{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/009/0090452.htm","path":"chr/ecf/009/0090452.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/009/0090452.htm","text":"And this may be put in another way. There are some who are kings\u2019 sons on the earth, and yet they are not sons of those kings, but sons, and sons absolutely; but others, because of their being strangers to the sons of the kings of the earth, and sons of no one of those upon the earth, but on this very account are sons, whether of God or of His Son, or of some one of those who are God\u2019s. If, then, the Saviour inquires of Peter, saying, \u201cThe kings of the earth from whom do they receive toll or tribute\u2014from their own sons or from strangers?\u201d 5910 and Peter replies not from their own sons, but \u201cfrom strangers,\u201d then Jesus says about such as are strangers to the kings of the p. 482 earth, and on account of being free are sons, \u201cTherefore the sons are free;\u201d 5911 for the sons of the kings of the earth are not free, since \u201cevery one that committeth sin is the bond-servant of sin,\u201d 5912 but they are free who abide in the truth of the word of God, and on this account, know the truth, that they also may become free from sin. If, any one then, is a son simply, and not in this matter wholly a son of the kings of the earth, he is free. And nevertheless, though he is free, he takes care not to offend even the kings of the earth, and their sons, and those who receive the half-shekel; wherefore He says, \u201cLet us not cause them to stumble, but go thou and cast thy net, and take up the fish that first cometh up,\u201d 5913 etc. But I would inquire of those who are pleased to make myths about different natures, of what sort of nature they were, whether the kings of the earth, or their sons, or those who receive the half-shekel, whom the Saviour does not wish to offend; it appears of a verity, ex hypothesi, that they are not of a nature worthy of praise, and yet He took heed not to cause them to stumble, and He prevents any stumbling-block being put in their way, that they may not sin more grievously, and that with a view to their being saved\u2014if they will\u2014even by receiving Him who has spared them from being caused to stumble. And as in a place verily of consolation,\u2014for such is, by interpretation, Capernaum,\u2014comforting the disciple as being both free and a son, He gives to him the power of catching the fish first, that when it came up Peter might be comforted by its coming up and being caught, and by the stater being taken from its mouth, in order to be paid to those whose the stater was, and who demanded as their own such a piece of money.","title":"Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol IX: Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew.: Chapter XI","type":"page"}