"Then are the children free," said Jesus, meaning that since this tribute money was for the maintenance of His Father's house, He, the Son, would not have to pay it; but he added:
"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."
This experience must have impressed Peter with the fact that it is better to suffer offense than to give offense.
A LESSON IN FORGIVENESS
About this same time, Peter asked the question:
"Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?"[[3]]
Perhaps Peter had already been required to settle some difficulty between angry men, or it may be that he had been provoked during a dispute that arose among the disciples as to who was the greatest among them. If some one had taunted him several times about his being the greatest, it is quite probable that his patience was exhausted. At any rate, he wanted to know if there is a limit to the number of times a man should forgive his brother. What a lesson Jesus taught this impetuous apostle when he answered,
"I say not unto thee, until seven times; but until seventy times seven."[[4]]
Then, to make the teaching more impressive, the Lord told them the parable of the unmerciful debtor.
A certain king took account of his servants for those who had collected his revenue, and found that one owed him ten thousand talents or about fifteen million dollars. This debt the servant could not pay, so the king commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had.[[5]]