November 18

“Therefore the sons are free, But, lest we cause them to stumble. . .give unto them for me and thee." Matthew 17:26. 27

God had never laid it down that his Son must pay the Temple tax, and as Son of God there was no necessity for him to do anything whatever about it. Indeed, we might feel that for him to do so would be to put himself in the wrong position of the "stranger" (verse 25). Then why did he do it? “Lest we cause them to stumble."

Has it occurred to you that the very Son of God himself uttered these words? There could of course be no question at any time of his evading a duty; but that was not the point at issue here. It was a question rather of his discarding a privilege. This is the way of the cross, and the principle is a significant and searching one. The cross of Christ presents us with this expression of God's will: namely, that like him, we are required to forego what we might enjoy, in order that others be not offended.