What Does Jesus' Weird Coin Miracle Mean? | Matthew
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- Опубликовано: 6 окт 2024
- What the heck is going on with this strange passage at the end of Matthew 17 about taxes and fish that eat coins?
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Love your teaching! It's theologically rich, deep, yet light-hearted and easy-to-follow. I also admire your humility. It's easy to get a big head when you have this kind of intelligence, wisdom, and insight. You are a wonderfully gifted teacher. I pray God does even more with all He has given you.
Nice hat yo
I literally just read this yesterday and was thinking "I have no idea what this is about" wow
It's actually Jesus declaring and demonstrating Sonship... I have a rough video on my channel if you want to explore it more 😊
I love listening to you talk about the Bible, you’re so down to earth and you speak with the actual language you use every day. It’s just like listening to a friend having a chat about God. Love ya work!
I don’t know which part I laughed harder about. The way your wife shut down the “fund raiser” hopes of the local police, or your reaction to what she had just done. I’ve not been in that experience but I believe whole heartedly my wife would have done the same thing. God was clearly with you on that trip because you were able to post a video to tell the tale afterwords. Lol. God is good.
And here I thought your thumbnail was an actual silver drachma tarnished by sea bass saliva/stomach acid which you found and purchased on eBay.
Dude, I actually thought about buying one of those Tyrian shekel's for this video, and the legitimately verified ones are several thousand bucks! Yikes!
Love the channel. Makes the Bible interesting and fun. “Wildly attracted” to the channel. God Bless
"....Hey don't we need to make more Luke videos..?"
*Literally starts video in the book of Luke* 😆😆😆😆
That’s actually the first explanation of that passage I ever understood. Thanks.
Everyone check our the No Dumb Questions podcast!! It's a podcast between Destin (Smarter every day) and Matt.
You're making good points.
Holy smokes! I never realized that! I've been subscribed to Destin's channel for a couple years or so and No Dumb Questions for a while but don't seem to watch it much.
I guess there is a Santa Clause Virginia. That's awesome.
Fastest podcast subscribe in history.
Literally just looked it up and the title is of new start here!! Gods plan
Dangit Matt! I've already caught the face disease... Thanks a lot.
Firstly, your wife rocks. As someone from scotland anyone openly holding a weapon including police officers is completely alien to me, I'd of been bricking it haha. Secondly I love how you teach, with openness, and humour. I will forever remember that passage as the transition now, I'd not noticed that before.
I appreciate all your remarks, but most of all, yes she does rock.
Thank you for showing the verse on the screen for those of us that cannot go get our own Bible.
Happy to do so Janet. The idea with these types of videos is to make it accessible without having it be horribly cluttered up.
Okay, some more historical/legal context for the 1/2 shekel tax. It was originally instituted by Moses (or by God through Moses) in Exodus during the first giving of the Law; of course at the time it was for the Tabernacle, not the Temple, which wouldn't be built until King Solomon (though planned by David).
This tax only applied to men of age twenty upward, and it went by the nickname of the "head-lifting" tax for several reasons. It was a way of taking a census (counting heads or faces) of able-bodied men for military service; and was regarded as a provisional offering to register a man for a year so that, if he had to go to war, it would be considered a legitimate legal action and not simply murder: thus the repentance meaning of "head-lifting", too. I think the money could be used to ransom captured Israeli soldiers back if necessary, but I'm not sure.
Now it's interesting that they were still collecting the 1/2-shekel temple tax during the Roman occupation, because culturally speaking as long as they were doing that, they were keeping their options open for either serving in Rome's military (although that seems a dubious application of the tax), OR for rising up in a military rebellion against Roman occupation!
How this got shuffled around to meaning something else more acceptable to Rome, I'm not yet sure. But it not only adds some contextual meaning to what was going on in this incident (both the question to Peter, and how Jesus resolves it), it also adds context to Pilate touching off a riot by using funds gathered specifically for this tax, to work on public infrastructure (an aquaduct if I recall correctly).
The meaning of the 1/2 shekel temple tax as a war-census tax, also lends some preliminary context to the next big scene in GosMatt 18 (also reported with some topically relevant other details in GosMark 9, and partially recorded by Luke with topical portions spread out across into GosLuke 15 and 16). That's where Jesus warns His own apostles that unless / until they stop being so spiritually arrogant, they will by no means be entering into the kingdom, but will be thrown into the unquenchable fire of Gehenna! ("The fire the eonian" as Jesus also calls it in GosMatt 18, connecting verbally later to the judgment of the sheep and the baby goats reported in GosMat 25: "the fire the eonian" was also prepared for the devil and his angels.) There are a lot of interesting details around those portions, but the key detail regarding Peter is that he comes back at some point (perhaps from getting the stater from the fish) and complains to Jesus about having to forgive his brother up to seven times, to which Jesus launches the famous warning parable of the unforgiving chief-servant being thrown to the tormentors for being unmerciful until he pays the final cent of what he owes (which by story context is mercy to other people). In just the same way God will be doing to them (and to us by context, fellow Christians) if we are not forgiving our brother from our heart.
Anyway, in connection with the 1/2 shekel temple tax, the point is that whatever else Jesus meant by paying it (and by paying it in the second-handedly miraculous way), He wasn't saying that He was about to launch a military rebellion to crush the Romans. This of course leads into the incident several weeks later, during His final visit(s) to the Temple, where Jesus encourages paying taxes to Rome: Jesus would be on record paying the 1/2 shekel tax (which ideally should be used to sponsor military action to protect the people of God), and also now on record as being in favor of paying taxes to Rome.
Hey Matt! I'm really curious as to your thoughts on the cursing of the fig tree in Mark 11. I've done some reading on it, but you always make things so interesting and come at then from such a great perspective. Would love to see a video series on the deeper meaning of all of these miracles from the viewpoint of a first century audience! Thanks for all your hard work and God bless!
If you don't bear fruit you are cursed...
That wrapped up very well. What an excellent example the arcade coins make. Well done. Thank You!
Your guidance and logic have been instrumental in my life, since we began watching the TMBH.
I'm not sure what to say to that other than I'm honored to have been allowed to play even a small part in what's happening in your life JP.
I panicked slightly when I didn't see the manatee front and center...you didn't think we would notice or what? This video was great, thanks for your work.
There was no incident, just some office cleaning. !Viva el manatee!
Fun video. Had a place here called Holiday Skate growing up, good times. Love ya brother, you come off as pretty awesome and lovable. Blessings to your ministry and success, all in all glory to Christ Lord Jesus, of the Spirit, and from the Father, all in all GOD all mighty.
Great one!! Thanks Matt. I enjoyed the green coin analogy. I also recently did a study on this peace. What Jesus also did here was create another 'type' of the price to be paid on the cross. The thing is the temple tax was only to be paid by non-residents and therefore Jesus and Peter, being locals, were legally not obligated to pay it... yet Jesus sent Peter to go catch that fish. the coin was also the exact amount needed for the temple tax for 2 persons. The attention can be drawn to the fact that Jesus Himself, in only a few days thereafter will also pay another huge price, that He didn't need to pay.
And, lo, the Tyrian shekel that Peter found was painted with green paint and they were all mystified. Terrific use of a contemporary story to illuminate an ancient one. Thank you!
Loved the tax-man voice at 9:22. Also love the green-quarter-at-the-roller-rink idea.
I'm a master sniveler.
Great insights bro. Its cool how you recalled a specific incident from your life and personal experience that paralleled what was going on in this passage. Very helpful. Thank you.
I loved this! I was familiar with this story, but you told it with a unique context that I greatly enjoyed. :-D
Nice job brother. I think this is the first of your videos I’ve seen, though I may be wrong. I’m now a new subscriber and, thanks to a comment below, I’ve added the No Dumb Questions channel and Smarter Every Day too. I look forward to seeing more of your thoughtful, entertaining presentations.
Hey thanks Klara! I'm delighted you stopped by, and I'm even more delighted you're going to stick around!
The Ten Minute Bible Hour the pleasure’s mine, I’m sure. [curtseys]
14:05 "And acknowledge Him as king,"
And to act in accord with His commandments.
I would say that one would see who it is that acknowledges someone as king by how he behaves. If he acts according to the king's commandmends, he does acknowledge his kingdom. If he says he acknowledges the king as king but does what he wants, even only for parts of the king's commandmends, he really doesn't acknowledge the king as the king and would be called a rebel.
If what you commented here isn't what people imply in "acknowledging" Jesus as king, they really have to start doing that now, otherwise there will be a problem.
Have a good day, Nicholas!
Fantastic video, hadn't really thought about that passage in that way, thank you for making so easy to understand !
Keep up the good work.
The green quarter analogy was great! what a good teacher you are! That and your Destin's buddy ;)
Just found your channel, beautifully explained. The new covenant is definitely way more inclusive to a point that we are now brothers with Christ Jesus, and God is our father, as the, Lord’s Prayer starts “ our father”. You add that in the Old Testament they only address God as father 15 times vs 165 times in the New Testament.
Mind blown brother, love the delivery of the message!
Kind of wish you were a neighbor that would bring this kind of food over for dinner...Really enjoy all of your content, but would also enjoy a dialog. Thank you.
I had no idea what this meant so I read every translation of these above scriptures. I asked the Lord what He meant. He said read in it's entirety. Conclusion: Jesus had shown them (Peter James and John) His transfiguration prior to this in this same chapter. They were highly thrilled I'm sure. They literally were given highly privileged (elite) information from Christ. When they came back "down" they (Peter) were faced with real life mundane daily issue of fees and ordinances. After such great revelation on the mount, it would be easy for them to think the laws and ordinances e.g. (fees, taxes, licenses) of reality of this earthly world should NOT apply to them.
But Peter told Capernaum officials "yes" he would pay to appease them for that moment not sure if what he said was correct. So Jesus is saying you must still live in the reality of this world but in the reality you will still find His divine supernatural miracle works on this earth.
Those "believers" putting real life on hold just waiting for the rapture and/or refusing to pay taxes are not being Biblical.
Lesson: It's great to have mountain top e.g. mount of transfiguration experiences but you still MUST fulfill your earthly Mark 16:15 mission in reality. And the ordinances of the physical realm still apply to the children if GOD.
Part of a larger purpose instituted by God - to restrain evil: 1.) The conscience, 2.) The Family, 3.) The Civil Authority (including taxes and law enforcement) & 4.) The Holy Spirit through the church. John MacArthur has a wonderful sermon on this.
I move that from now on, Spiritual Riches should be referred to as Green Quarters
Thanks for gaming it out Matt! The recap of OT main themes was great. I’ve read/heard this account so many times, but it’s especially meaningful in the context of the Biblical narrative as a whole, and the sub-narrative that Matthew presents. I really like the analogy of the green quarters too.
Nice exposition, funny delivery, thanks. I wonder if the symbology of catching the fish is a bit more, as in if you're a fisher of men for the Lord its like a tribute in his name and a pass into heaven, soul winning.
DenisOhAichir, I agree with you that there is a bit more to the story and, as you suggest, it does have to do with Peter being fishers of men. 'Jesus needed money' in my RUclips content.
Wow nailed it good going. Like Gene Edwards your a master at telling the truth with such away it grabs ya and opens our eyes to a bigger life we live in Christ.
Heard your sermon on this on your churches website. I loved it just as much as this. Thank you!
Thanks for consuming both, and thanks for the encouragement.
In Germany they have something like the 'temple tax'--- a church tax. It is a part of your income tax--you designate which church (Catholic, Reformed, Jewish, etc.) you want your tax to go to. If you are an atheist, you can apply for an exemption---but woe betide you if you are found to be going to church for anything other than weddings, funerals, concerts; you can be had up for tax evasion.
The arcade parallel was freaking excellent. Well put!
Thanks Jorge!
It’s about substitutionary atonement! Such an amazing portion of scripture! And the son shall set you free (John 8) The sons are free. The coin (grace) in the fish’s mouth was not earned. God the Father is the owner of the temple and he would never tax his Son but Jesus freely gives himself for the sons of God. Praise Jesus !
Thank you for the encouraging lesson. Great work. You are the first RUclips content creator to whom I have ever been willing to contribute financially. Keep up the good job.
The encouragement means a lot David. Thanks for being here and thanks for being one of the people who make this thing happen!
Thanks. You explained that really well. I like the way you present Bible study. You have a gift for it. You have no idea how many people I won't even listen to when they talk about the Bible.
The Bible is super interesting and raises all kinds of questions, and it's a book that's been studied and commented on by many of the smartest people in history, so it's a pretty humbling thing to think about and talk about. I like the men and women who enjoy wrestling with it when they talk about it and don't as much enjoy the people who come at it more aggressively. Maybe that's just me, but it sounds like you might have the same preferences.
Happy Pentecost!
Love it, it made m go research even further, especially in other languages in order to connect the volume of word and their meaning, My Friend, You nailed it. THANKS SO MUCH and God bless you
I've definitely read over that passage and take a no notice of it before so that's for the insight, it's a really good point
I love your videos! Thank you so much!
Love you bro!
I’m glad you did this and I like the analogy at the end with the arcade and green quarters. Also, after seeing your video on Pontus Pilate, have you thought about doing a video on Tiberius Caesar who was Roman emperor at the time?
That was a a lot lol....but really deep and interesting. I'll be thinking about this one all day, thanks Matt.
Nice! I remember reading this about 6 months ago and thinking that Jesus was exposing that these people who want tribute don’t care where it comes from as long as they get it and that it’s everywhere, and they just want you to give it to them- something they are not willing to do themselves except amongst themselves. So, for Jesus to request that the coin be brought out from some random pick of fish was no difficulty to find, nor give, be on with it and make no fuss over these people’s demands- this kingdom is full of itself. Your version definitely summed it up much more simply and thorough, yet clearly. Thank You again. Love this channel! And where are your political comments videos?? I heard you mention that you make these in another video. I would love to watch these; I only seen the one about the cow.
Loved the explanation! I thought this passage was about Jesus subtly talking about his position with God (as the son) such that he didn't have to pay the tax because he is the Son of the King. I guess a lingering question is were you indicating something about how the tax wouldn't be necessary in the church? Or how the church is shared amongst everyone who wants to be a part of it. Thanks for the video, and all the podcasts!
10:15-10:28 Too funny."we acted like we knew what you were doing but we didn't know what you were doing"
Thanks Matt. The only improvement you could have made would be to wear an Oklahoma City Thunder shirt.
Maybe I missed it earlier, but where is the manatee? Was there a development in that situation? Excellent explanation of your thoughts on the subject, BTW.
I really like your green quarter analogy! Lots to ponder...
Thanks Jessica - I just wish I'd been allowed to use the green quarters when I was a kid.
I don't think I have EVER heard this story before, I spent my youth with BJU textbooks and church and this is one miracle that I don't hear talked about. I'm glad you find interest in parts of the Bible that don't receive as much attention
It's interesting how much this one blends into the background of the Jesus story. I guess people try to subconsciously block out taxes.
BJU?
Bruce Alan Wilson It's a Christian textbook publisher
@@crowstakingoff I know about Zondervan, Cowley, Seabury, Asbury, Cokesbury, and a few others, but have never heard of BJU. Is it affiliated with Bob Jones University?
Bruce Alan Wilson Yeah it is Bob Jones University
I appreciate the context. It has me pondering about the importance of participation in the communities in which we reside. Do you believe this passage implies that we have a duty or obligation to contribute, spiritually financially and/or physically, to groups that are generally supported by our community, ie PTA, kids sports leagues or philanthropic organizations?
Thanks for the meat my brother! I thought it was just a lesson in respecting authority whether you agree with them or not. This gives more to chew on!
It would seem also that a side meaning of this passage is that we need not make offerings (tax, sacrifice) to Jesus, as in being a follower of his we are one of the King’s family.
Only to show loyalty & acknowledgement of his Kingship is requested in return.
I watched this content yesterday morning and while in conversation found myself noticing that believers opinions concerning God's reason for creating humanity influences much of their belief. Those that consider that God is ever present in their lives do so in concisderations that tends to remove their agency or ability to make their own decision and offers up Christ's omnipotence as predestined with only allowing behaviors or human decisions to choose preset options. Or their belief is that God only appears when called upon by the individual having a tendency to result in the individual to fall victim to notions that they command God or that God is subject to their decisions, "working things out" according to their desires. Which establishes humanity superior to God and such makes God not all powerful or to be worshiped because of their ever present. It makes them genie or god of polytheistic beliefs that is to be persuaded through gifts, compliments or constant attention to give you the things you ask for.
Do you think it could be significant that Matthew didn’t write that Peter then went out and actually caught a fish with a coin in its mouth? In my mind it’s like Jesus was testing (or even teasing) Peter in that passage. When Peter asked Jesus if the temple tax should be paid, Jesus didn’t disagree. However, nor did Jesus let Peter pay the tax in a simple (or even sensible) way. Instead of providing the coin directly, Jesus told Peter to go fish!
That was a lot, but really good. Thank you! 🕊️
re: the coins in the mouth being a miracle or not...
I've heard one definition about how miracles are things that break the physical "laws" (like water to wine or resurrections) and "God's providence" if it stays within the bounds of those laws. So this fish-mouth coin would be God's providence if the fish swallowed the coins and Jesus just knew Peter would catch them, but a miracle if Jesus created the coins or the fish out of nothing. In the end, it doesn't really mater, but I like the differentiation in those two terms.
I think that that is a good distinction.
Thank you sooo much! Honestly i mean it! May God Bless you immensely! Finally the fish and coin parable makes sense x
Hey! So the second temple is Ezra and Nehemia’s not Herod’s. All he did was renovate and expand the platform.
It's weird. Every time I read the bible and get to Ezra and Nehemia I read that they build the temple and the city walls, but the illustrations in my bibles only have the temple of Solomon and the "Temple of Herod" illustrated. And few people talk about the one that Nehemia and Ezra rebuilt. Also, what about the one Ezekiel saw!
Marvin Klein herod’s temple is Ezra’s and Nehemia’s. Ezekiel’s is the Third Temple.
Watching this during Covid, the opening comment is so relevant now lol
Great explanation! Thank you.
On the other hand, Jesus also made it clear that "you will do greater things than I", so it stands to reason that using magical miracles to pay "that which is Caesar's" has in fact been condoned and practiced by the Messiah. I think an exploration of the Early Church relationship to earthly authority would be relevant to this brief interlude in Mathew. I find it amazing when a single word , name, or action vastly changes the entire point of the story when viewed in historical context. Like Simon the Zealot.
Some people are so poor, all they have is money. Praise God for giving us not only His grace and mercy, but also His wisdom.
Thanks Matt. That was really fun and interesting. Please do more like it.
I enjoyed the explanation here. Thanks for clarifying it. At around 18:27-ish you stated that "because all the work here wasn't done yet and we were still in the process of fulfillment" made me wonder about our salvation. So if we are also still in the process of becoming like Christ then how come many of us have stopped confessing our sins and asking for repentance?
I've never understood this passage. I feel I understand it a little better now. Thanks Matt
Awesome Ricky. That's what I'm going for in a nutshell.
I appreciate this channel so much, you seem to have alot of theological knowledge.
Ok. But it was the wording itself i found Intriguing. "So we don't cause them to stumble" it may be a translation issue. But Paul also mentioned this in Romans 14:21. Not on issue of the tax. But on eating food.
What did Jesus mean by "not causing to stumble." its my understanding that He was separating societal norms from what was actually written.
How would someone stumble because other is free or exempt?
17:44 I'm not sure you are quite aware of how little sense your analogy makes.
• What makes the green quarters any different from non-green quarters? Why not just give them ordinary quarters?
• How did they determine who gets the green quarters after they've been used? Is there a divvy out session at the end of the day?
• How does spending money given to you by your parents on games your parents own make you part owner of the entire establishment?
• Are you trying to say that money is something we have in "infinite abundance" so we should give it to kids for free? Does that not contradict the entire concept of currency?
I’m interested in reading more about what the temple taxes were. At 14:46 Matt said he was gonna put a couple of verses up but he forgot to in editing it seems. I know he’s busy and doesn’t have time to come back to this video to edit it, so do any of you fellow commenters know of some of the verses that he was probably going to put up?
Archer-bc6cv, it's been 4 years so you probably have found the source scripture - The details of the tax are found in Ex 30:11-16
Just in case others are still searching.
Just want to say that roller skating rinks still exist today, and they are still just as cool. At least in my head they are.
A family based on faith,faith there will be a coin the fishes mouth. These disciples had seen the works, yet they had not the faith earlier in the chapter to not heal the son with epilepsy. Jesus, Yeshua,- calls them perverse people who have no faith. Having faith in His family is where the relationship starts. Fun analogy of the green coin! A great story to tell people who like to fish.Will we have enough faith that the coin will be there,in the fishes mouth?
Jacques Ellul, a French philosopher and Christian anarchist, notes that the final verse of the Book of Judges (Judges 21:25) states that there was no king in Israel and that "everyone did as they saw fit".[8][9][10] Subsequently, as recorded in the first Book of Samuel (1 Samuel 8) the people of Israel wanted a king "so as to be like other nations".[11][12] God declared that the people had rejected him as their king. He warned that a human king would lead to militarism, conscription and taxation, and that their pleas for mercy from the king's demands would go unanswered. Samuel passed on God's warning to the Israelites but they still demanded a king, and Saul became their ruler.[13][14] Much of the subsequent Old Testament chronicles the Israelites trying to live with this decision.[15]
This is why I like this channel. I first read this, I was like waa...??? It seems simple, then it seems off, then I just seem confused. :) I like the deep dive episodes where we look into these types of verses.
Though, I don't know if I buy entirely what your saying here Matt. I feel like there's something else. Like Jesus is paying the tax because it's not His house. Or not His house anymore. Like, His family's house will not/is not this temple, but be us. IDK That probably makes no sense. :)
theres also a hidden message that connects with the genealogy
"I'm getting theology-y" :D
Great teaching! Loved the green coin story ! wow amazing !! Feedback : it took too long to actually get to the text. Too much background info.
I will admit, I always read this passage and was like “uh....ok”? .
This breakdown completely changed the value i placed on this passage
This may sound cheesey, but I liked the sign off on this video better than your "I'm Matt, this is the Ten Minutes Bible Hour, see you soon". I think the let's do this again soon is more reflective of the tone that you are trying to create on your channel of bringing people along with you in studying the Bible.
I don't know if the difference was intentional or not, but I like it!
It was intentional, and thank you for noticing the little things.
I had never actually understood why Matthew being a tax collector was a big deal to anyone. That comment about how it’s him essentially siding with the occupiers makes so much sense
That was awesome. And, we need a lot! It started to click as you started explaining. But wow! We're the children of Jesus, our King, and we don't pay. ( In His kingdom)
I feel like you got lost in the context and didnt catch the layered subtleties that together become obvious...
1. Peter paid the Tax. 2. Jesus declares SONS as exempt then tells Peter HE is exempt, because the ONLY reason Jesus includes Peter in "WE may not cause offense" is to tell Peter the tax he paid he no longer owes because PETER is a Son TOO! This isnt a "sneaky" passage - it's a radical declaration and demonstration of Sonship ❤ This passage is so quickly run through that almost no one expositing it slows down to exegete the clear implications 😊😊😊
What a nice and deep speech , thank you ,Hany from Cairo Egypt
Thank you Hany!
Hey Matt, I’ve had some questions on how time is represented in the Bible. So I know God (and Jesus and the HS) exist out of time, but what does that look like for Jesus? When the world was made was He already crucified? Or did the crucifixion happening in human time make things different? I’m really liking the theology and philosophy from I get from your videos and some books I’ve been reading, but trying to wrap my head around this is proving to be really hard.
Hi Matt, great video! If you want to do an in-depth book study (of say, Philemon), where's your starting point?
Amazing my friend. Thank you so very much.
I feel like that was a very round-about way of saying that Jesus simply wanted to keep everyone cool
Love your videos, teaching, and down to earth style! Thanks Matt
Wow, clearly a lot of effort went into this video. Great stuff matt! Been following you for like 3 years now
Dang! That's a long run with me. Thanks for being here - I hope you feel like this has improved with time; I'm always trying to get better at this.
@@MattWhitmanTMBH definitely man, more entertaining too
Did i just hear you admit Peter was given a special role apart from all the others?
Well i think peter spoke for jesus when he wasn't suppose to but Jesus being so cool it was like well you already said i pay taxes so go get the coins out of tje fish and pay for us
Hebrews 11 says that by faith the OT Guys did fabulous things. Just wondering if the new family of faith that you referrenced is actually something new. Yes God gave promises to a certain family but I see that faith has always been part of the relationship.
After listening to you on No Dumb Questions for a long time, it's interesting to see what you look like. In my mind's eye, I always imagined you as a skinny version of the Dude from the Big Lebowski with long hair pulled back into a ponytail.
@matt I don't get it. To me it looks like Jesus is saying "since I'm the son, I don't have to pay taxes". Like another confirmation that he's the son of God. That's awesome on itself.
I don't see how this statement should point forward to us being sons and daughters of God. I do believe that's true but I don't see the connection here. Nor do I see what it implicates that we don't have to pay taxes or have "green coins". What could be the explanation of that parable?
" but so we dont offend them", i.e. under the time of GRACE. When the period of Grace has ended, politeness would be misleading