A man told me, when I invited him to a Bible study meeting, that he had neither time nor interest -- all he wanted to do was go fishing. There are many wonderful fish stories in the Bible, all of them centering in Christ. But one story in particular comes to mind.

Christ was in Galilee, pushed out of Judah by the priests and rulers. His ministry is fast closing, as His murderers close in. In His mind, He sees the scenes of Calvary, where His feet are now heading. Knowing His fate, He attempts to prepare His disciples for the soon-coming events which will tempt their faith and dash their hopes. He wants to spend some quiet time with them.

But while at Capernaum with His disciples, the collector of the temple revenue approaches Peter one day with the question, "Doth not your master pay tribute?" Matthew: 17:24. (Once again, Christ's enemies were seeking to trap Him.) Peter, in his usual bravado for the Master, shot back, "Of course He does. What kind of insinuating question is that? Are you implying He's not a loyal Jew?" Poor Peter, once again proving he knows not himself and his ignorance, nor Christ and His mission.

Some classes of Jews were exempt from the payment of tribute. Levites were set apart for the service of the sanctuary, and thus exempt from the tax, as were prophets. In requiring this tribute from Jesus, the rabbis were setting aside His claim as a prophet and were dealing with Him as they would commonplace people. If He refused to pay, He would be presented as disloyal to the temple, while, if He paid, it would justify their rejection of Him as a prophet. Was Christ backed into a corner? Never! There were no corners in His life, which unfolded according to the Father's will. No corners for the anointed One, "who was to come," to settle all arguments about His Father, to convince unbelievers, to propel the collective conscience of mankind, even the fishermen of West Virginia. This is how He convinced the fisherman, Peter.

When Peter entered the house where Christ was staying, Christ had a question for Him. "Peter, does a king collect tribute (taxes) from his own children, or from the strangers he has conquered?" Peter answered, "From strangers." And Jesus said, "Then the children are free." Christ the Son of God was under no such obligation as were the children of Israel, to maintain the service of the temple. Since priests and Levites were exempt because of their connection with the temple, how much more was Christ exempt, as the temple was the home of His heavenly Father?

If He paid the tribute without a protest, He would virtually have acknowledged the claim denying His divinity. But while He saw good to meet the demand, He denied the claim upon which it was based. In providing for the payment, He gave evidence of His divine character. He told Peter, "I am the only begotten Son of the God whose temple they want taxes for." "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 17:27

Oh! The almost incredible Jesus (see Mark 9:24) has done it again: foiled his assassins, pulled out His divine credentials and blown poor fisherman Peter's mind!

When you meet a man like this, your fish-for-fishing days are over. To any and all fishermen who leave their nets, their hooks, their beautiful days along WV's wonderful river beds to work for Him, to all these, Christ makes a promise of a far more rewarding catch: MEN! There's something infinitely more rewarding about catching men.

It was evident to the befuddled, bickering disciples and the murderous priests and rulers that here stood the Creator, who said of Himself, "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof." Psalm 50:10-12.

Come, then, fishermen, you have time for Him, the ruler of the whole earth, the One who wants to spend time with you. What do you think, Peter, Randy, Bob, Ted, Dick, Tom, Harry, etc? Listen to Him in His word, where you can read lots of great fish stories.