Annotation LXXV

”The kings of the earth — from whom do they receive tribute?” etc. — Matthew 17:24

Whether clerics are immune from the tributes of secular princes.

Jerome, expounding these [words] in the third book on Matthew, Erasmus of Rotterdam noted in his Annotations with these words: “It seemed [good] to note this in passing — even if it does not properly pertain to this undertaking: [namely] that it is not sufficiently understood by me what he means, [that] which Jerome writes on this passage — ‘Our Lord was, both according to the flesh and according to the spirit, the son of a king, [being] begotten either from the stock of David, or [as] the word of the omnipotent Father. Therefore tribute, as

[tribute], as though the son of kings, he did not owe; but he who had assumed the humility of the flesh was bound to fulfill all righteousness. We unhappy [ones], who are reckoned by the name of Christ, do nothing worthy of so great a majesty. He, on account of [his] surpassing charity, for us endured even the cross, and paid tribute; [yet] we, for his honor, do not pay tribute, and — as though sons of a king — are immune from taxes. Since indeed Jerome seems to attribute this to arrogance — that ecclesiastics are burdened to pay tribute to princes — whereas today it is held [to be] the highest piety to fight tooth and nail, by every means, for the immunity of clerics.” This [says] Erasmus. To whom — lest for [his] stings I return stings — we briefly reply, with evangelical modesty preserved, that Jerome does not speak of that tribute which their subjects owe to the princes of this world, but of that tribute which we all owe to Christ: [Christ] who, being such and so great, paid taxes for us; “why, then,” says Jerome, “do we, wretched [ones], who profess ourselves to be the servants of Christ, not render to his majesty the due tribute of servitude?”