17. Wherefore those Hebrew youths, Ananias, Azarias, Misael, and that wiser Daniel, who would not worship the image of the king, who received it not, nor any thing from the king’s table, were not bound to pay tribute. For they possessed nothing that was under the power of an earthly king. And so their followers, they whose portion is God, pay no tribute. And so the Lord says, _Render_, that is, Do ye render, who have brought forth the image of Cæsar, with whom it is found, but I owe nothing to Cæsar, because I have nothing in this world. _The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me._ Peter owes nothing, nor the Apostles, because _they are not of this world_ though _they are in this world. I have sent them into this world_, but now _they are not of this world_, because with Me they are above the world. Sidenote: S. Matt. xvii. 27. Sidenote: Gal. iv. 4. 18. So that which belongs to the Divine Law, not to Cæsar, is that which is commanded to be paid. Yet even this He that was perfect, that is, the preacher of the Gospel, no longer owed, for He had preached more. The Son of God owed it not, nor did Peter who was by grace an adopted son of the Father. _Notwithstanding_, says He, _lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a 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_. O great mystery! He gives that half-shekel which the Law commanded, He refuses not what is of the Law, for He was _made of a woman, made under the Law_. ‘Made,’ I say, as regards His incarnation; ‘of a woman,’ as regards the sex; woman is the sex, virgin in the species; the sex relates to her nature, the virgin to her integrity. For wherein He came _under the Law_, therein He was _made of a woman_, that is, in the body. On this account He commands a shekel to be paid for Him and Peter, for both were born _under the Law_. He commands it to be paid then according to the Law, that _He might redeem those who are under the Law_. Sidenote: Deut. xxx. 14. Sidenote: Rom. x. 10. 19. And yet He commands a stater to be paid that they might have their mouths closed, and so not commit sin by excess of talking. And He bids that to be given which was found in the mouth of the fish, that they might acknowledge the Word. For why was it that they who exacted what was of the Law, knew not what was the Law? For they ought not to have been ignorant of the Word of God; for it is written, _The Word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart_. He therefore paid the whole shekel to God, who reserved no part for the world. For it is to God that righteousness, which is the moderation of the mind, is paid; to God is paid the keeping of the tongue, which is the moderation in speech. _For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation._