[The Bible is an “Eastern” book. It was written many years ago in the “East” which today we refer to as “The Middle East.” As such, there are many customs and idioms that are not familiar to the “
[The Bible is an “Eastern” book. It was written many years ago in the “East” which today we refer to as “The Middle East.” As such, there are many customs and idioms that are not familiar to the “Western” mind.]
There is an interesting story in the gospel of Matthew in which Jesus sends Peter to catch a fish. Jesus told Peter that there would be money in the fish’s mouth and that they would then use that money to pay the tribute tax.
Now some may wonder, especially if you like to go fishing, how could there be money in a fish’s mouth? Many answer that question by saying that God, by way of a miracle, just put some money in that fish’s mouth.
Once again, understanding the eastern culture in which the Bible was written helps us to understand the story.
There is a fish in the east called the Musht. It is a small fish about six inches long with a large head. It also has what you would call a bag, or a pouch under its mouth.
I have read that after new Musht hatch, the parents keep the new fish in the pouch for a short while to protect them. Then when it is time, the parent fish will begin to pick up pebbles from the bottom of the sea and put them into the pouch. This is done so the new fish will not be so comfortable – it’s time for them to leave home!
These Musht fish basically eat plankton, so at certain times of the year you can find them in very shallow water. At times they do pick up shiny items. Coins, gold or diamonds are shiny items.
How Do Coins Get In The Water?
In Bible times offerings to God were taken very seriously. There were those who wanted to give an offering but did not want to receive any recognition for it. Many believed that if you received praise from men then you had already received your reward now in this world. They wanted to receive their reward in the next world.
So, in order to keep it private, many would throw their offerings into the waters. Throwing their offerings into what were considered “holy waters” would be best. But, depending on where one would be, any water would do.
3 Coins In A Fountain
Today there is a tradition of throwing coins into a fountain for “good luck.” Perhaps the most famous is the Trevi Fo