The Art of the Balanced Response

In Matthew 17:24-27, Jesus is asked by money collectors (through Peter) to pay the annual Temple tax which went to support its upkeep. As one follows Jesus through the Gospel accounts, you grow to expect that he might refuse to pay in this instance. Again and again, he has gone against the status quo, exposing the superficial religion the Jewish leaders were trying to pawn off to the people. However, in this instance, Jesus goes along with what is expected – he pays the tax.

Even so, this is hardly all there is to notice in this passage. We also notice that he explains to Peter that neither he nor the disciples are required to pay this tax. Jesus, as the Son of God, and the disciples adopted into God’s household as his brothers are exempt from this – because kings don’t tax their own children. He only pays the tax to avoid offense, to avoid confusing the collectors and all who would hear that Jesus did not pay the tax.

What we have here is a perfect example of what it means to offer a balanced response – articulating the truth in the situation while in this case honoring what is expected because it is not outside the bounds of what is permitted. Jesus is a true artist in the balanced response. He is aware that he speaks not only by his words but also by his actions. So when he does act in ways that confound others, like letting his disciples pick grain on the sabbath, it’s not done thoughtlessly or from an urge to transgress and offend. Everything he does is an intentional act of communication.

We live in a society that is unfamiliar with balanced responses. On the one hand, you have those who just “tell it like it is” and give no consideration about what their tone and actions are communicating to others. These types would call Jesus a sell-out because he paid the tax. On the other hand, you have those who wilt under social pressure and feverishly regurgitate and act out what others expect them to say and do. These types would feign moral outrage that Jesus could even say that he and his disciples were exempt. Of course, Jesus sets forth the perfect balance – he speaks the truth, but he also pays the tax.

Of course, we can’t just copy and paste Jesus’s response here to every situation. On some occasions, we will need to both speak the truth and refuse to comply with expectations. Likewise, there will be some occasions when we shouldn’t even offer our commentary and should just comply. This is because offering a balanced response is more art than science. It is more wisdom than mere knowledge.

Scripture captures this poignantly in the wisdom of Proverbs which offers some paradoxical instruction in answering fools:

[4] Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.

[5] Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

- Proverbs 26:4-5 [ESV]

As I’ve heard one commentator explain, the point here is that the wise person will know when he should and should not answer. For ourselves then, we shouldn’t try to mimic the pre-packaged responses that various cultural voices offer. We should aspire to follow the wisdom of Christ by honoring the truth both in our words and actions while avoiding those responses which might recklessly obscure the truth and lead others astray.  

Rev. Tom Loghry

Tom Loghry is the senior pastor of Rockland Community Church in North, Scituate, RI. He is a graduate of the Berkshire Institute for Christian Studies, Toccoa Falls College (B.S. Pastoral Ministry), and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.A. Theology). He is continuing his graduate studies in the area of “Ethics & Society” at GCTS.

Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.