St. Paul circumcised his disciple Timothy, not because he needed
circumcision for his justification, but that he might not offend or
contemn those Jews, weak in the faith, who had not yet been able to
comprehend the liberty of faith. On the other hand, when they contemned
liberty and urged that circumcision was necessary for justification, he
resisted them, and would not allow Titus to be circumcised. For, as he
would not offend or contemn any one's weakness in faith, but yielded
for the time to their will, so, again, he would not have the liberty of
faith offended or contemned by hardened self-justifiers, but walked in
a middle path, sparing the weak for the time, and always resisting the
hardened, that he might convert all to the liberty of faith. On the same
principle we ought to act, receiving those that are weak in the faith,
but boldly resisting these hardened teachers of works, of whom we shall
hereafter speak at more length.
Christ also, when His disciples were asked for the tribute money, asked
of Peter whether the children of a king were not free from taxes. Peter
agreed to this; yet Jesus commanded him to go to the sea, saying, "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" (Matt. xvii. 27).
This example is very much to our purpose; for here Christ calls Himself
and His disciples free men and children of a King, in want of nothing;
and yet He voluntarily submits and pays the tax.
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