ACC ~ Matthew 17 v27

THE FISH A FIGURE FOR THE CHURCH

APOLLINARIS: He establishes himself as lord and master of the sea, of the things in it and of all the elements, as the true Son of God the Father. For this fish provides a type of the church: once [it was] held by the brine of faithlessness and superstition, submerged in the depths of the sea and swamped by the storms and distress of worldly pleasures. But now [it is] raised up by the apostles’ hook of teaching and the fishing nets of the Word to the knowledge of God, of him “who calls us from darkness to his amazing light.” [1] FRAGMENT 88. [2]

[1] 1 Pet 2:9.

[2] MKGK 28.

FIND A SHEKEL IN THE FISH’S MOUTH AND GIVE IT

CHRYSOSTOM: Elsewhere, however, he despises the offense, [1] when he was talking about foods, [2] teaching us to know the times when we must take account of those being offended and when to disregard them. And in the manner of giving or paying the tax, he discloses himself again. Why does he not tell Peter to give of what they have laid up? So that, as I said, in this too he might show that he is God of all and that he rules even the sea. He had already demonstrated this when he rebuked it and by his commanding Peter to walk on the waves. [3] Now again he signifies the same thing, though in another way, yet so as to cause great amazement. For it was not a small thing to predict that the fish carrying the tribute would be the first one caught in those depths or that the net thrown into the deep would obey his command and would bring in the fish carrying the coin. Thus it is an act of divine and unutterable power. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 58.2. [4]

[1] Scandalon, stumbling block.

[2] Mt 15:11-20.

[3] Mt 14:29.

[4] PG 58:567; NPNF 1 10:359.

GIVE IT TO THEM FOR ME AND FOR YOURSELF

ORIGEN: This coin was not in Jesus’ house but happened to be in the mouth of a fish in the sea. This too, I think, was a result of God’s kindness. It was caught and came up on the hook belonging to Peter, who was the fisher of men. That which is figuratively called a fish was caught in order that the coin with the image of Caesar might be taken from it, that it might take its place among those which were caught by them who have learned to become fishers of men. Let him, then, who has the things of Caesar render them to Caesar, [1] that afterwards he may be able to render to God the things of God. But since Jesus is the image of God the unseen and did not have the image of Caesar (for there was nothing in him that had anything to do with the prince of this world), [2] he therefore took the image of Caesar from a suitable place in the sea, so as to pay it to the kings of the earth as the contribution of himself and his disciple. Jesus did this so that those taking the half-shekel might not suppose Jesus to be in debt either to them or to the kings of the earth. For he paid the debt, one he had never taken on or possessed or used to buy anything or made his personal possession, to prevent the image of Caesar ever being alongside the image of the invisible God. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 13.10. [3]

[1] Mt 22:21.

[2] In sharp contrast to Apollinaris (cf. p. 64. n. 2), Origen interprets the Roman emperor as a symbol of the devil, the prince of this world. Christ is the fish, and the coin found in its mouth signifies the ransom that he has paid the devil to free humankind, which through sin had become the devil’s slave. The fact that the coin was found in the sea (symbolic of the world) indicates that Christ did not take it from his dominion but from that of the devil, to show that he was not the devil’s slave as was his disciple Peter, who here symbolizes humanity set free by Christ.

[3] GCS 40:207-8; ANF 9:481.

GO TO THE SEA

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: He was also able to take the coin out of the earth, but he did not do so. [Instead he] made the miracle out of the sea, so that he might teach us the mystery rich in contemplation. For we are the fish snatched from the bitter disturbances of life. It is just as if we have been caught out of the sea on the apostles’ hooks. In their mouths the fish have Christ the royal coin, which was rendered in payment of debt for two things, for our soul and for our body. Also for two peoples, the Jews and the Gentiles. Also in the same way for the poor and the wealthy, since the old law clearly demanded the payment of the half-shekel from both rich and poor alike. FRAGMENT 212. [1]

[1] MKGK 222-23.