What was the purpose of the Temple tax?
The Temple tax (lit. מחצית השקל the half shekel) was a tax paid by Israelites and Levites which went towards the upkeep of the Jewish Temple, as reported in the New Testament.
Why was Jesus exempt from paying taxes?
He was simply free from any tax obligation. As the Son He was not the object or subject of the tax. As the Son He was simply non assessable. As the Son He was Master and Lord of the Temple.
What was the temple tax paid for?
Presently, it is impossible to say with any certainty what coinage was most often used to pay the Temple tax in NT times. Several suitable pieces were available in the Holy Land for this purpose. The best candidates as the preferred coinage for the Temple tax are the Tyrian shekel and half-shekel. See Bek 8:7.
What was the two drachma temple tax?
There was a tax in the days of Jesus called, “the two drachma tax.” It was a temple tax with an obscure history. In Exodus 30:11–16, God instructed Moses to collect a half shekel flat tax from those over the age of twenty. This occurred during the time of the census, which is the Book of Numbers.
What did Jesus say about paying taxes?
So Jesus says to them, “Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God.” So, Jesus did not oppose the payment of taxes. In fact, Jesus paid taxes. We turn to Matthew (who, by the way, was a tax collector before being called to become one of Jesus’ disciples) again.
What did Jesus say about tax collectors?
Jesus said that it was the tax collector who went home justified before God. He concluded, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
How often did Jews pay the Temple tax?
By Jewish religious law, as commanded in the Bible itself (Exodus 30:13; 38:25), every male Jew over the age of 20 had to give an annual contribution to the temple, of “half a shekel”.
When did taxes start in the Bible?
The first record of organized taxation comes from Egypt around 3000 B.C., and is mentioned in numerous historical sources including the Bible.