Matthew 17

The following material is adopted from John MacArthur’s commentary on Matthew and his Study guide. Additional material taken from sources listed at the end

Read and summarize

Look for

— Prayers ( Blue )

— Promises ( Green )

— Warnings ( Red )

— Commands ( Purple )

MacArthur

Jesus gathers His disciples and gives them a “final exam” of sorts, asking the ultimate question, “Who do you say that I am?” Then, up on a mountaintop experience, God the Father reveals Jesus’ glory. Jesus wraps up with some sobering words about what it will involve to live for Him until He returns. Only those who tenaciously believe in Him and steadfastly follow Him will make a difference in a godless world. As you study this lengthy passage, keep the big picture in mind. Though evil is strong, Jesus is Lord.

Q: What affirmation did God the Father give to Jesus’ ministry ( 17:1-5)?

Preview of the Second Coming ( 17:1-13 )

( 17:1-13 ) Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. 9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” 10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. 12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

— The transfiguration is a preview of His glory that Jesus promised that some of His disciples would experience before they died ( 16:28 )

— Six days after the promise was given ( Mark 9:2 )

— Luke says that it was “some eight days later” ( Lk 9:28 )

— As with the Shekinah manifestations of the OT, God here portrayed Himself to human eyes in a form of light so dazzling and overwhelming that it could barely be withstood

J. Vernon McGee

Peter, James and John—the inner circle. Verse 1

— Note: Matt 16:28 refers to this transfiguration experience.

“Transfigured”: Three accounts of this event; here and also in Mk 9:2-13; Lk 9:28-36. Luke mentions that this happens while He is praying. His raiment became white and effulgent, it glowed. Matthew notes that He was bright as the Sun (Ps 19:5,6). “Transfigured”: appears twice more: Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 3:18 (“transformed”).

Q: Why does the transfiguration only appear in three Gospels and not in the Gospel of John? Possible answer – How does the gospel of John portray Jesus? How do the other three Gospels portray Jesus? How can this realization encourage us in our daily lives? [Promise to become like Him! (1John 3:2)].

— 2 Peter 1:16-18 records Peter’s experience of the Transfiguration

2 Peter 1:16-18 (NIV) 16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

— Jesus Christ changes idioms here and speaks parabolically. Jesus points out in v. 11 that Elijah’s time is still yet future. But then He says that Elijah has come already, He means in type or in spirit. Missler.

— This raises a question in the minds of a great many folk regarding John the Baptist. Was he really Elijah? We have covered the same problem in Matthew 11. What our Lord is doing in this chapter is trying to forestall the argument that Jesus had to die on the cross because John the Baptist was not Elijah -- and Elijah has to come before Christ returns to establish His Kingdom. Our Lord is saying that if they would receive Him as King, John would be Elijah. Don't ask

Q: What do Moses and Elijah represent ( 17:3-4 )?

The Testimony of the Saints ( 17:3-4 )

( 17:3-4 ) And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

— The transfiguration was a foretaste of heaven; the participants were doing something worth noting — talking together

— In God’s world, interactions count highly

— Make time and opportunities to talk to others; Good conversations act as training for eternity

— Moses and Elijah were the two greatest prophets in the OT

— Moses represented the Law and foretold of the coming of the great prophet ( Deut 18:15-19 )

— Elijah represented the prophets who foretold of the coming Messiah ( Malachi 4:5,6 )

— Just as God’s voice in the cloud over Mount Sinai gave authority to His law ( Ex 19:9 ), God’s voice at the transfiguration gave authority to Jesus’ words

Another Perspective

— The Transfiguration provided a picture of the coming kingdom of Christ

— Moses represents those who died in Christ ( Deut 34:6, Jude 9), Elijah represents those who will be raptured someday, as he was taken to having without dying ( 2 Ki 2:11)

— The three apostles represent redeemed Israel

— And Christ is King

( 17:4 ) “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

— Peter suggests that he build a memorial for Jesus, Moses and Elijah

— It is hard to escape the conclusion that Peter didn’t know what to say and was just babbling

Q: What were Jesus, Moses and Elijah talking about ( Lk 9:31 )?

Going Deeper

What were Jesus, Moses and Elijah talking about?

— From Luke we learn that these two great saints were talking with Jesus “of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” ( Lk 9:31 )

— They were talking to Him as friend to Friend about His departure, His imminent sacrifice, which was the supreme objective and work of His earthly ministry

The Terror of the Father ( 17:5-6 )

( 17:5-6 ) While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.

— God the Father spoke to them from a bright cloud

— The Father’s words are almost identical as those at Jesus’ baptism ( 3:17 )

— In calling Jesus His Son, the Father declared Him to be of identical nature and essence with Himself ( cf. John 5:17-20; 8:19, 42; 10:30, 36-38 )

— The Father says, Listen to Him!

— If He says He must go to Jerusalem and suffer and die, believe Him

— If He says He will be raised on the third day, believe Him

— If He tells you to take up your own cross and follow Him, that is what you are to do

Rick Cambra

The Father let Peter, James and John know that He loved His Son Jesus and was pleased with Him. And by the way, Jesus ought to be listened to,

So for the second time in two weeks let’s learn from Peter:

Here are a couple of applications that we can take away from Peter's experience.

1. We can realize that it is not people, places or things that we should give special status or power to. We should reserve our worship and adoration to a “who”. Jesus is the “who” that our worship, adoration and trust should be directed toward.

2. As our Father spoke from heaven, listen to and believe what the Lord Jesus says. Discover what Jesus says as you daily search the scriptures for yourselves much like the Bereans of old (Acts 17:11). Then follow His counsel and instruction.

Q: Why did Jesus tell the disciples not tell anyone of his transfiguration ( 17:7-9 )?

The Tapestry of the Scene ( 17:7-9 )

( 17:7-9 ) But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. 9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”

— Jesus told Peter, James and John not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the resurrection because Jesus knew that what they had seen they did not fully understand

— Similar to Matt 16:20 to not tell anyone that He was the Christ

The Tie with the Forerunner ( 17:10-13 )

( 17:10-13 ) And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. 12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

— Their question ( 17:10ff ) reveled their misunderstandings

— They knew that Jesus was the Messiah, but they had much more to learn about the significance of his death and resurrection

Going Deeper

Hendriksen

— What bothers the disciples is that Christ’s death will leave Messianic prophecy unfulfilled

— Are not the scribes constantly saying that according to Mat 4:5, 5 Messiah’s coming would be preceded by that of Elijah?

— They were probably even using this prophecy to prove that Jesus could therefore not be the Messiah, because Elijah had not returned

— The disciples have already confessed Jesus to be Messiah ( 16:16 ), but the non-fulfillment of prophecy with respect to the sequence of the two comings — first Elijah’s then Christ’s — puzzles them; for even though the Tishbite ( 1 Ki 17:1 ) obviously has not yet reappeared upon the scene of history, turning the heart of the fathers to children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, Jesus, the Messiah or Christ, not only already has arrived but declares that he is about to die

— In view of Malachi’s prediction how is this possible?

— Jesus said that the scribes were correct in the sequence of events, but that they had made a mistake

— Malachi’s prophecy had been fulfilled, not, to be sure, literally but figuratively, namely, in John the Baptist, who, because he wet forth in the spirit and power of Elijah, deserved to be called “Elijah”

The Pleading of the Father ( 17:14-16 )

( 17:14-15 ) And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

— He fully believed that Jesus could bring sanity and wholeness to his son, his “only boy” ( Lk 9:38 )

— Though the father may not have realized it at the time, he was about to bring his only beloved son into the presence of God’s only beloved Son

— This particular boy was very ill

—Throwing himself into open fires

— In constant danger of drowning by falling into the water

— The father or some other member of the family probably had to stay with him at all times, never knowing when a seizure might occur

Q: Why could Jesus heal the boy but the disciples could not ( 17:17-18 )?

The Perversion of the Faithless ( 17:17-18 )

( 17:17-18 ) Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

RC Sproul

— If we ever hear an outcry of utter frustration from Jesus, it is here

— He described that generation, the people who were alive at that time, as faithless and perverse

— These words, faithless and perverse belong together

— To be faithless is to lack trust in the truth of God, to not be committed heart and soul to God

— To be perverse literally means distorted or twisted, like a pretzel, bent over

— The people’s sense of right and wrong was twisted; Isaiah stated it well

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! ( Is 5:20 )

— Does this sound familiar?

— We live in a time when vice, pornography, sexuality is celebrated and righteousness is ridiculed

— That is because we live in a time that is marked by the absence of faith

Going Deeper

— The disciple’s faithless impotence not only grieved the boy’s father but Jesus as well

— He was grieved at the blindness and faithlessness of God’s people Israel, especially His disciples

— Even the father’s faith was not complete, as he himself confessed: “I do believe; help my unbelief” ( Mk 9:24 )

— The father sensed what Jesus verified, that the boys’ affliction was not simply physiological or mental but demonic

Q: Why did the disciples question Jesus privately after he cast out the demon from the epileptic boy ( 17:19-21 )? Didn’t Jesus commission and empower the disciples?

The Power of the Faith ( 17:19-21 )

( 17:19-21 ) Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

— They failed not because they lacked faith but because of …littleness of … faith.

— They had saving faith and they had trusting faith, or they would not have attempted to heal the boy; but they had little faith

RC Sproul

— We are called to live by faith in a godless society

— Every hour of every day we hear viewpoints that are on a collision course with the content of our faith, viewpoints that assault, undermine, and torpedo the precious truths we try to cling to, sometimes with our fingernails

— We believe but sometimes are faith is overcome by our unbelief

— Jesus said this is why the disciples were powerless to defeat the enemy on this occasion

— And that is why we often fail to live faithful lives we aspire to

The lesson here is very straightforward. They could not make their witness effective here due to unbelief. Pray and fasting, self-denial. The Lord makes it clear that they should have been able to heal the child. The capacity of them to serve God was constrained by their unbelief.

Yet, your faith is not an inhibitor to the Lord causing someone to be healed. The Lord healed people who were dead (Jarius’ daughter, Lazarus). It is the power of Jesus Christ that heals, not someone’s faith. Don’t jump to the conclusion that a Christian is ill due to their lack of faith! That would be a misapplication. Paul the apostle was not healed of his affliction, three times he prayed for healing. Was his faith lacking? The Lord may choose not to heal someone. That doesn’t mean that your lack of faith might be an impediment to His healing you, but His not healing you is not a proof that you lack the faith. It is a necessary but not sufficient solution. The Lord may have some other purpose in mind.

Going Deeper

— They had little faith which was typical of the disciples

— Jesus charged them with being anxious because of their little faith in God to provide for their physical needs ( 6:25-34 )

— During the storm they despaired for their lives and Jesus rebuked them: “Why are you timid, you men of little faith?” ( 8:26 )

— When Peter began to walk on water they and became afraid Jesus said “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ( 14:31 )

— Just before this healing of the epileptic boy, he charged His disciples for having little faith in not expecting Him to be able to feed the crowd ( 16:8 )

— Little faith is the kind of faith that believes in God when you have something in your hand, when His provision is already made

— When things were going well with the disciples they found it easy to trust in the Lord; when they are in need, their faith is small and gives way to doubt

— The mustard seeds maintains uninterrupted contact with its nourishing environment and grows into a tall plant. Faith as a mustard seed is the kind of trust in God which does not give up in despair when its efforts are not meet with immediate success. It maintains uninterrupted and vital contact with God and therefore continues to pray fervently, knowing that God at his own time and in his own way will bestow the blessing

The Believer as a Citizen ( 17:22-27 )

( 17:22-27 ) Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful. 24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” 26 Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”

— Once again, Jesus predicted his death ( cf 16:21; 17:12 ) but more important, He told of His resurrection (now the third time)

— It should be noted that as He entered the last six months of His public ministry, He spent less and less time with the multitudes and more time alone with His disciples

— Unfortunately, the disciples heard only the first part of Jesus’ words and became discouraged

— The disciples didn’t fully comprehend the purpose of Jesus death and resurrection until Pentecost ( Acts 2 )

— They didn’t know that His death would make His kingdom possible

Q: What is the Christian’s reasonable relationship to governmental authority ( 17:24-25 )?

The Payment Demanded ( 17:24-25a )

( 17:24-25 ) When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”

— All Jewish males had to pay a temple tax to support temple upkeep ( Ex 30:11-16 ); two days wages

— Tax collectors set up booths to collect these taxes

— Only Matthew records this event — perhaps because he had been a tax collector himself

— As God’s people, we are foreigners on earth because our loyalty is always to our real king — Jesus

— Still we have to cooperate with the authorities and be responsible citizens

— An ambassador to another country keeps the local laws in order to represent well the one who sent him

— We are Christ’s ambassadors ( 2 Cor 5:20 )

— Are you a good foreign ambassador to Him to His Word

Going Deeper

— The NT makes clear that a believer’s primary citizenship is not in this world

— Our citizenship is in heaven ( Phil 3:17-21 )

— “You are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household” ( Eph 2:19 )

— Some Christians argue that we should not be involved with government and society. They appeal to verses such as the following

— Paul taught believers “to be blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” ( Phil 2:15 )

— Paul and Isaiah commanded believers in Gods’ name “‘Come out from their midst and be separate’, says the Lord, ‘And do not touch what is unclean.’” ( 2 Cor 6:17; Is 52:11 )

— And John declared, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” ( 1 Jn 2:15 )

Taxes

— When the Tabernacle was first built in the wilderness, God provided for its maintenance and operation with a yearly tax of 1/2 shekel

— “The rich shall not pay more, and the poor shall not pay less than the half shekel” ( Ex 30:11 )

— The ancient Jewish historian Josephus reported that after Titus destroyed the Temple in A.D.70, the emperor Vespasian decreed that Jews would continue to be assessed the two drachma tax in order to maintain the pagan temple of Jupiter Capitolinus

— The tax was imposed as a calculated, vindictive reminder both to Jews and to the rest of the world of the high costs of opposing Rome

Q: Are we to pay taxes to the government knowing that it will be used for immoral and corrupt purposes ( 17:25-27)?

The Principle Discussed ( 17:25b-27a )

( 17:25-27 ) And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” 26 Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 Nevertheless, lest we offend them

— Peter answered a question without really knowing the answer, putting Jesus and His disciples in a awkward position

— Jesus used the situation, however, to emphasize his kingly role

— Just as a king pays no taxes and collect none from His family, Jesus the king, owed no taxes

— But Jesus supplied the tax payment for both Himself and Peter rather than offend those who didn’t understand his kingship

— If the Son of God claimed no exemption for Himself in paying taxes, how much less can His followers claim exemption for themselves?

— Although Jesus supplied the tax money, Peter had to go and get it

— Ultimately all that we have comes from God’s supply, but he may want us to be active in the process

Going Deeper

— If there was any tax that Jesus was not obligated to pay it would have been the temple tax

— He was the One for whom the Temple was built to honor and to whom its sacrifices and offerings were made

— He was the Lord of all the earth but supremely Lord of the Temple

— He had every right to refuse paying the Temple tax, just as He has every right to refuse being humiliated and persecuted

— But when He willingly emptied Himself of His divine glory ( Phil 2:7 ) He also willingly relinquished the rights and prerogatives belonging to that glory

The Provision Delivered ( 17:27b )

( 17:27b ) go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”

— This is the only time that we know of Jesus paying taxes through a miracle

— A believer is obligated to fulfill his duties as a citizen of this world ( Ro 13:1-2; 5-7 )

— We are to submit ourselves to human authorities ( 1 Pet 2:13-14 )

There is a species of fish, indigenous to the Sea of Galilee that have the characteristic that they pick up bright things off the bottom and carry them in the mouth. Locally, they now call this fish “St. Peter’s Fish.” Jesus used the fish as a method to demonstrate to Peter that He was the Lord of Creation. He clearly was not subject to this tax.

Q: Is there a limit to obeying the Government’s laws? What about when they contradict God’s laws? Should we not meet in person because the Government says it is illegal?

— As Peter declared early in his ministry, there are obvious limits to a believer’s submission to human authority ( Acts 4:19-20; cf. 5:28-29 )

— The Christian’s first obligation is to obey God and when His law is directly opposed by men’s laws, God’s law must prevail ( see end notes: Christ, not Caesar, is Head of the church )

— Laws do not make the government moral; changing evil laws and removing evil leaders without changing evil hearts is futile

Additional Resources

MacArthur, John. Matthew 8-15. Moody Press, 1987.

MacArthur, John. New Testament Commentary. Moody, 1985.

Life Application Bible (NIV). Zondervan Grand Rapids, Michigan and Tyndale House Publishers. Carol Stream, Illinois

Christ, not Caesar, Is Head of the Church. https://www.gracechurch.org/news/posts/1988

J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee.

Bible Study Questions https://www.bible-studys.org/Bible%20Books/Matthew/Matthew%20Chapter%2017%20Continued.html

William Hendriksen. Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973.