The ruler of the synagogue was waiting for an
opportunity like this. He didn't want to speak
to Jesus about it but turned on the people,
telling them that there were six days to work;
so on those days men should come and get
healed.

He was a typical representive of his party. He
was narrow-minded and bigoted.

Jesus pointed out to him in front of the people,
the fact that everyone led his ox from the small
stall to water on the Sabbath day. How much
more should this woman who was a daughter
of Abraham be healed on the Sabbath day.

While speaking in one of these

synagogues on the Sabbath day,

Jesus saw a woman bent over
with "a spirit of infirmity."

She had been in this
condition for about eighteen

years, and when Jesus saw her,

He had compassion on her.
Calling the woman to Him,

He laid hands on her
and said, "Woman, thou art loosed from thine
infirmity."

Immediately she straightened and she began to
praise God that she was set free from her infirm-
ity.

Jesus didn't do

as much speaking

in the synagogues

near the end of His

ministry.

When He did, He

went in to teach.

The

rulers would have liked to cast Him out completely,

but He had a spirit of authority that amazed them.

He also had the affection of the people and didn't

dare do anything except watch every move He

made with suspicion.

"And behold, there was

a woman which had a
spirit of infirmity

eighteen years, and

was bowed
together, and could in

no wise lift up herself.

And
when Jesus saw her,

he called her to him, and
said unto her,

Woman, thou art loosed from thine
infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and
immediately she was made straight, and glorified
God.

And the ruler of the synagogue answered with
indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the
sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are
six days in which men ought to work: in them
therefore come and be healed, and not on the
sabbath day." Luke 13:11-17

Custom Search

Some look upon this miracle as

a fable. Because they can't

explain how a coin could get

into a fish's mouth they decide

it couldn't have happened.

Let them explain how the world

was created.
Miracles are not to be explained on the basis of
natural causes. Jesus always had a reason to
perform miracles. If He didn't pay the tax, He
would have been accused of violating the law.
He didn't want people to misunderstand His
actions. So speaking the words to Peter created
a miracle to solve the matter.

Of course Peter wondered where they were going
to get the money to pay this tax. It didn't appear
that they had much with them at that time.

Jesus said to Peter to take his fishing line and
go to the sea and throw it into the water.

Maybe Peter thought that Jesus wanted him
to go back to his fishing occupation to earn the
money. But before he said anything, Jesus
explained he was to catch one fish, open its
mouth, and remove a piece of money. Then he

was to take it
"and give unto
them for me and
thee."

Jesus said, "Then are the children free."

If they paid the tax, it shouldn't be paid by
obligation, but of free and cheerful giving. He
may have claimed exemption from the tax, but
He didn't because it might have been misunder-
stood. To some it may have been seen as a
violation of the Law. So as not to offend them,
He made the contribution.

When Peter came went into the house, he wasn't
sure how to tell Jesus. But Jesus knew everything
that was happening and said to him, "What thinkest
thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth
take custom or tribute? of their own children, or
of strangers?"


Of course Peter said, "Of strangers."

Peter hadn't thought the thing through. The
money was redemption money that a man paid
for the ransom of his soul. And it was to be used
for temple service.

Why should Jesus who was the New Temple
unto God and the Redeemer of all souls pay
this ransom money for His own soul?

It was a demand for payment that He didn't owe.

In the past year Jesus and the disciples had been
traveling around the country, so they weren't
present when the taxes were collected. Now that
they were there, the tax-collectors came to them
to collect.

They asked Peter saying "Doth not your master
pay tribute?" Peter not having talked to Jesus
about it just answered, "Yes."

Most of the disciples were brought up in Caper-
naum, so their return there gave them a chance
to see relatives and friends.

It was custom in Israel that every male over
twenty was to pay tribute money. The money
was devoted to the temple. This tribute was
based on Exodus 30:11-16, where every Israel-
ite paid the money "as a ransom for his soul."
Jesus had paid the tax every year when it was
due.

Jesus and the disciples went back to Galilee. He
had some things He wanted to reveal to them.
He told them that He would be betrayed into the
hands of His enemies, that He would be put to
death, but on the third day would be raised again.

This news affected them so that they failed to get
the significance of His promise that He would be
raised from the dead.

"And when they were come to Capernaum,
they that received tribute money came to Peter,
and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?














He saith, Yes. And when he was come into
the house, Jesus prevented him saying, What
thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings
of the earth take custom or tribute? of their
own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto
him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then
are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we
should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast
an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh
up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou
shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give
unto them for me and thee" Matthew 17:24-27

Custom Search

"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your
unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have
faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say
unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall
be impossible unto you" Matthew 17:20

Jesus speaks of the possiblities of faith, and
tells the disciples that there is a place in God
where "nothing shall be impossible."

The church needs to discover this key to
deliverance.

The scribes, confused and embarrassed, didn't
say anything. The disciples were puzzled but
relieved by Jesus' results.

Later when they got to the house, the disciples
asked Jesus the natural question, "why could
not we cast him out?" Jesus answered them
saying that "This kind can come forth by no-
thing but by prayer and fasting." Mark 9:29

Then something suddenly happened. After the
boy had convulsed, he laid quietly on the ground
as if he were dead.

Some even said he was dead. But the power of
God had struck the evil spirit and the boy's body
fell limp after it left him. Then Jesus took him by
the hand and raised him up and restored him to
his father.

In this case, with this young boy who would not
know how to defend himself against the demon,
Jesus bound it and commanded it to "enter no
more into him."

That is important even today. Some people out
of disobedience are responsible if the spirit or
spirits come back. But if it is a child the demon
should always be bound and commanded not to
ever return to them again.

Jesus didn't just command the evil spirit out of
the boy, but also commanded it to never enter
him again.

He didn't do that to every evil spirit that He
cast out of people. On one occasion He warned
the person who had been delivered if he didn't
walk with God, the evil spirit could come back
and bring seven more with him and his last state
would be worse than the first
Luke 11:24-26.

The father of the boy broke down and cried,
"Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief."
Mark 9:24

It was an irresistable request. Then Jesus turned
to the child, "When Jesus saw that the people
came running together, he rebuked the foul
spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf
spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter
no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent
him sore, and came out of him; and he was as
one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead"
Mark 9:25-26

Custom Search

Regardless of Jesus' compassion for the child, He
had to keep the fact that healing is not on the
basis of need, but on the basis of faith before all
who was there.

"If thou canst do anything, help us" is the kind
of comment that has no faith in it and Jesus had
to change it.

Like a lot of people who came to Jesus for healing,
this father said, "If thou canst do any thing, have
compassion on us, and help us" Mark 9:22.

But this type of statement is not of faith and Jesus
didn't let it pass. Jesus rebuked the man by saying
"If thou canst believe, all things are possible to
him that believeth" Mark 9:23

After the disciples brought the boy to Jesus, He
turned to the father and asked him, "How long
is it ago since this unto him?"

The father said that the seizures began when he
was a child, and that when they came upon him,
he would be thrown at times into the water or the
fire. Only because the family were aware of it that
they all kept a close eye on him he was still alive.

If the disciples had been like some of the theolo-
gians of today, they would have tried to excuse
themselves by saying that it wasn't the will of
God to heal the child. That for some reason or
another God would get greater glory out of the
boy continuing to be possessed by the devil.

But they didn't, they knew that they had failed.
They just didn't know why and Jesus didn't
excuse them either.