The story of the coin in the fish's mouth in Matthew 17:27 has usually been interpreted as an artificial, folkloric interpolation into a straightforward pericope about providence. This article argues that the miracle is in fact an essential element of the pericope, and that it illuminates Matthew's understanding of Jewish-Roman relations. The concept of "occult economies," as developed by the anthropologists John and Jean Comaroff, illustrates how certain cultures see supernatural events as having a direct impact on economic systems. The miracle in this story can therefore be seen as a statement about supernatural power in an enchanted world.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Albright, W.F., and C.S. Mann1971 "Matthew." The Anchor Bible, Vol. 26, 212-13. Garden City: Doubleday .
2.
Barrett, C.K.1979 " Light on the Holy Spirit from Simon Magus." In J. Kremer (ed.), Les Actes des Apôtres. Leuven: Leuven University Press.
3.
Boring, M. Eugene1995 "Matthew." New Interpreter's Bible , Vol. 8, 370-72. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
4.
Bauckham, Richard1986 " The coin in the fish's mouth." In D. Wenham and C. Blomberg (eds.), Gospel Perspectives 6: The Miracles of Jesus, 219-52. Sheffield: JSOT Press .
5.
Carter, Edward J.2003 "Toll and tribute: A political reading of Matthew 17.24-27 ." Journal for the Study of the New Testament25, 4: 413-31.
6.
Carter, Warren1999 "Paying the tax to Rome as subversive praxis: Matthew 17.24-27" Journal for the Study of the New Testament76: 3-31.
7.
Chilton, Bruce1990 "A coin of three realms (Matthew 17.24-27)." In D.J. A. Clines, S. E. Fowl and S. E. Porter (eds.), The Bible in Three Dimensions, 269-82. Sheffield : JSOT Press.
8.
Comaroff, Jean, and John L. Comaroff1999a "Occult economies and the violence of abstraction: Notes from the South African postcolony." American Ethnologist26, 3: 279-301.
2000 "Millennial capitalism: First thoughts on a second coming ." Public Culture12, 2: 291-343.
11.
Davies, W.D., and Dale C.Allison, Jr. 1991-97 A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, 3 vols. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark.
12.
Dickie, Matthew2001Magic and Magicians in the Greco-Roman World. London: Routledge.
13.
Evans, Craig1992 "Opposition to the temple: Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls ." In James Charlesworth (ed.), Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, 235-53. New York : Doubleday.
14.
Fredriksen, Paula2000[1988] From Jesus to Christ: The origins of the New Testament images of Jesus. 2nd ed. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
15.
Funk, Robert, Ray W. Hoover , and the Jesus Seminar, trans. and eds. 1993The Five Gospels: What Did, jesus Really Say?New York: Scribner's/ Polebridge Press.
16.
Garland, David1987 "Matthew's understanding of the Temple tax." In K. H. Richards (ed.), Society of Biblical Literature Seminar Papers 1987, 190-209. Atlanta : Scholars Press.
17.
Ginzberg, Louis1967-69 [1913-28] The Legends of the Jews . Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America .
18.
Goodman, M.D.1989 "Nerva, the fiscus judaicus and Jewish identity ." Journal of Roman Studies79: 40-44.
19.
Gundry, Robert1982Matthew: a Commentary on his Literary and Theological Art. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans .
20.
Habgood, John1993Making Sense. London: SPCK.
21.
Hanson, K.C., and Douglas E. Oakman1998Palestine in the Time of jesus: Social Structures and Social Conflicts. Minneapolis : Augsburg Fortress.
22.
Harrington, Daniel1991The Gospel of Matthew. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.
23.
Horbury, William1984 "The temple tax." In Ernst Bammel and C. F. D. Moule (eds.), Jesus and the Politics of his Day, 265-86. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.
24.
Janowitz, Naomi2001Magic in the Roman World: Pagans, Jews and Christians . London: Routledge.
Mirecki, Paul, and Marvin Meyer, eds. 1995Magic and Ritual in the Ancient World. Leiden: Brill.
27.
2001Ancient Magic and Ritual Power. Leiden : Brill.
28.
Oakman, Douglas E.1986Jesus and the Economic Questions of His Day. Lewiston/Queenston: Edwin Mellen Press.
29.
Sikes, Wirt2002[1888] British Goblins: Welsh Folklore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions. Wildside Press.
30.
Smith, Jonathan Z.1995 "Trading places." In Marvin Meyer and Paul Mirecki, (eds.), Ancient Magic and Ritual Power, 13-27. Leiden: Brill.
31.
Thompson, Stith1955-58 Motif-Index of Folk Literature. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
32.
Tobias, Andrew2000"Yahoo" (January 4). Online at < www.andrewtobias.com/newcolumns/000104.html>. Accessed February 20, 2006.
33.
Tuzlak, Ayse2002 "The magician and the heretic: The case of Simon Magus ." In Paul Mirecki and Marvin Meyer (eds.), Magic and Ritual in the Ancient World, 416-25. Leiden: Brill, 2002.
