Matthew 17

Matthew 17:1

At the close of chapter 16, Jesus told His disciples that some of them would see the Kingdom before they died. Over the centuries, many have suggested that since all of the disciples died without witnessing His return, Jesus was amiss when He said this. Thus, they conclude, Jesus was actually fallible. Of course, this is blasphemy, for chapter 17 opens with three of His disciples about to see the glory of the kingdom… Once again, we see Jesus calling His disciples apart. It has been often said that if we don’t come apart, we’ll fall apart. We need to get away from the trials and the daily routine of life to retreat into a “high mountain” where we can be apart with Jesus lest we fall apart under the pressures of the world. Jesus took Peter, James, and John up the mountain. Scripture records three times when Jesus took these same three and ministered to them in very unique ways. Interestingly, each of those occasions dealt with death. The first time Jesus singled out Peter, James, and John, He took them into the house of a man whose daughter had died. After moving out the mockers, Jesus brought the young girl back to life, and Peter, James, and John saw that He was victorious over death (Luk_8:49-55). On a second occasion, Jesus would take them into the Garden of Gethsemane. As He prayed, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not My will but thine be done,” Peter, James, and John would understand that He was submitted to death (see Mat_26:37-39). And here in Matthew 17, Jesus takes the three up the mountain where they will see Him glorified in death. I believe Peter, James, and John needed these special times of instruction concerning death because these three disciples would each have a very unique encounter with death. Peter would be the first disciple to be told of his death. In John 21, Jesus said, “Peter, they’re going to stretch out your hands and carry you where you don’t want to go.” And that is exactly what happened when Peter was crucified upside down. James would be the first disciple put to death, sawed in half lengthwise by his persecutors. John would be the last of the disciples to die. Banished to the seemingly God-forsaken island of Patmos, it was a ninety-year-old John who received the Book of Revelation. The Lord uniquely prepared Peter, James, and John for what each of them would face. And He will do the same for you. He will prepare you through Bible studies, radio programs, friends, and books for what lies ahead for you personally. It’s amazing to me how I’ll study or hear something only to discover a week later that a situation arises in which I need that exact information. Remain sensitive to His voice, and then see the Lord’s faithfulness in preparing you for the future.

Matthew 17:2

The Greek word translated “transfigured” is metamorphoo, from which we get our word “metamorphosis"the same word used to describe what happens to a caterpillar inside a cocoon. After Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai, his face began to shine. But as time went on, it began to fade because the glory of Moses was a reflected glory (2Co_3:13). Jesus, on the other hand, shone not with a reflected glory, but with a radiant glory. As the Light of the world, the light emanated from within Himself (Joh_8:12).

Matthew 17:3

Days earlier, as Jesus talked about suffering and death, Peter said, “Lord, be it far from Thee. This shall not be” (see Mat_16:21-22). Here, however, as he sees the glory of the Transfiguration, even though death was again the topic of conversation (Luk_9:31), Peter says, “Wow! It’s good that we’re here.” This is one of many arguments against reincarnation. Moses and Elijah returned not as cows, butterflies, or someone else living in some other time. They returned as Moses and Elijah. It is also interesting to me that Peter recognized them instantly. There is no record of a formal introduction, no record of Jesus saying, “Peter, meet Moses. Moses, Peter. Elijah, Peter. Peter, Elijah.” No, there was simply immediate recognition. This tells me that when we get to heaven, we’ll recognize everyone there. No need for introductions, no need for nametags, and no forgetting of names. Won’t that be wonderful?

Matthew 17:5

“Peter, I’m going to interrupt you once again,” said God the Father from the cloud over the mountain. “You want to build three booths, but you can’t put the Law and the Prophets on the same plane as My Son.”

Matthew 17:6

Whereas the voice of God knocks people down in brokenness, Jesus Christthe Word made fleshpicks them up with tenderness. As I listen to the voice of God thundering from Mount Sinai, “Thou Shalt Not,” I fall on my face in humility. Then Jesus comes and says, “Arise. Be not afraid.” I’m so thankful for Jesus Christ. Were it not for Him, I would still be on my face. So would you. He is our salvation.

Matthew 17:8

They saw Jesus only. That’s the key. May we not try to keep the law. May we not try to follow the prophets. May we have eyes for Jesus only. The Transfiguration verifies that for thirty-three years, Jesus moved through life flawlessly. He was tempted in all points as we are, yet remained without sin (Heb_4:15). And here He is, radiant in His transfiguration. I firmly believe that, had He so chosen, Jesus could have launched right off that mountain into heaven, saying, “So long, gang. I came and showed you that man can live sinlessly. Don’t condemn or indict Me for giving you an impossible task. I came and proved it could be done.” At that point, the world would have been damned, and God could not have been held accountable for being unfair. But instead of launching into heaven, what did Jesus do? He came down from Mount Hermon to climb Mount Calvary.

Matthew 17:9

Malachi prophesied that Elijah would come before Messiah appeared (Mal_4:5). Believing Jesus to be Messiah, the disciples asked Him why Elijah hadn’t yet made his appearance.

Matthew 17:11

Elijah had already comein the spirit and power of John the Baptist.

Matthew 17:14

The word “lunatic” literally means “smitten by the moon.” People in Eastern cultures believed that the moon shining on one’s face would drive a person crazy. Perhaps it was in reference to this belief that the Lord made a beautiful promise in Psa_121:6 to be our covering by night. This man’s son was falling into the fire and into the water in an attempt to kill himself. So too, we see a dramatic rise in teenage suicide today. The solution to teenage suicide begins with the understanding that it is a spiritual rather than a social problem. Even Woman’s Day magazine, a secular publication states: “For many teenagers, Satan has become part of their daily lives. Rock lyrics glorify him. Werewolves leer from T-shirts. Satanic symbols decorate jewelry. Some kids just want to shock adults, but for a disturbed many, the attraction to satanic ritual is great and deadly.”

Matthew 17:16

Realizing his son was in trouble, this dad did a very wise thing. He brought his boy to Jesus. I appreciate this father because he didn’t give up, even though the disciples were unable to help. So often people say, “I took my kid to see this therapist, that counselor, or that minister, but nothing’s happening. I quit.” This dad didn’t. And his persistence was soon to be rewarded.

Matthew 17:17

Mom and Dad, you have the responsibility to bring your child to Jesus. Pray for him constantly. Talk to him continually. Bring him to fellowship regularly. How many must die before we understand that the solution lies not in dealing with the drug lords in Columbia or banning music through legislation in Washington? The solution lies in bringing our kids to Jesus.

Matthew 17:19

“Why couldn’t we cast out the demon?” the disciples asked. “Lack of faith,” Jesus said. “If you had believed in your heart, spoken with your mouth, and expected things to happen, the landscape would have changed. Mountains would have moved.”

Matthew 17:21

Mark this, Mom and Dad; remember this, Grandma and Grandpa next time your child or grandchild is in trouble: There is a powerful interaction between prayer and fasting. Prayer attaches us to God; fasting detaches us from the flesh. The disciples, no doubt, would have been thinking, This kind does not go out but by prayer and fasting? How were we to know we would be faced with a lunatic? We didn’t have time for prayer and fasting! And that’s exactly the point. Jesus is calling for a lifestyle of prayer and fasting, not an emergency session. Had the disciples been praying and fasting all along, they could have spoken the word of faith that would have resulted in deliverance and salvation. Maybe you’re smugly saying, “I’m glad my son, daughter, or grandchildren don’t have problems.” Please be wiser than that, dear people, because we do not know the battles they’re facing or the strategy of the enemy being plotted in the boardroom of hell for their souls. Satan is a master strategist who invades the lives of our loved ones at the most opportune timesperhaps when we least expect it. Prayer and fasting should be a part of our lifestyle because we don’t know what tomorrow holds. If I hear Jesus right, He’s saying, “It’s too late to pray and fast when the emergency is before you. You must develop a life of prayer and fasting so that when the problem surfaces, you’re already prepared.” I am reminded of Job. Every morning, he sacrificed an ox for each one of his kids because “It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts” (see Job_1:5). What a glorious privilege we have as parents. We can do more than just hope our kids aren’t sucked into drugs or into demonic activity. We can seek the Father fervently. We can fast and pray faithfully. We can take our kids to Jesus continually. Why weren’t the disciples praying and fasting? A possible answer is that they were jealous and had let down their guard, saying, “How come Peter, James, and John always get to see the miracles? Why should we even bother praying? It’s obvious Jesus has His favorites.” Maybe you feel the same way from time to time. Maybe you wonder why the Lord seems to use everyone else but you. And if you’re not careful, that’s when you stop praying and fasting. Then the moment comes when you need the power of the Spirit, faith in your heart, weaponry for warfareand you come up empty.

Matthew 17:22

The disciples were “exceeding sorry” because they only heard part of the story. They heard Jesus say He would be betrayed and killed, but they didn’t hear Him say the third day He would be raised again. All they heard was death, betrayal, and tragedy. And that’s just like us. When someone dies, my first response is one of deep grief and sorrow. While that’s understandable, it’s only part of the story. If that person knew the Lord, he is in heaven. He is where we long to be. Sorrow and grief are completely understandable responses to tragedy. But if we take into account the whole story, there will also be glory.

Matthew 17:24

As they entered Capernaum, tax collectors approached the disciples. They were not raising money for the Roman Empire or for the political system. They were collecting the temple tax. You see, in Jesus’ day, the ministry of the temple was not supported by the tithes and offerings of the people. Rather, as outlined in Exodus 30, every man twenty years of age and older was to pay a half-shekel of silver for atonement lest plague come upon him. This has caused no little controversy in theological circles. Was the law suggesting that a person could buy his salvation? Isn’t salvation a free gift? Salvation is indeed free to us, but it was costly for Jesus. Silver being the metal of redemption, the temple tax speaks of the fact that, although salvation is free to us, it cost Jesus His life.

Matthew 17:25

When Peter was on the mountain, the voice of the Father interrupted him. Here in the house, he’s interrupted by the Son. I hope you’re “interrupt-able.” I hope whether you’re on the mountain or in the house, the Father and the Son can interrupt your thoughts and activities lest you become dogmatic and rigid. “Tell me, Simon, who does a king tax?” Jesus asked Peter. “Does he tax the strangersthe citizens of the empireor does he go through the castle knocking on his kids’ doors, saying, ‘Pay up, kids. We’ve got to keep this kingdom going’?” The answer is obvious. No king taxes his own children. He taxes the strangers, the citizens of the nation.

Matthew 17:26

In other words, Jesus said to Peter, “Should we be taxed if I am the King and you are My child? Does that make sense?”

Matthew 17:27

“Peter, go throw your line in.” This command in itself would have been most curious because professional fishermen like Peter didn’t use a hook and line. That was rookie equipment. It would be like Jose Canseco using a batting tee. Real fishermen used nets and boats. But Peter humbly obeyed. And I can see him walking along the shore, carrying his little pole and tackle box, as his colleagues looked at each other and whispered, “What’s he doing?” “Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, Peter, and you’ll find a statera full shekelenough tax for you and for Me,” Jesus said. Thus, tucked away in this chapter that spans the heights of the Transfiguration and the depths of the Cross, we find this simple story about a fisherman, a fish, and a coin. The Fisherman Casting His Care A Topical Study of Mat_17:27 The passage before us speaks to me in a number of ways and interests me on several levels. First of all, it is the only miracle Jesus ever did that dealt with money. Second, it is the only miracle through which He did something for Himself. All too often, Christian TV and current books on faith say, “Want your needs met? Plant a seed in our ministry and watch what will happen to you financially.” Folks, that’s the opposite of what Jesus said and did. Although He had the power and authority to turn stones to bread, He refused to cater to His own needs (Mat_4:3-4). Third, this was the only miracle Jesus did that dealt with a single fish. Other times Jesus did miracles with fish, it was always with multitudes of fish as His disciples either hauled them in (Luk_5:6) or gave them out (Mat_14:19). Many commentators try to explain away the feeding of the five thousand by saying that the multitude was fed simply by people sharing the lunches they had packed. So, too, had Peter used a net in the account before us, commentators would probably say, “As Peter was fishing, he caught some fish, an old boot, and a few coins in his net. Therefore, the miracle of the coin and the fish was nothing more than the beautiful miracle of God’s provision in the commonplace.” But because Peter used a hook and a line and caught one fish with one shekel in its mouth, there’s no way to rationalize such a miracle. Fourth, the Lord provided the coin in the fish solely for Peter. It was one of a number of miracles done specifically for him. Healing of His Mother-in-Law We read in Mark that so complete was Peter’s mother-in-law’s healing, she immediately began to minister to those around her (Mar_1:31). So, too, maybe you’ve seen a lot of activity at churchpeople directing traffic on rainy mornings, tending crying babies in the nursery; or counseling into the wee hours of the morning. “Are they crazy?” you wonder. No, they’re not crazy. They’ve simply been touched by the Lord. He removed the fear and the fever of eternal damnation when He saved their souls. Thus, like Peter’s mother-in-law, they have no other choice but to serve Him by ministering to others. A Boatload of Fish Luke tells us that when pressed by the crowds while teaching on the seashore, Jesus borrowed Peter’s boat (Luk_5:3). Using the water as a natural amplifier, He spoke from the boat to the crowd gathered on the shore. When He had finished speaking, He said, “Here’s your boat back, Peter. Launch out into the deep and let down your nets.” So Peter sailed to the deep, let down his nets, and the haul was so large that the boat almost sank. What does this tell me? First, it tells me we can’t outgive God. If you give to Him of your resources, your energy, your ability, or your money, He’ll never “owe you one.” If you let Him borrow your boat, He’ll fill it with fish. Second, it tells me that the Lord will sometimes whisper in my ear, “Launch out to the deep. Go deeper than you’ve gone before in faith, in understanding, in praise, and in prayer. Go deeper. That’s where the fish are.” Could that be a word from the Lord for you? Could the Lord be saying to some of you right now, “Launch out into the deep water. Go deeper in Me”? Walking on Water Crossing the Sea of Galilee, Peter and the disciples were struggling in a storm when suddenly Someone came towards them, walking on the water. “It’s a ghost!” they cried. “Be of good cheer,” Jesus said. “It is I. Be not afraid.” “If that’s You, Lord, bid me come,” said Peter. “Come, Peter,” answered Jesus. Peter climbed out of the boat and began to walk on water. But you know the story. As soon as he took his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink. “Lord, save me,” he cried. And Jesus stretched out His hand, grabbed Peter, and put him back in the boat (see Mark 14). I like this story because sometimes I get tired of the boat I’m in and weary of the disciples with whom I’m rowing. “Lord, get me out of here,” I cry. “Even if it means going out where the waves are pounding and the wind is howling, get me out of this boat. I’ll go anywhere.” Sometimes I step out on my own and sink down in the waves only to have the Lord pick me up and put me right back in the same boat. As a result, I’m beginning to learn that God puts us in fixes to fix us. And if I get out of the boat to try to fix the fix God put me in, He’ll have to put me in another fix to fix the fix He wanted to fix in the first place! A Sword and an Ear Jesus had taken Peter, James, and John into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray with Him the night before His crucifixion. But having fallen asleep, they were awakened by the sounds of Roman soldiers marching. Before Jesus could say, “Peter, put away your sword,” Peter had sliced off the ear of Malchus, the high priest’s servant. Jesus then picked up the severed ear and placed it back on the side of Malchus’ head (John 18). I wonder how many times we use the sword of the Spirit and hurt people in the process. How many times do we quote Scripture and recite verses only to bloody and beat people with our spirituality? If you’ve unsheathed your sword to cause hurt and damage to others, put it away. The last miracle Jesus ever performed was to heal one who had been hurt by the sword of His own disciple. Praise, Prayer, and Peace Some time later, we meet Peter again in another very difficult situation. In Acts 12, we read that Herod had sawn James, the brother of John, in half lengthwise. When Herod saw that this pleased the Jews, he imprisoned Peter as well. In other words, Peter was about to die. Yet we read that he was asleep between two guardssound asleep and at peace. How could this be when the next day he knew he would either be sawn in half or beheaded? Peter would later pen these words: “Casting all your care upon him for He careth for you” (see 1Pe_5:7). The Greek word translated “cast” is a word that describes the process of rolling a heavy object like a stone or a wheel up a hill. Thus, “casting our care” means rolling our care upon Him. Now, if you roll a rock up a hill, what will happen? The rock will roll down again. People say, “I’ve prayed about that problem. I’ve rolled it upon Him. Why does it keep returning?” Listen carefully. Scripture declares that “casting” is a process that happens continually. That is, you roll your care upon Him, and then it comes rolling back. You roll it on Him again, and it comes rolling back. You have peace for an hour, a day, or a month, and then you’re troubled, perplexed, and anxious again. Why does God want us to roll our cares upon Him if they’re only going to roll back upon us? The story is told that centuries ago, in the city of Athens, there lived a man named Milo who was the strongest man in the world. How did he get so strong? When he was a young man, one of his cows gave birth to a calf. Every day, Milo picked up that calf, put it on his shoulders, and walked around his property. At first, it was relatively easy. But every day the calf got bigger and bigger, until one day, Milo was carrying an ox on his shoulders. You see, as sure as the calf was growing, so was Milo’s strength and stamina. I’m convinced the Lord wants us to be spiritual Milos. He says, “I’m going to allow this problem to come rolling back on you after a day or two because I want you to keep pushing it toward Me. And every time you doas you commune with Me, wait upon Me, and talk to Meyou will gain strength. So keep rolling.” Clovis Chapman, a pioneer aviator, was one of the first men to attempt a solo flight around the world. During his journey, after a brief stop in Fremont, California, he heard the sound of gnawing directly behind him. Listening carefully, Clovis realized there was a rat in the cockpit, chewing on a cable. Knowing he couldn’t leave the controls to catch the rat, he thought, “My cables will be destroyed. It’s all over.” But then he had an idea. Pulling the throttle back, the plane rose to five thousand feet and then to ten thousand feet. At twelve thousand feet, Clovis listened and heard nothing. You see, remembering rodents need a high proportion of oxygen, he took his plane where the oxygen was thin, and the rat died. That’s what it means to cast your care upon Him. When you feel a rat gnawing within you, an anxiety overwhelming you, or a concern or a burden pressing on you, kick back and cruise up. In the rarefied atmosphere of praise and prayer, the enemy can’t survive. That’s what Peter found as he lay sound asleep between two guards. Truly the Lord does care for me, he must have thought. My mother-in-law was sick and He healed her. I wasn’t catching any fish, and He filled my boat. I gave the wrong answer to some tax collectors, and He got me out of that jam. I chopped off someone’s ear when I shouldn’t have, and He healed it. And now that I’m in prison, I’ll just trust Him. He’s seen me through time and time and time again. So I’ll just cast my care upon Him. And so can you.