{Jesus spake first to him} (proephthasen auton ho I(8873)ous
leg(936e)). Here only in the N.T. One example in a papyrus B.C. 161
(Moulton and Milligan, _Vocabulary_). The old idiomatic use of
phthan(935c) with the participle survives in this example of
prophthan(935c) in  Mt 17:25 , meaning to anticipate, to get before
one in doing a thing. The _Koin(825f) uses the infinitive thus with
phthan(935c) which has come to mean simply to arrive. Here the
anticipation is made plain by the use of pro-. See Robertson's
_Grammar_, p. 1120. The "prevent" of the Authorized Version was
the original idea of _praevenire_, to go before, to anticipate.
Peter felt obliged to take the matter up with Jesus. But the
Master had observed what was going on and spoke to Peter first.
{Toll or tribute} (	el(8820)(8820)k(886e)son). Customs or wares collected
by the publicans (like phoros,  Ro 13:7 ) and also the
capitation tax on persons, indirect and direct taxation. K(886e)sos
is the Latin _census_, a registration for the purpose of the
appraisement of property like h(8820)apograph(885c) in  Lu 2:2  Ac
5:37 . By this parable Jesus as the Son of God claims exemption
from the temple tax as the temple of his Father just as royal
families do not pay taxes, but get tribute from the foreigners or
aliens, subjects in reality.