Matthew 17: Transfiguration, deliverance & teaching

• v.1-13 The Transfiguration
• v.14-20 Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
• v.22,23 Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time
• v.24-27 Peter & Temple Tax

v.1-13 The Transfiguration

v.1,2 Jesus on the mountain

v.1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

v.2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.

[Note: Jesus takes the ‘inner three’ with him up a mountain and there he appears ultra-bright.]

v.3-6 They have company and a command

v.3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

v.4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

v.5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

v.6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.

[Note: Then appear Moses & Elijah so Peter suggests making shelter for each of them but God speaks audibly which terrifies the three disciples.]

v.7-13 Questions about Elijah & John the Baptist

v.7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”

v.8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

v.9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

v.10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

v.11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.

v.12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”

v.13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

[Note: Jesus reassures them but there is no one there except Jesus who instructs, don’t tell of this for now. Having just seen Elijah, the disciples ask about the teaching about Elijah coming [Mal 4:5]. Yes, replies Jesus, yes, he will come but in fact he has already. They realize he is talking about John the Baptist.]

v.14-20 Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

v.14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him.

v.15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.

v.16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

v.17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.”

v.18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

v.19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

v.20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

[Note: Back down the mountain they are greeted by a man who tells of his possessed son because the disciples there obviously couldn’t help. Jesus chides them and then delivers him. The disciples enquire why they were powerless. Lack of faith, replies Jesus, you can do anything if you have just a little bit.]

v.22,23 Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

v.22,23 When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

[Note: Back in Galilee Jesus against warns them again what is coming [see also previously Mt 16:21].

v.24-27 Peter & Temple Tax

v.24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

v.25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.  When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

v.26 “From others,” Peter answered.  “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him.

v.27 “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

[Note: Back in Capernaum, tax collectors approach Peter and Peter affirms that Jesus pays the temple tax, but Jesus picks him up on this and tells him how to satisfy the tax collectors through a miracle of provision.

Additional Note: The temple tax was levied on every male over the age of twenty, to pay for the running of the Temple (see Ex 30:13) and was collected in each town in March (on our calendar), the equivalent of about two days’ wages. Jesus’ point was that His Father doesn’t tax His true children; that’s only what conquering kings did, not a King over his own family.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: