Matthew 17

Matthew 17:1

D. Preparing the Disciples for Glory: The Transfiguration (17:1-8) 17:1, 2 Six days after the incident at Caesarea Philippi, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up to a high mountain, somewhere in Galilee. Many commentators attach significance to the six days. Gaebelein, for instance, says: Six is a man’s number, the number signifying the days of work. After six daysafter work and man’s day is run out then the day of the Lord, the Kingdom.When Luke says that the Transfiguration occurred about eight days later (Mat_9:28), he obviously includes the terminal days as well as the intervening days. Since eight is the number of resurrection and of a new beginning, it is fitting that Luke should identify the kingdom with a new beginning. Peter, James, and John, who seem to have occupied a place of special nearness to the Savior, were privileged to see Him transfigured. Up to now His glory had been veiled in a body of flesh. But now His face and clothes became radiant like the sun and dazzling bright, a visible manifestation of His deity, just as the glory cloud or Shekinah in the OT symbolized the presence of God. The scene was a preview of what the Lord Jesus will be like when He comes back to set up His kingdom. He will no longer appear as the sacrificial Lamb but as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. All who see Him will recognize Him immediately as God the Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 17:3 Moses and Elijah appeared on the Mount and discussed His approaching death at Jerusalem (Luk_9:30-31). Moses and Elijah may represent OT saints. Or, if we take Moses as representing the Law, and Elijah representing the Prophets, then here we see both sections of the OT pointing forward to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow. A third possibility is that Moses, who went to heaven by way of death, depicts all who will be raised from the dead to enter the Millennium, while Elijah, who was translated to heaven, pictures those who will reach the kingdom by the route of translation. The disciples Peter, James, and John may represent NT saints in general. They could also foreshadow the faithful Jewish remnant who will be alive at the Second Advent and will enter the kingdom with Christ. The multitude at the base of the mountain (v. 14, compare Luk_9:37) has been likened to the Gentile nations which will also share in the blessings of Christ’s thousand-year reign. 17:4, 5 Peter was deeply moved by the occasion; he had a real sense of history. Wanting to capture the splendor, he rashly suggested erecting three memorial tabernacles or boothsone for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. He was right in putting Jesus first, but wrong in not giving Him the preeminence. Jesus is not one among equals but Lord over all. In order to teach this lesson, God the Father covered them all with a brightly glowing cloud, then announced, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him! In the Kingdom, Christ will be the peerless One, the supreme Monarch whose word will be the final authority. Thus it should be in the hearts of His followers at the present time. 17:6-8 Stunned by the glory cloud and by the voice of God, the disciples fell on their faces. But Jesus told them to get up and not to be afraid. As they rose, they saw no one but Jesus only. So it will be in the Kingdomthe Lord Jesus will be all the glory in Immanuel’s land.

Matthew 17:9

E. Concerning the Forerunner (17:9-13) 17:9 Descending from the mountain, Jesus commanded the disciples to be silent about what they had seen until He had risen from the dead. The Jews, overanxious for anyone who might liberate them from the Roman yoke, would have welcomed Him to save them from Rome, but did not want Him as a Savior from sin. For all practical purposes, Israel had rejected her Messiah, and it was useless to tell the Jews of this vision of Messianic glory. After the resurrection, the message would be proclaimed worldwide. 17:10-13 The disciples had just seen a preview of Christ’s coming in power and glory. But His forerunner had not appeared. Malachi had prophesied that Elijah must come prior to Messiah’s advent (Mal_4:5-6), so His disciples asked Jesus about this. The Lord agreed that indeed Elijah had to come first as a reformer, but explained that Elijah had already come. Obviously He was referring to John the Baptist (see v. 13). John was not Elijah (Joh_1:21), but had come in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luk_1:17).

Had Israel accepted John and his message, he would have fulfilled the role prophesied of Elijah (Mat_11:14). But the nation did not recognize the significance of John’s mission, and treated him as it pleased. John’s death was an advance token of what they would do to the Son of Man. They rejected the forerunner; they would also reject the King. When Jesus explained this, the disciples realized He was referring to John the Baptist. There is every reason to believe that before Christ’s Second Advent, a prophet will arise to prepare Israel for the coming King. Whether it will be Elijah personally or someone with a similar ministry is almost impossible to say.

Matthew 17:14

F. Preparation for Service through Prayer and Fasting (17:14-21) Life is not all a mountain-top experience. After moments of spiritual exhilaration come hours and days of toil and expenditure. The time comes when we must leave the mountain to minister in the valley of human need. 17:14, 15 At the base of the mountain, a distraught father was waiting for the Savior. Kneeling down before Him, he poured out his impassioned plea that his demon-possessed son might be healed. The son suffered from violent epileptic seizures which sometimes caused him to fall into the fire and often into the water, so his misery was compounded by burns and near-drownings. He was a classic example of the suffering caused by Satan, the cruelest of all taskmasters. 17:16 The father had gone to the disciples for help, only to learn that vain is the help of man. They had been powerless to cure. 17:17 O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? is addressed to the disciples. They did not have the faith to heal the epileptic, but in that respect, were a cross section of the Jewish people of that dayfaithless and perverse. 17:18 As soon as the epileptic was brought to Him, Jesus rebuked the demon, and the sufferer was instantly cured.17:19, 20 Puzzled by their powerlessness, the disciples privately asked the Lord for an explanation. His answer was straightforward: unbelief. If they had faith the size of a mustard seed (the smallest of seeds), they could command a mountain to be cast into the sea and it would happen. Of course, it should be understood that true faith must be based upon some command or promise of God. Expecting to perform some spectacular stunt in order to gratify a personal whim is not faith but presumption. But if God guides a believer in a certain direction or issues a command, the Christian can have utmost confidence that mountainous difficulties will be miraculously removed. Nothing is impossible to those who believe. 17:21 This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting is omitted in the RSV and most modern Bibles, because it is lacking in many early manuscripts. However, it is found in the majority of the manuscripts and fits the context of an especially difficult problem.

Matthew 17:22

G. Preparing the Disciples for His Betrayal (17:22, 23) Again, without drama or fanfare, the Lord Jesus forewarned His disciples that He would be put to death. But again there was that word of vindication and victoryHe would be raised up on the third day. If He had not told them of His death in advance, they would doubt less have been completely disillusioned when it happened. A death of shame and suffering was not consistent with their expectations of the Messiah. As it was, they were greatly distressed that He was going to leave them and that He would be slain. They heard His passion prediction but seemed to have missed His resurrection promise.

Matthew 17:24

H. Peter and His Master Pay Their Taxes (17:24-27) 17:24, 25 In Capernaum the collectors of the temple tax asked Peter if his Teacher paid the half-shekel used for carrying on the costly temple service. Peter answered, Yes. Perhaps the misguided disciple wanted to save Christ from embarrassment. The omniscience of the Lord is seen in what followed. When Peter came home, Jesus spoke to him firstbefore Peter had a chance to tell what had happened. What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs and taxes, from their sons or from strangers? The question must be understood in the light of those days. A ruler taxed his subjects for the support of his kingdom and his family, but he didn’t tax his own family. Under our form of government, everyone is taxed, including the ruler and his household. 17:26 Peter correctly answered that rulers collected tribute from strangers. Jesus then pointed out that the sons are free. The point was that the temple was God’s house. For Jesus, the Son of God, to pay tribute for the support of this temple would be equivalent to paying tribute to Himself. 17:27 However, rather than cause needless offense, the Lord agreed to pay the tax. But what would He do for money? It is never recorded that Jesus personally carried money. He sent Peter to the Sea of Galilee and told him to bring up the first fish he caught. In the mouth of that fish was a piece of money or stater which Peter used to pay the tributeone-half for the Lord Jesus and one-half for himself. This astounding miracle, narrated with utmost restraint, clearly demonstrates Christ’s omniscience. He knew which one of all the fish in the Sea of Galilee had a stater in its mouth. He knew the location of that one fish. And he knew it would be the first fish Peter would catch. If any divine principle had been involved, Jesus would not have made the payment. It was a matter of moral indifference to Him, and He was willing to pay rather than offend. We as believers are free from the law. Yet, in nonmoral matters, we should respect the consciences of others, and not do anything that would cause offense.