You unbelieving and perverse generation

 Matthew 17:14-27

“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?” “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Why?

The disciples could not rebuke the demon, because they have not faith to drive the demon out. So Jesus said you unbelieving and perverse generation. We knew and have been disciples of Jesus, but when trouble came we are easy to fall into grieve and hopeless situations. Because our faith is little.

Real faith may induce the action to face it. It is leading by the Holy Spirit.

The second time Jesus said he will be killed and raised to life three days later, but his disciple could not understand it, and they were filled with grief. Their hope is on Jesus to be the King in Israel.

Jesus doesn't have to pay the temple tax, but they are under the authority of this world, so Jesus let Peter pay the tax.

How?

Be strong and encourage in our faith, for Jesus is the Lord, focus on Jesus instead of on our problem.