that 1 Timothy may not have been written by Paul (who uses precise logic and words, often with multiple meanings, allusions, etc.).

Details are left as a future topic.

What is the tax on the wages of sin?

• Evading the penalty of sin is not possible. Ask Paul about that. For example, in the book of Romans. Jesus talks about trying to get in over the fence rather than through the gate.
• Avoiding the penalty of sin is possible. Ask Jesus about that. For example, in the Gospels.


• It is misleading to say that you are "saved by grace" as some pastors will preach. The Greek for "grace" is that of an "offer".
• To be accurate, you are "saved by accepting the offer of grace (favor)".

Paraphrase: ... but the favor of God is eternal life through (accepting the offer of) Jesus Christ our Lord.

In Acts, Paul refers to Jesus saying that it is "better to give than to receive".


These words by Jesus are not directly found in the Gospels. Paul makes a "semantic match" rather than a "syntactic match".

In tax terms, "It is more deductible to give than to receive.". Attributed to Henry Leabo.

Let us look at the following parts of taxes in the GNT, with interesting aspects interspersed.

•  Matthew 17:24-27 Tacky attacks on a senseless tax (this page)
• Matthew 22:15-16 Show me the money
• Cries at the crucifixion

The "tribute" is a "double drachma" or the "amount of the payment". One must know from other sources that this is the "temple tax".

The ancient Greek word "τέλος" ≈ "end, purpose" as in "complete" or "finalize" or "purpose" (Aristotle usage).

• English: "pay tribute".
• Greek: "complete/finalize the amount of the payment".

Jesus talks about making the "final" payment.

More: Aristotle

The "didrachma" is "two" "drachmas". The word "drachma" means, literally, what would fit "in the hand".

Both exact uses of "didrachma" are in this verse in the GNT.

Discuss: Does the government's hand (including hand-outs) grow larger over time? How about religious establishments? How did the temple expand from the time of Elijah and Solomon until the time of John the Baptist and Jesus?

More: Numismatics: Money and coins in the Bible

More: Matthew 11: Exploring the Kingdom of Heaven

Sometimes the reports are accurate. Sometimes they are not. Sometimes what is reported leads to strange decisions later.

Let us return to the tribute tax in Matthew 17.

• English: "pay tribute".
• Greek: "complete/finalize the amount of the payment".

Peter will answer and then Jesus will ask a question in which he generalizes the idea of the specific payment using different words that have more than one meaning.

Many people are quick to agree, sometimes to avoid an argument. The disciples did this in Matthew 13 when they said they understood the parables (which they clearly did not understand). Here, Peter, without thinking, says "yes".
Then Jesus needs to ask a question to set up a clarification.

Let your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no".

More: Matthew 5:33-37: Hairs of the head

The Greek for "prevented" is that of "anticipated" as in, literally, "before arriving".

The Greek for "custom" is that of "purpose" or "end" or "completion" and could be, in context, a "tax".

The Greek for "thinkest" is the word used as a play on words in Matthew 7 for the "beam" as in an "opinion". The "mote" or "twig" is a play on words with "fruit".

The Greek for "tribute" is from the Latin word for "census" which comes from a Latin word meaning "opinion" or "think" and is the source of the English word "censure".

More: Matthew 7:3-5 Beams and motes: the devil is in the details

More: Some cents about the need for a census

The "kings" of the "earth" and/or the "kingdoms" of the "earth" are controlled by Satan to which Jesus does not take issue in the examination (temptation) of Jesus in Matthew 4.

Since the "temple tax" is being related to the "kings" of the "earth", Jesus appears to be associating the religious establishment with the power of Satan.

Does Jesus ever associate the religious establishment with "fishing" for "men" for the purposes of getting their money, as in a "fish" with a "gold" coin from the mouth?

More: Matthew 4:1-11, 6:13: Examining evil temptations

In providing a conflict resolution protocol, for the church, Jesus appears to separate everyone into three distinct groups.that comprise all people.

• "sheep" as in "believers".
• "fish" as in the "sea of humanity" as the "heathen" as in, at worst, "neighbors"
• The (false) religious hierarchy of "birds" and "pigs" as the "tax collectors" as in, at worst, "neighbors".

Where does Jesus associate the religious hierarchy with "tax collectors"? How about in the "temple tax" verses near the end of the previous chapter, Matthew 17.

The Greek for "children" is that of "sons" and can be taken to be Jesus, the disciples (Peter, etc.) and believers in general.

Would that religious establishment give "bad" "gifts" to their "children"? Can taking "money" from their "children" be considered a "bad" "gift"?

More: Good gifts and bad gifts

More: Gifts to children

More: Matthew 5:23-24 Alterated gifts

The Greek for "strangers" is not the usual Greek word for "stranger". The word used appears to be a play on words with "other three" which could be what is sometimes called the "Satanic trinity".

• "ἀλλότριος" ≈ "belonging to another, stranger".
• "ἄλλος" ≈ "other - similar" (of things that are similar in some way).
• "τρία" ≈ "three" (play on words).

John uses this exact word for "stranger" for the one from which "sheep" will "flee" as they know not the voice. John 10:5.

More: Hosting strange and hostile guests and ghosts

More: Matthew 13: Fourth kingdom parable: measures three

• "ἀλλότριος" ≈ "belonging to another, stranger".
• "ἄλλος" ≈ "other - similar" (of things that are similar in some way)
• "τρία" ≈ "three"



More: Other similar differences

Who might the "stranger" be? The Greek for "strangers" is not the usual Greek word for "stranger". The word used appears to be a play on words with "other three" which could be what is sometimes called the "Satanic trinity".

• "ἀλλότριος" ≈ "belonging to another, stranger".
• "ἄλλος" ≈ "other - similar" (of things that are similar in some way).
• "τρία" ≈ "three" (play on words).



More: Hosting strange and hostile guests and ghosts

More: Matthew 13: Fourth kingdom parable: measures three

Paraphrase: ... Who do the (Satan-controlled secular and religious) kings (powers) of the earth take their purpose or opinions? From the sons (Jesus, Peter, believers) or from the other three (Satanic trinity)?

The "other three" has an interesting connection with "pointing the finger" at someone else. The "other three" fingers are pointing back. In psychology, the general idea is called "projection".

• The "sea" represents the "sea" of "humanity". That "salt" of the "sea" can become the "salt" of the "earth".
• The "cast" is the Greek word translated as the "plucking" out of an "eye"
• The "fish" was used as a symbol of early Christianity but was used by Jesus to represent the "sea" of "humanity" of sinners who needed to be saved. Thus, "fishers" of "men".

A better symbol might have been the "sheep" to which the "fish" became.

More: Matthew 5:13: Salt of the earth

More: Salt salted with a salty salt

• The "first" means that it does not matter which "fish" takes the "bait", just take the "first" one.
• The Greek for "hook" is that of an "angle" and is the source of the English word "anchor".



More: An opposite angle on the agony of punishment

More: Hebrew vav as hook and Greek hook, anchor and hug

The exact Greek words for "open the mouth" appear only two times in the GNT and not in the LXX (Septuagint). In Greek, the word "and" before and the word "of his" after the phrase are also the same. Is there a connection?

Jesus "opened his mouth" at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. The religious institution is apparently not interested in the words of Jesus but in "opening mouths" of "fish" attracted to the false "bait" in order to get "money".

The ancient Greek word "στόμα" ≈ "opening, mouth" and is the source of the English medical term "stoma" as an "opening".

A United Methodist saying is: Open hearts, open minds, open doors. Discuss:

• Do churches want "open minds" when those "minds" agree with God and not the church?
• Do churches want "open minds" that disagree with their (often secular human-based) viewpoint?
• Do churches want "open doors" that allow anyone in, even those that disagree with them.

Do churches want "open mouths" when what is said disagrees with their viewpoint?

Would Jesus be welcome to come in the "door"? In Revelation, Jesus is knocking on the door of the church and they will not open it to let him in.

A United Methodist saying is: Open hearts, open minds, open doors.

Do not be so open-minded that your brains fall out. Attributed to G.K. Chesterton (he said something similar in other words), Carl Sagan (1996 book),, space engineer James Oberg, and others.
Much more detailed information: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/04/13/open-mind/ (as of 2024-06-13)

The general idea is that of the Russell paradox. A version of this is the toleration paradox, or, more recently, the hate paradox.

• Hate has no home here.
• We effectively hate (without using that word) anyone we decide is hateful.



More: Self-referential paradoxes

More: Paradox lost: a way to tolerate paradise

The ancient Greek word "στατήρ" ≈ "weight, standard, stater coin". This word appears one time in the GNT and not in the LXX.

It is a possible play on words with the "measures three" in the fourth kingdom parable in Matthew 13.

More: Matthew 13: Fourth kingdom parable: measures three

It is assumed then that Peter does what Jesus says and it works. Nothing unusual there.

It is interesting that some creationists have gone to great lengths to find natural reasons why a fish in that area might have a coin in the mouth.
Creationists tend to focus on the low probability that the first fish would have a gold coin in the mouth. On the other hand, if you can enslave the "fish" as "people", then every "fish" has something of value that can be taken from that "fish" if the mouth is forced open. This is easier via deception rather than force.

Discuss: Does the church ever "fish" for "money"? If so, provide some examples of "bait"? If you are "hooked" on this idea, but have no clue, you will have to wait with "baited" breath.

The Greek translated as "for" is that of "in place of". The religious establishment is not so much concerned about their children such as Jesus, the disciples, believers, etc. The religious establishment is interested in the "money" that can be obtained from the "mouths" of their "children" (to fill the pews, support themselves, etc.).

17:25 ... of whom do the kings (and religious) powers of the earth (controlled by Satan) take their purpose or opinion? Is it from their own sons (Jesus and believers) or of strangers [the other three - references to Satanic trinity]?

17:26 ... then the sons (Jesus and believers) are free (of bondage and tax of sin) [free as in a wheat harvest].

17:27 So that they do not misinterpret (or entrap themselves with) what we are doing (good works outside of the temple), go to the sea (of humanity), cast a hook (trap as they do to their children), and take up the first fish (of humanity) available. Open the mouth (there is gold in the mouths of those fish that are attracted to the false bait), and take that gold [measures three with Satanic illusions] and give it to them in place of you and me (believers) (as all they really want or care about is the money/tax to support themselves).

This is the end of chapter 17.