Matthew 17:23

The Lord often foretold to His disciples the mysteries of His passion, in order that when they come to pass, they might be the lighter to them from having been known beforehand.

This seems to be so like a warning He had given above, that a man might easily say that the Lord now repeated what He had said before; yet is it not so; He had not before said that He must be betrayed, but we hear now not only that He must be betrayed, but that He must be "betrayed into the hands of men." The Son of Man indeed was "delivered up" by God the Father according to the Apostle, [Rom 8:32] but different powers gave him up into the hands of men.

Thus does He ever mix the joyful and the grievous; if it grieves them that He is to be put to death, they ought to be gladdened when they hear, "And shall rise again, the third day."

For this is no long time that He speaks of continuing in death, when He says that He shall rise again on the third day.

By this announcement of the Lord the disciples were made very sorrowful, not attending to that He said, "And shall rise again the third day," nor considering what He must be to whom the space of three days was enough to destroy death.

That they were thus made exceeding sorrowful, came not of their lack of faith; but out of their love of their Master they could not endure to hear of any hurt or indignity for Him.

“ And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received the half-shekel came to Peter. ” There are certain kings of the earth, and the sons of these do not pay toll or tribute; and there are others, different from their sons, who are strangers to the kings of the earth, from whom the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute. And among the kings of the earth, their sons are free as among fathers; but those who are strangers to them, while they are free in relation to things beyond the earth, are as slaves in respect of those who lord it over them and keep them in bondage; as the Egyptians lorded it over the children of Israel, and greatly afflicted their life and violently held them in bondage. …

Moreover to the saying, “They that received the half-shekel came to Peter,” you will adduce from Numbers that, for the saints according to the law of God, is paid not a half-shekel simply, but a sacred half-shekel. For it is written, “And thou shalt take five shekels per head, according to the sacred half-shekel.” But also on behalf of all the sons of Israel is given a sacred half-shekel per head. Since then it was not possible for the saint of God to possess along with the sacred half-shekels the profane shekels, so to speak, on this account, to them who do not receive the sacred half-shekels, and who asked Peter and said, “Doth not your master pay the half-shekel?” the Saviour commands the stater to be paid, in which was the half-shekel which was found in the mouth of the first fish that came up, in order that it might be given for the Teacher and the disciple.

118. Matthew continues in these terms: “And when they were come to Capharnaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said to him, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes;” and so on, down to where we read: “Thou shall find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.” He is the only one who relates this occurrence, after the interposition of which he follows again the order which is pursued also by Mark and Luke in company with him.

159. We know what persecutions the body of Christ, that is, the holy Church, suffered from the kings of the earth. Let us therefore here also recognise the words of the Church: “Princes have persecuted me without a cause: and my heart hath stood in awe of Thee” ( ver. 161 ). For how had the Christians injured the kingdoms of the earth, although their King promised them the kingdom of heaven? How, I ask, had they injured the kingdoms of earth? Did their King forbid His soldiers to pay and to render due service to the kings of the earth? Saith He not to the Jews who were striving to calumniate Him, “Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s”? Did He not even in His own Person pay tribute from the mouth of a fish? Did not His forerunner, when the soldiers of this kingdom were seeking what they ought to do for their everlasting salvation, instead o …

12. “Thou, Lord, shalt recompense for me” ( ver. 8 ). I recompense not: Thou shalt recompense. Let mine enemies rage their full: Thou shalt recompense what I cannot.…“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves,” saith the Apostle, “but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.” There is here another sense not to be neglected, perhaps even to be preferred. “Lord” Christ, “Thou shalt repay for me.” For I, if I repay, have seized; Thou hast paid what Thou hast not seized. Lord, Thou shalt “repay for me.” Behold Him repaying for us. They came to Him, who exacted tribute: they used to demand as tribute a didrachma, that is, two drachmas for one man; they came to the Lord to pay tribute; or rather, not to Him, but to His disciples, and they said to them, “Doth not your Master pay tribute?” They came and told Him. …

XX. He was baptized as Man, but He remitted sins as God, not because He needed purificatory rites Himself, but that He might sanctify the element of water. He was tempted as Man, but He conquered as God; yea, He bids us be of good cheer, for He has overcome the world. He hungered, but He fed thousands; yea, He is the Bread that giveth life, and That is of heaven. He thirsted, but He cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. Yea, He promised that foun tains should flow from them that believe. He was wearied, but He is the Rest of them that are weary and heavy laden. He was heavy with sleep, but He walked lightly over the sea. He rebuked the winds, He made Peter light as he began to sink. He pays tribute, but it is out of a fish; yea, He is the King of those who demanded it. …