Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus also said to him, “Then the sons are free.”
In these words Jesus reveals the deep truth of divine adoption, showing that God’s household is not subject to compulsion for those who belong to Him. Through Peter’s answer, Jesus concludes that just as the sons of earthly kings are free from taxes, so also the Son of God is free from that obligation. This saying does not deny respect for the law, but reveals that the relationship with God is founded on the freedom of sonship, not on a required payment or fear. In this way Christ also shows that the believer is not a slave, but a son, and that his obedience flows from love, not from compulsion.