Jesus Doesn't Offend
Matthew 17:24-27
Message #8
Our last message was “Jesus Offends,” and now here we are in the very next message with the title, “Jesus Doesn’t Offend.” So, which is it? Does Jesus offend, or doesn’t he offend? And the answer is – both.
And so, if Jesus does offend and he doesn’t offend, then what determines whether Jesus does offend or doesn’t offend? And that is the question. And so, now that we have the right question, we can look at God’s Word for the answer.
We are in our eighth message loosely following the book “The Bait of Satan” by John Bevere, which I’d recommend for any Christian who must interact at some point with any other Christian.
Again, the question we are answering today is if Jesus both does offend and doesn’t offend, then what determines whether Jesus does offend or doesn’t offend?
Let me give you two quotes from John Bevere that easily answer this question.
1). Jesus did not compromise truth in order to keep people from being offended
2). Jesus never caused an offense in order to assert his own rights
This is so big to me.
Jesus NEVER compromised the truth in order to keep people from being offended, BUT Jesus NEVER caused an offense by asserting his own rights or privileges.
If we, in love, refuse to compromise the truth of God and it offends somebody, then – as Jesus did – we let that lie. But, may we never, ever cause an offense by asserting our own rights or privileges as Christians.
Jesus offended people as a result of either obeying the Father or as a result of caring for and serving other people, but Jesus never offended anyone by demanding his own rights or privileges.
The Pharisees were offended when Jesus healed on the Sabbath. His Disciples were offended by the deeper truths of the Kingdom that Jesus Taught. Mary and Martha were offended when Jesus delayed coming to heal their brother Lazarus. But you will never find Jesus offending any person by exercising his own rights or privileges.
Matthew 17 starts with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. And then in the section starting in verse 14, Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy, and in the process, Jesus says some things that could’ve easily offended his own Disciples. Then again, starting in verse 22, Jesus says some things about his upcoming death that really grieved the Disciples and again could have easily offended them.
But then, in verse 24, we find Jesus going out of his way to not offend the Temple tax collectors. I’m going to use the ESV in these verses in order to make one point really clear.
Matthew 17:24 (ESV)
24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax (Temple tax) went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?”
All Jewish males were required to pay the Temple tax. It supported the functioning of the Temple and the Priests who cared for it, and so the collectors of the Temple tax say to Peter, “Is Jesus NOT going to pay the Temple tax?”
Matthew 17:25 (ESV)
25 He (Peter) said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first (knowing what was going on), saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?”
This Greek word translated “sons” can refer to “their own people” or “family,” but most translators agree sons is better here because it seems clear that Jesus is making a direct correlation to himself in this question. And so, Jesus asks Simon, do kings take tax from their sons or from others? And then we read,
Matthew 17:26 (ESV)
26 And when he (Peter) said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. (meaning free from paying taxes)
Jesus is saying the sons of the king don’t pay taxes; instead, they receive the benefit from the taxes. And who is the King of the Temple? God the Father. And who is the Son of the King? Jesus.
Jesus is saying I am the Son of the King of the Temple, and so I am not obligated to pay this tax. In fact, it is my right, my privilege to benefit from this tax, not to pay it.
Do you see that? But next, we read,
Matthew 17:27 (ESV)
27 However (Jesus says to Peter), not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
Do you think the lesson here is that Jesus has the ability to put a shekel in a fish’s mouth? No, that is not the lesson.
The lesson is Jesus had the right; he had the privilege to not pay the Temple tax. But Jesus says in verse 27, in order to not offend them,” I’ll slip a coin in a fish’s mouth (which is kind of fun), and then Peter can pay for both of us. But I believe Jesus did it, more importantly, to make our point today.
Jesus never offended a person by exercising his own rights or his own privileges…(do you see that here?)
Jesus allowed people to be offended when he was obeying God or serving other people, but Jesus never offended anyone by exercising his own rights or privileges.
At the top of Galatians 5, the NLT says, “Freedom in Christ,” but we’ll use the ESV one more time here today.
Galatians 5:1 (ESV)
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (meaning slavery to the law)
This word “freedom” can be translated “liberty” as in “We have liberty in Christ,” meaning we are free from the demands of the Law of Moses, and then Paul goes on a tirade against the Judaizers who are demanding that gentile Christians get circumcised. Circumcision was the sign that you would keep all of the Mosaic Law. And so, it was like how baptism is our sign that we are going to follow Jesus, so circumcision was the sign you would follow all the laws of Moses. And for eleven verses, Paul encourages the new Christians to hold on to their freedom in Christ and not be swayed by these legalistic Judaizers. Ending in verse 12 where Paul says he wishes those legalistic Judaizers would castrate themselves!!
Then, in verse 13, we see the other side of this coin. The first side is hold on to your liberty (freedom) in Christ. The other side is do not use your liberty as license to operate in your flesh.
Galatians 5:13 (ESV)
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers (that’s our word, liberty). Only do not use your freedom (your liberty) as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
The contrast in this verse is either
Operate in the FLESH – or –
through LOVE serve one another
And so, here, “operating in the flesh” is the opposite of loving and serving one another. (See it?) In this context, operating in the flesh, this opportunity for the flesh is doing something that is not motivated by loving and serving one another. This is confirmed in verse 14.
Galatians 5:14 (ESV)
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Here’s the point of this section of Galatians 5.
Loving and serving one another takes priority over your freedom in Christ.
In other words, if we are offending someone by exercising our liberty and our freedom in Christ, then we are operating in the flesh, and we are doing the opposite of what we see Jesus do.
Can we apply this to our lives? Can we think of something that we have the freedom (liberty) in Christ to do, but if our freedom (liberty) in Christ to do that thing offends another Christian, then shouldn’t we re-think doing that thing?
Listen to this text from 1 Peter Chapter 2.
1 Peter 2:16–17 (NLT)
16 For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.
17 Respect everyone, and love the family of believers . . .
Having respect and love for the family of believers takes priority over your freedom in Christ.
Let me give you one more example. In both Romans and 1 Corinthians, Paul directly addresses the believer’s freedom (liberty) to eat meat that may have been sacrificed to idols. It is so much good reading; I wish I could just read it all to you – but I can’t. I’ll read what I can, but please, you go home and read the rest. Let me give you the scripture references.
Romans 14:1-15:5
1 Corinthians 8:1-13 and 9:19-23
Both of these sections deal with Christians eating meat that may have been sacrificed to idols. But for most of us, that specific concern is probably not an issue for us personally. So, we have to ask ourselves, how does this apply to our lives specifically and personally?
Let’s read some. We’ll start in Romans 14. Romans 14 begins with a warning to not criticize or pass judgment on one another, and the Holy Spirit uses food and what day of the week to worship on to get things started. Then we pick it up in verse 13.
Romans 14:13 (NLT)
13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
Today, we are focused on offense and when to not offend. And here, verse 13 says Decide to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
And then, I can’t help but read a long stretch here in Romans 14, verses 14-21. And remember, this is really not about eating, but it is about how we choose to live.
Romans 14:14–21 (NLT)
14 I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.
15 And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.
16 Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good.
17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.
19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
20 Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble.
21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.
Today, we are talking about when to not offend, and the New Testament is very clear. It’s not “live so we don’t offend”; it’s “when do we not offend.” We know when Jesus offended – when he was obeying God or serving others. And we know when Jesus refused to offend. When he had the choice to exercise rights, and privileges, and freedoms that belonged to him. He sacrificed his own rights, and privileges, and freedoms for the good of others. We are called to not offend others by exercising our rights or our liberty in Christ. Is that making sense?
Okay, I have to do just a little bit of 1 Corinthians Chapter 8 as well. 1 Corinthians also starts with addressing food offered to idols and addressing the believer’s right (their liberty) to eat food that may have been offered to idols. But then we pick it up in verses 9-13.
1 Corinthians 8:9–13 (NLT)
9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.
10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol?
11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed.
12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them (by your example) to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ.
13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.
The point is, when someone comes over that doesn’t eat meat, don’t serve steak. Have a salad, and then eat the steak after they leave.
Today we are talking about when to not offend, and the New Testament is very clear, we are called to not offend another believer by exercising our rights, or our liberty, or our freedom in Christ.
Finally, John Bevere calls these next verses “The Edification Test.”
The question is:
Are our actions beneficial
Do our actions build up those around us
Do our actions edify (strengthen) those watching our actions
The Edification Test
1 Corinthians 10:23–24 & 31 (NLT)
23 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial (edifying).
24 Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others . . .
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
And we glorify God when we put the good of others higher than our own freedoms.
As we grow in our commitment to not offend others, may we always ask ourselves, am I more committed to exercising my own rights or edifying those around me?
May we always prioritize the good of others over exercising our own rights.
This is what the Lord has called us to.
And so, if Jesus does offend and he doesn’t offend, then what determines whether Jesus does offend or doesn’t offend? And that is the question. And so, now that we have the right question, we can look at God’s Word for the answer.
We are in our eighth message loosely following the book “The Bait of Satan” by John Bevere, which I’d recommend for any Christian who must interact at some point with any other Christian.
Again, the question we are answering today is if Jesus both does offend and doesn’t offend, then what determines whether Jesus does offend or doesn’t offend?
Let me give you two quotes from John Bevere that easily answer this question.
1). Jesus did not compromise truth in order to keep people from being offended
2). Jesus never caused an offense in order to assert his own rights
This is so big to me.
Jesus NEVER compromised the truth in order to keep people from being offended, BUT Jesus NEVER caused an offense by asserting his own rights or privileges.
If we, in love, refuse to compromise the truth of God and it offends somebody, then – as Jesus did – we let that lie. But, may we never, ever cause an offense by asserting our own rights or privileges as Christians.
Jesus offended people as a result of either obeying the Father or as a result of caring for and serving other people, but Jesus never offended anyone by demanding his own rights or privileges.
The Pharisees were offended when Jesus healed on the Sabbath. His Disciples were offended by the deeper truths of the Kingdom that Jesus Taught. Mary and Martha were offended when Jesus delayed coming to heal their brother Lazarus. But you will never find Jesus offending any person by exercising his own rights or privileges.
Matthew 17 starts with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. And then in the section starting in verse 14, Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy, and in the process, Jesus says some things that could’ve easily offended his own Disciples. Then again, starting in verse 22, Jesus says some things about his upcoming death that really grieved the Disciples and again could have easily offended them.
But then, in verse 24, we find Jesus going out of his way to not offend the Temple tax collectors. I’m going to use the ESV in these verses in order to make one point really clear.
Matthew 17:24 (ESV)
24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax (Temple tax) went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?”
All Jewish males were required to pay the Temple tax. It supported the functioning of the Temple and the Priests who cared for it, and so the collectors of the Temple tax say to Peter, “Is Jesus NOT going to pay the Temple tax?”
Matthew 17:25 (ESV)
25 He (Peter) said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first (knowing what was going on), saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?”
This Greek word translated “sons” can refer to “their own people” or “family,” but most translators agree sons is better here because it seems clear that Jesus is making a direct correlation to himself in this question. And so, Jesus asks Simon, do kings take tax from their sons or from others? And then we read,
Matthew 17:26 (ESV)
26 And when he (Peter) said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. (meaning free from paying taxes)
Jesus is saying the sons of the king don’t pay taxes; instead, they receive the benefit from the taxes. And who is the King of the Temple? God the Father. And who is the Son of the King? Jesus.
Jesus is saying I am the Son of the King of the Temple, and so I am not obligated to pay this tax. In fact, it is my right, my privilege to benefit from this tax, not to pay it.
Do you see that? But next, we read,
Matthew 17:27 (ESV)
27 However (Jesus says to Peter), not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
Do you think the lesson here is that Jesus has the ability to put a shekel in a fish’s mouth? No, that is not the lesson.
The lesson is Jesus had the right; he had the privilege to not pay the Temple tax. But Jesus says in verse 27, in order to not offend them,” I’ll slip a coin in a fish’s mouth (which is kind of fun), and then Peter can pay for both of us. But I believe Jesus did it, more importantly, to make our point today.
Jesus never offended a person by exercising his own rights or his own privileges…(do you see that here?)
Jesus allowed people to be offended when he was obeying God or serving other people, but Jesus never offended anyone by exercising his own rights or privileges.
At the top of Galatians 5, the NLT says, “Freedom in Christ,” but we’ll use the ESV one more time here today.
Galatians 5:1 (ESV)
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (meaning slavery to the law)
This word “freedom” can be translated “liberty” as in “We have liberty in Christ,” meaning we are free from the demands of the Law of Moses, and then Paul goes on a tirade against the Judaizers who are demanding that gentile Christians get circumcised. Circumcision was the sign that you would keep all of the Mosaic Law. And so, it was like how baptism is our sign that we are going to follow Jesus, so circumcision was the sign you would follow all the laws of Moses. And for eleven verses, Paul encourages the new Christians to hold on to their freedom in Christ and not be swayed by these legalistic Judaizers. Ending in verse 12 where Paul says he wishes those legalistic Judaizers would castrate themselves!!
Then, in verse 13, we see the other side of this coin. The first side is hold on to your liberty (freedom) in Christ. The other side is do not use your liberty as license to operate in your flesh.
Galatians 5:13 (ESV)
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers (that’s our word, liberty). Only do not use your freedom (your liberty) as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
The contrast in this verse is either
Operate in the FLESH – or –
through LOVE serve one another
And so, here, “operating in the flesh” is the opposite of loving and serving one another. (See it?) In this context, operating in the flesh, this opportunity for the flesh is doing something that is not motivated by loving and serving one another. This is confirmed in verse 14.
Galatians 5:14 (ESV)
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Here’s the point of this section of Galatians 5.
Loving and serving one another takes priority over your freedom in Christ.
In other words, if we are offending someone by exercising our liberty and our freedom in Christ, then we are operating in the flesh, and we are doing the opposite of what we see Jesus do.
Can we apply this to our lives? Can we think of something that we have the freedom (liberty) in Christ to do, but if our freedom (liberty) in Christ to do that thing offends another Christian, then shouldn’t we re-think doing that thing?
Listen to this text from 1 Peter Chapter 2.
1 Peter 2:16–17 (NLT)
16 For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.
17 Respect everyone, and love the family of believers . . .
Having respect and love for the family of believers takes priority over your freedom in Christ.
Let me give you one more example. In both Romans and 1 Corinthians, Paul directly addresses the believer’s freedom (liberty) to eat meat that may have been sacrificed to idols. It is so much good reading; I wish I could just read it all to you – but I can’t. I’ll read what I can, but please, you go home and read the rest. Let me give you the scripture references.
Romans 14:1-15:5
1 Corinthians 8:1-13 and 9:19-23
Both of these sections deal with Christians eating meat that may have been sacrificed to idols. But for most of us, that specific concern is probably not an issue for us personally. So, we have to ask ourselves, how does this apply to our lives specifically and personally?
Let’s read some. We’ll start in Romans 14. Romans 14 begins with a warning to not criticize or pass judgment on one another, and the Holy Spirit uses food and what day of the week to worship on to get things started. Then we pick it up in verse 13.
Romans 14:13 (NLT)
13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
Today, we are focused on offense and when to not offend. And here, verse 13 says Decide to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
And then, I can’t help but read a long stretch here in Romans 14, verses 14-21. And remember, this is really not about eating, but it is about how we choose to live.
Romans 14:14–21 (NLT)
14 I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.
15 And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.
16 Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good.
17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.
19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
20 Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble.
21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.
Today, we are talking about when to not offend, and the New Testament is very clear. It’s not “live so we don’t offend”; it’s “when do we not offend.” We know when Jesus offended – when he was obeying God or serving others. And we know when Jesus refused to offend. When he had the choice to exercise rights, and privileges, and freedoms that belonged to him. He sacrificed his own rights, and privileges, and freedoms for the good of others. We are called to not offend others by exercising our rights or our liberty in Christ. Is that making sense?
Okay, I have to do just a little bit of 1 Corinthians Chapter 8 as well. 1 Corinthians also starts with addressing food offered to idols and addressing the believer’s right (their liberty) to eat food that may have been offered to idols. But then we pick it up in verses 9-13.
1 Corinthians 8:9–13 (NLT)
9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.
10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol?
11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed.
12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them (by your example) to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ.
13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.
The point is, when someone comes over that doesn’t eat meat, don’t serve steak. Have a salad, and then eat the steak after they leave.
Today we are talking about when to not offend, and the New Testament is very clear, we are called to not offend another believer by exercising our rights, or our liberty, or our freedom in Christ.
Finally, John Bevere calls these next verses “The Edification Test.”
The question is:
Are our actions beneficial
Do our actions build up those around us
Do our actions edify (strengthen) those watching our actions
The Edification Test
1 Corinthians 10:23–24 & 31 (NLT)
23 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial (edifying).
24 Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others . . .
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
And we glorify God when we put the good of others higher than our own freedoms.
As we grow in our commitment to not offend others, may we always ask ourselves, am I more committed to exercising my own rights or edifying those around me?
May we always prioritize the good of others over exercising our own rights.
This is what the Lord has called us to.