Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

The temple tax was an obligation ordained by God that was contained in the Law (Exodus 30:11-16) to be paid by the Israelites for the upkeep of the national sanctuary.

In the analogy that Jesus used, he was comparing Himself to an earthly king, whose "children" (that is, His closest, privileged associates) were the apostles, in contrast to the "others" (the nation of Israel) over which Jesus was entitled to rule as the Messiah. (Jesus had also referred to Himself in Matthew 12:6 as One who was greater than the temple.) The king and his children were thus exempt from the taxes imposed on the king's subjects. 

Having made this point to Peter for the benefit of Peter's understanding, Jesus nevertheless instructed Peter to pay the tax on behalf of both of them, which was done in a miraculous manner. (This was another example of Jesus "emptying Himself" by not claiming the prerogatives or privileges to which He was entitled.) (I believe that I have also read that Matthew 17:27 was the only occasion on which Jesus referred to himself and one of the apostles in the first person plural as "we", which indicates Peter's privileged position among the apostles.)

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