In order to start chapter seventeen, we need to finish chapter 16. We should note that God's word is inspired, but the chapter breaks were put in my men. In this case it certainly appears they have it in the wrong place. In both Mark 8:38-9:1 and Luke 9:26, 27 the respective gospel writers join up the statement, "there are some .... who shall not taste death...." with the account of the transfiguration. For whatever reason, we find a chapter break between the two here in Matthew.
Matthew 16:27
27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28 Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
What a sight this will be!! What a day this will be! This is the culmination of our faith; the day when we will see with our eyes what we've believed. This is the day when we understand that by denying our self and dying to self that we gained life.
We aren't told what the disciple's response to this was. It was probably much like our own when we ponder it. It's as if Jesus read their mind as they wondered what this would be like and he responded with verse 28. Some of them would see this, but not all. Suddenly each of them wondered if they were included or not. And why would Jesus not include all of them? We don't know. The last part of verse 28 is slightly different in the other accounts. Mark says, "..... till they see the kingdom of God is present with power."
Luke says, "..,,,,,,,,till they see the kingdom of God." This is a great promise on the heals of Jesus speaking of denying themselves, dying and following Him to a cross.
Some make the mistake of linking this verse of seeing Christ in His kingdom to the previous verse of Jesus coming in the glory of His Father with the angels. Their claim and subsequent problems is that it didn't happen. This is a handy passage for those trying to find errors in the bible.
Matthew 17:1-4
Several days passed and the disciples probably forgot what had been said about them seeing Jesus in His glory. Jesus led these men up to the mountain and they would see a preview of the glorified Jesus. Luke tells us he went there to pray. He also told us that Peter, James and John were sleepy and it wasn't until they were awake that they realized what was happening. Jesus was transfigured. This word is metamorphethe and only appears twice; the other being in Marks account. This word reflects a change in outward appearance; a changing of state. In this case it was Jesus letting out what was always there. This wasn't nearly a miracle; the real miracle was keeping the glory of Jesus wrapped in the flesh of a human body. John wrote (John 1:14), We beheld His glory. Peter wrote, We were eyewitnesses of His majesty in 2 Peter 1:16.
This is a preview. Following Christ wasn't just about denying, dying and picking up your cross; it was about power. This is pulling back the curtain of this world and peeking behind into eternity. Jesus came that we might all join Him there some day.
Moses (lived 1400 yrs prior) and Elijah (lived 900 yrs prior) are two major figures in God's story; they represent the law and prophets. Luke adds that these two men shone also and they were walking together as they talked. They were talking about the coming death of Jesus.
Peter spoke up, as he so often did, feeling as though something needed said. He felt it was good that they were there. Peter apparently thought Jesus made a great decision in including them in this trip to the mountain top. Luke and Mark tell us Peter didn't really know what he said when he added that he wanted to build a tabernacle for them. Peter wanted to build them all a tent to keep them there. In saying this, he placed Moses and Elijah at the same level of worship as Jesus. While any human would be tongue tied and in awe in the situation, this is a significant mistake.
Matthew 17:5-8
Peter almost missed it, because he was speaking instead of listening. The voice of God testified that Jesus is the Son of God and that the Father was pleased with Him. The Father and the Son are one. What is the direction of the Father to the disciples? It was to Hear Him! They were instructed by God the Father to listen to Jesus. When we hear Jesus we hear the Father.
This now is the more expected response to the glory of God; the disciples fell on their faces in fear. This is more appropriate than suggesting putting up some tents. While the accounts of the transfiguration are about the change seen in Jesus, we have to know there was a change that took place in these men. Their lives were never the same since they left their fishing boats. All along the way, there were things that challenged their thinking and built their faith. But this had to leave a mark on them in every way. As they were overcome with fear and on their faces, Jesus touched them and allayed their fears. This is what Jesus does. And then, the moment had passed. Did they really see this? Was it a vision? They probably wondered this very thing. Paul said something similar in 2 Corinthians 12:3b-4:
Whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
The trip back down that mountain to once again walk in a sin-fallen world would have been a long walk. I wonder if there was ever a day that passed they didn't think of this day. Yet, we have evidence they did. We have the ability to forget God's greatest works because some time had passed; as if they somehow didn't count for as much. (Is it our flesh that holds the position, what have you done for me lately?)
Matthew 17:9
This may be why Jesus only took the three, to control this for a time.
Matthew 10-13
The disciples were mistakenly thinking Elijah would come, the Messiah would follow, then the Day of the Lord and the coming of God's kingdom. The order was right but the timing was off. John the Baptist was this Elijah like prophet preparing the way for the Lord. This is the Elijah that had indeed come, but he was not the same as when Elijah will precede the Day of the Lord. This was prophesied in Malichi 4:5. This is likely a reference to Elijah as one of the witnesses in Revelation 11:3-13 (Moses is probably the other).
Matthew 14-18
Jesus returns from the mountaintop and we quickly see the contrast of this glimpse into the kingdom of God and the sin-fallen world. This man approaches Jesus and kneels before Him, begging for mercy for his son. This man appears humble and approaches the Lord with reverence. We see the love that he has for his son and he intercedes for him, seeking help. This man said his son was an epileptic; the original language and thought was that he was 'moonstruck'. The boy had what they called 'the falling disease'. They had no explanation or cure and believed that the phases of the moon affected the disease.
All this man wanted was his son back to normal; a normal life. He took his son to the disciples but they couldn't cure him. In the failure of the disciples, the man rightly approaches Jesus.
I don't believe Jesus was rebuking the man for being faithless and perverse, the multitude in general. And if we go to Mark 9:14 we can see that Jesus was more specifically rebuking the scribes who were swaying the crowd.
14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?"
17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."
It may well be the scribes were working the crowd like a politician. This man became an example that they seized onto and used to make their case that Jesus was a phony and a fake. When Jesus walks into the midst of this He asks what they were discussing. I don't believe this man was speaking out against Jesus because Matthew said he was kneeling before him. He was suffering as a father; a broken hearted man who wanted to believe but couldn't find his faith. In Mark Jesus said it was possible if he believed. The man replied:
"Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
Jesus rebukes this crowd. This rebuke speaks to a generation marked by unbelief and of chasing after things that are not moral, proper and good. Jesus wouldn't be available to walk with them much longer. Then, the faithless and perverse generation must find Jesus without seeing Him and walking with Him. When Jesus was gone, it would take faith to believe and discipline to not walk in the depravity of this world.
The child is brought to Jesus at His request. Jesus made quick work of this situation; rebuking the demon and delivering this child. It's fascinating to note that there is not one example where someone asked Jesus for healing and He said no. There is not a time when Jesus said it was His will that one remain sick and afflicted. The closest to that would be Paul speaking of the thorn in his flesh. He prayed three times for it to be removed but the 'thorn' was apparently a means of Paul's humility and an example that when Paul was weak, Jesus was strong.
The disciples were reminded here that they had no power or authority of their own. The disciples of Jesus will fail and let people down. There could be no faith in another disciple but only in Jesus. We must never fall into the trap of thinking we are something and God got a good deal when we came along and accepted Him. We should never forget that He chose us, saved us out of death and gave us new life. We get the honor of becoming took through which Jesus works.
Matthew 17:19-21
Unbelief was a lack of an all encompassing confidence. This is the same thing we all suffer from. We believe, especially when we are on the mountaintop. We believe when we are sitting in church. We believe when we hear stories of God blessing others and bringing healing. Yet, when we are in the valley, when we are suffering, our belief is shaken and damaged. It's no longer all encompassing. It's as if we believe in Jesus and we believe in his power, but when it comes to healing us or it comes to our situation that we've somehow reached the limits of Jesus' abilities.
Jesus said we need to have faith, even as a mustard seed. This faith isn't just believing something is possible, but believing in the One who makes it possible. Faith isn't believing beyond reason that by your ability to focus all your energy and power toward a situation that you can make it change. It's a belief that Jesus has the power and Jesus wants to change this situation. You can't move a mountain, but Jesus can move a mountain. The Rabbis used to teach that faith was the 'uprooter of mountains'. Faith is standing in the will and agreement and power of Jesus Christ knowing that He alone can move mountains. Then, we are a tool used by Jesus. When he wants a demon cast out or a mountain moved, He can use you to do it because you know that He can.
Jesus adds that this kind of demon can only be cast out by prayer and fasting. This is a focused and singular approach with the removal of the distractions of this world and denying the flesh. That approach is toward the King that is above all kings, to the Power above all powers and the Name above all names.
Matthew 17:22-25
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?"
Matthew 17:26-27
The temple tax was a tax that was supposed to be paid regularly by every Jewish man. There were many men who failed to pay the tax. If you were among those who didn't pay you might be viewed as despising your heritage and viewed as unpatriotic. It's fascinating that this tax comes up right on after this discussion of Jesus dying. They were sorrowful and then the tax man showed up. While a tax seemed important to deal with in the world, it was nothing in the eternal perspective. This death and resurrection had eternal consequences for all of mankind, yet this tax comes due.
Peter quickly said yes and then went to discuss this with Jesus. Peter and the other disciples were now citizens of another kingdom. They were sons and daughters of the Most High God. As sons and daughters, they were exempt from the temple tax. But, in order to not offend, to set an example, they would pay the tax.
This coin could have come from any place. And the Lord could have provided this without Peter doing anything. But in this lesson, Peter the fisherman had to cast a hook into the sea. Peter had to believe what Jesus said and be obedient to the point of action. This faith wasn't sitting still, doing nothing, waiting for Jesus to miraculously make the tax go away.
Our following Jesus is trust in the plan and provision of Jesus. This belief moves us; it moves us to live and move with Christ at the center of our lives.
©2015 Doug Ford
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