Matthew 17
Big idea: The veil lifts: on the mountain the Son shines like the sun and the Father commands 'listen to him' — then it's back down into faithlessness, epilepsy, a second passion prediction, and a temple-tax question answered with a coin in a fish's mouth.
Six days after the cross-announcement, the transfiguration confirms that the road of suffering belongs to the Lord of glory. The mountain and the valley interpret each other.
17:1-13 — Transfigured: this is my beloved Son — listen to him
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain and is transformed: face like the sun, garments white as light, Moses and Elijah talking with him. Peter proposes three tents; a bright cloud interrupts, and the voice: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.' The terrified disciples are raised by Jesus' touch — 'don't be afraid' — and see no one but Jesus alone. Descending, he binds them to silence until the resurrection, and explains: Elijah has come already — they did to John what they wanted, and the Son of Man will suffer likewise.
1 After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. 2 He was changed before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light. 3 Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him. 4 Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid. 7 Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.” 8 Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” 10 His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things; 12 but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer.
17:14-23 — Mustard-seed faith; the second prediction
At the mountain's foot, a father kneels: his epileptic son suffers terribly, and the disciples could not cure him. Jesus laments the faithless generation, rebukes the demon, and heals the boy. Privately the disciples ask why they failed: because of your unbelief — faith like a mustard seed moves mountains; nothing will be impossible. (This kind goes out by prayer and fasting.) Then, in Galilee, the second passion prediction: delivered into men's hands, killed, raised the third day — and they were exceedingly sorry.
14 When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.” 17 Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.” 22 While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up.” They were exceedingly sorry.
17:24-27 — Sons are free: the coin in the fish
Capernaum's temple-tax collectors ask Peter whether his teacher pays the didrachma. Jesus preempts Peter indoors: do kings tax their own children or strangers? Strangers — so the children are free. Yet to avoid giving offense, Peter is sent to the sea: the first fish's mouth holds a stater — pay it for me and you.
24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the didrachma?” 25 He said, “Yes.” When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?” 26 Peter said to him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt. 27 But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. Take that, and give it to them for me and you.”
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).