mat18

Matthew 17:1-3 After six days, which makes it after the confession of Peter at Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:13-20) Jesus took with him Peter, James and John. James and John were nicknamed "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3 Matthew 17). Jesus led them up a high mountain and there alone the three of them were with Jesus. It is said that these three were the inner circle of Jesus. They were with Him at Gethsemane, the healing of Jairus’ daughter, and also now they are with Jesus at this time. Here upon the top of this mountain Jesus is transfigured. The Greek word for transfiguration is "metamorphoo" meaning "to transform, transfigure, change one's form. This is where we get the English word "metamorphosis," and I'm sure most of us remember how an insect changes in the cocoon into a butterfly that is metamorphosis. This word describes the change that also should take place in the life of us that claim to be Christians. It takes place through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18). We also find many similarities between the "transfiguration" of Moses in the Old Testament, and the Transfiguration of Christ in the New Testament. Exodus 24:1-2 tells of Moses going up on Mt. Sinai accompanied by Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and hearing the voice of God speaking from a cloud. When Moses came down from the mountain his face shone so brightly it had to be covered (Exodus 34:29-34). In the New Testament Jesus went up a high mountain with three of His disciples -- Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1). And while up there His face "shone like the sun" (Matthew 17:2) and they, the disciples, heard God speaking from a bright cloud (Matthew 17:5). Here on this day the disciples were given true proof that Jesus is the Messiah. The very voice of God voice proclaimed Jesus to be His Son and present with Jesus was the greatest lawgiver of the Old Testament, Moses, and Elijah, the first truly great prophet of the Old Testament. In Luke 9 we read that Jesus was praying while on the mountain and during this time of prayer He was transfigured. Jesus always prayed! Do we follow in His footsteps?

Matthew 17:4 Here we find Peter in awe of what he was seeing. He was so taken with the presence of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah that he did not want it to end. Peter did not want to go back down the mountain. He wanted to build three tabernacles (shelters), one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Most likely the shelters that Peter was talking of building would have been made out of branches and considered only as temporary tabernacles like the ones God’s people lived in during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Jesus left heaven to tabernacle or dwell with us. John 1:14 says, “The Word (which we know is Christ) became flesh and dwelt among us.” This same word dwelt translates to tabernacles. Christ is the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles by His constant living or dwelling in us the Believers!

Matthew 17:5 And a voice from the cloud was heard. There also was no mistaking whose voice was speaking. The words, which were spoken, identified the voice as God’s. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” God identifies Jesus as His Son. The first time God's voice was heard from a cloud was when He gave the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Deuteronomy 5:22). The next time God’s voice was heard from a cloud was at the baptism of Christ (Matthew 3:17). And we see also that a command was directly given to the disciples and that command was to listen to Jesus. Every Believer must do just that listen to Jesus! And we do that by reading the Word of God, by studying the Word of God, listening to teaching tapes, ministry shows on the radio or TV, and by listening to pastors and Sunday school teachers.

Matthew 17:6-8 The disciples upon hearing the voice of God fell to their faces in fear. It is not known for sure if it were actual fear or awe. I believe it was a combination of both. Jesus seeing this came to them and touched them and said “Arise, and do not be afraid.” Here Jesus is telling them to not be afraid of the presence of God. It is okay to be in awe but true Believers should not fear God’s presence. And as the disciples got up they saw no one but Jesus. Moses and Elijah had vanished.

Matthew 17:9 As they began going down the mountain Jesus said to the disciples do not tell anyone what you have seen. Now, I imagine that the disciples were talking very adamantly about seeing Moses and Elijah and hearing the voice of God saying Jesus is His Son. This of course would not be good for the plan God sent Jesus to accomplish so it was important that the disciples did not tell anyone. Jesus’ reasons for telling them not to tell anyone was so He could go about freely and teach and share the Good news, healing and doing good wherever He went. But when the news of His great miracles happened it caused many different feelings and sometimes made it difficult for Him to enter certain towns to minister. Peter, James, and John had not seen a vision; they actually witnessed a supernatural event. Moses and Elijah actually came down and stood talking with Jesus. And Jesus wanted no one to know what they had seen until Jesus died on the cross, went to the grave, and then rose from the dead.

Matthew 17:10 The disciples who believed that Jesus was the Messiah asked Him why the scribes, the teachers say that Elijah must come first. The scribes of course as we know are the great teachers the Hebrew Scriptures and they were basing this on Malachi 4:5-6 where it says, “5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” The disciples were puzzled that Jesus would speak about something that they associated with the "day of the Lord when Elijah had not yet come.

Matthew 17:11-13 Jesus replied to them saying do not worry Elijah comes and he will restore all things. At first glance it seems that Jesus agrees with the teaching of scribes however, Jesus clarifies His response in the verse 12 saying that Elijah has already come! Elijah appeared with Moses and Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus also said in Matthew 11:13-14 and now in 17:13 that John the Baptist was Elijah who was to come. Before John the Baptist was born, Zechariah, John's father, had been told John would go before the Lord “in spirit and power of Elijah” Luke 1:17. The Israeli leaders though did not recognize or accept John the Baptist. They had no respect for him and desired to kill him and Jesus was comparing his impending death with that of John's. And then the disciples understood that by acceptance of John the Baptist as Elijah to come they should understand that Jesus also was soon to be put to death!

Matthew 17:14-16 Now when Jesus and the disciples with Him reached the crowd in which the other disciples were that did not go with Him to the mountain a man came up to Jesus and fell on his knees before Him saying his son was a lunatic and had seizures often falling into the water or fire. It is common for a demon to try to kill or harm the person or persons it possesses, such as the drowned pigs in the lake from Matthew 8:31-32. The man says that the disciples tried to heal him but could not.

Matthew 17:17-21 And now Jesus answered saying, “O unbelieving and perverted generation.” Jesus was speaking to the whole crowd not just the disciples. So, Jesus rebuked the demon! He did not rebuke a sickness or illness; no He rebuked a demonic force that was causing the disease or illness. And he was healed at that very moment! The disciples then privately came to Jesus and questioned why they were not able to cast out the demon. And Jesus said that He rebuked them because of their lack of faith after having been with Him and seen the miracles He performed they still lacked faith. Jesus wanted them to understand that faith is the center of God’s power in our lives. He said if we had faith as a mustard seed we would move mountains. If we simply have faith in God according to His will for us nothing will be impossible for us. The oldest manuscripts do not contain the 21st verse, which is in our King James Version and some other versions. It was most likely copied from Mark 9:29. The simple meaning behind this verse is that some types of demonic forces require much prayer and fasting coupled with great faith to cast them out!

Matthew 17:22-23 Jesus now tells them as they were gathering in Galilee that the “Son of Man is going to be betrayed.” We know from Scripture that Judas will betray Jesus and in Matthew 10:4 when Judas is mentioned it says that he betrayed Jesus. Jesus goes on to say that the Son of Man will be killed and then raised to life on the third day.

Matthew 17:24-27 When Jesus and the disciples reached Capernaum the tax collectors approached the disciples and asked if their teacher did not pay the tax! It was required by every Jewish person 20 years or older to pay two drachmas each year to help in supporting the temple, which we can read about in Nehemiah 10 and Exodus 30. Jesus though explained that He was exempt and so were His disciples. He was the true King even though they did not recognize Him as so. As Messiah and King Jesus was not required to pay the tax. Jesus says to the disciples, “from whom do the kings of earth collect duty and taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” Jesus is making it clear to them that the King does not tax His own family so the disciples would not be taxed because they were of the family of God! Then Jesus says so as to not offend the tax collectors He performed a miracle by telling Peter to go to the sea and throw in a line and taking the first fish caught open its mouth and there will be a coin in it and take it and pay the tax collectors with it. A drachma was equal to about 19 cents.

Father, thank you for truth of Your Word, let me always be worthy to receive it and help me to constantly be fine tuning my faith so as to have the faith necessary to move mountains when mountains need moving in Jesus name, amen.

Where Jesus is Lord!
Living Vine Ministries
Pastor Thomas Miles

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