The Gospel According to Saint Matthew
Matthew 17
Chapter XVII · Vol. IV, pp. 82–84
1 The transfiguration of Christ. 14 He healeth the lunatic, 22 foretelleth his own passion, 24 and payeth tribute.
1 And aftera six days Jesus taketh bPeter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
a Mar.9.2-10. Lu.9.28-36.
1 The whole scope of the narrative shows that the 'Mount of Transfiguration' was one of the lofty peaks of Hermon, near Cesarea Philippi. No place could be imagined better suited to such a scene;—the magnificent scenery, the profound solitude, the sacred associations of Hermon itself.—P.
2 Andc was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
c Re.1.16. Ex.34.29,35. Is.33.17. ch.28.3. Jn.1.14. 2 Pe.1.16,17.
3 And,d behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias, talking with him.
d ch.13.11. Ac.10.43. Ro.3.21. Lu.24.27,44.
2 There are some points worthy of special note in the persons present at the transfiguration. They were representative men. Moses represented the law; Elias the prophets; Peter, James, and John the apostles, and every section of the Christian church. The two first were typical: both fasted forty days; both had visions of glory in the holy mount; both were removed from earth in a way different from ordinary mortals. Here type and antitype appeared side by side, 'holding converse on that sublime event which had been the great central subject of the teaching of the lawgiver and the prophets, and which was also to be the sum and substance of apostolic teaching.'—P.
4 Thene answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
5 Whileg he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and, behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hhear ye him.Cited in WSC 21
g Is.42.1,21. Ps.2.7. Jn.1.14;3.16;1.34. ch.3.17;16.16. Mar.1.11. Lu.3.22. Col.1.13.
h Ex.23.21. De.18.15-19. Ac.3.22,23. He.1.1,2;2.1-3;12.25,26; i.e. instead of all the prophets.
8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man,3 save Jesus only.
A.M. cir. 4036. A.D. cir. 32.
3 Moses, representing the law, and Elias, representing the prophets, had now disappeared, and Jesus alone remained: a fact setting forth the law and the prophets alike fulfilled in him. The shadows disappear, but the abiding body is Christ.—C.
9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus kcharged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.4
12 But I say unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. oLikewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.Cited in WCF 3.1, 9.1
13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
14 Andp when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
p Mar.9.14-30. Lu.9.37-45. Ps.50.15. Ho.5.15.
15 Lord,q have mercy on my son; for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
16 And rI brought him to thy disciples,6 and they could not cure him.
r Mar.9.14-16. Lu.9.40.
6 The nine whom he left during his transfiguration.—C.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, sO faithless and perverse7 generation! how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
s ch.6.30; 8.26; 14.31; 16.8; 13.58. He.3.12,19; 4.2.
7 The disciples were men of 'little faith,' but neither absolutely faithless nor perverse. These words were, therefore, addressed to the scribes and their infidel and cruel partisans (ver. 10-13), and who appear (Mar. 9. 14) to have mocked at the failure of the disciples in their attempts to cast out the devil.—C.
18 Andt Jesus rebuked the devil, and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
t ch.4.24; 9.33; 12.22. Ac.10.38. Mar.9.20-27. Lu.9.42.
19 Thenu came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
u Mar.9.28. ch.13.10,36; 15.15.
20 And Jesus said unto them, vBecause of your unbelief:8 for verily I say unto you, xIf ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed,9 ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and ynothing shall be impossible1 unto you.
v ch.13.58; 6.30. See ver.17. He.3.19.
x Lu.17.6. ch.21.21. Mar.11.23. 1 Co.13.2.
8 Because of your unbelief. This evidently appears to include the disciples under ver. 17; but the original is not 'your unbelief,' but 'the unbelief;' that is, of the father of the child, and of the multitude, as appears from Mar. 9.22-26.—C.
A.M. cir. 4036. A.D. cir. 32.
9 Faith as a grain of mustard-seed. A faith which, however small, is possessed of the vital principle, and receives the blessing that renders it fruitful and capable of an increase unlimited by anything but the power of God. See the primitive form of blessing, Ge.1.22,28.—C.
y ch.21.22. Mar.9.23.
1 Nothing shall be impossible which is sanctioned by God's authority, and required for his glory and his people's good.—C.
22 Anda while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men;
a ch.20.17,18; 16.21. Mar.9.30,31; 8.31; 10.33. Lu.9.22,44; 18.31; 24.6,26,46. Jn.2.19; 10.18; 19.11. Ac.2.23. 1 Co.15.4. Is.liii.
23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And bthey were exceeding sorry.
b ch.26.22. Jn.16.6,20.
24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute2 money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your Master pay tribute?3
2 Gr. didrachma, in value fifteen pence. This appears to be a payment to the Romans rather than for the temple-service, Ex.30.13; 38.26.
3 This didrachm, in value about 1s. 3d., seems to have been the temple tribute required, Ex. 30. 13; for our Lord intimates (ver. 26) that he and Peter were the children of him in whose name it was exacted, which he could not have said had it been a Roman tax.—C.
25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
27 Notwithstanding, lest we should coffend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money;4 that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
c 1 Jn.2.10. 1 Co.10.32. Ro.14.13,21; 13.7; 15.1-3. 2 Co.6.3.
4 Or, a stater. It is half an ounce of silver, in value two shillings and sixpence, after five shillings the ounce. [Sufficient to pay for our Lord and Peter.—C.]
Notes
Ver. 17. He here rebukes the father and his disciples for their weakness of faith, and the audience for their obstinate unbelief and readiness to reflect upon him in the weakness of his disciples.
20, 21. By a sincere faith in my power and promise, and through my assistance, ye shall be able to discharge and approve your office in doing things seemingly impossible. But such kind of faith must be exercised in the use of much fervent prayer and humiliation, without which you cannot expect to dislodge devils of so powerful and obstinate a kind as this is.
Ver. 1. Tabor, in the south of Galilee, has been regarded from an early period as the mount of the transfiguration. But it is more probable that it took place in the north of Galilee, as the narrative (comp. ch. 16. 13; 17. 20) evidently seems to refer to some mountain not far from Cesarea Philippi, which lay towards the range of Hermon (comp. ch. 16. 13; 17. 20); and, after the transfiguration, it is said (Mar. 9. 30, 33) that 'they departed and passed through Galilee,' and then came to Capernaum, on the north of the Sea of Galilee. Had the mountain of transfiguration been in Galilee, would the evangelist have said 'they departed and passed through' it? Would he not have said 'they departed and went to Capernaum?' Besides, it is said, they went up to a mountain apart; whereas Tabor was certainly at the period an inhabited town and fortress, and therefore peculiarly unfitted for retirement. C.
Ver. 3. This appearance gives evidence the most decided to the most comfortable doctrine of recognition of Christian friends in a future state. For if Moses and Elias, who had been utter strangers to them, were yet made known to the disciples, why should the identity of any dear child of God be lost in the multitude of the redeemed? C.
Ver. 15. He is lunatic. That the moon exercises a powerful influence upon some nervous disorders is unquestionable. This effect is generally attributed to her attraction, which is seen to be so powerful as to influence the tides. It is, however, rather more probable that her influence upon disease is merely that of her brilliancy during the night, which irritates the nervous system, produces sleeplessness, and thereby aggravates the symptoms. The symptoms mentioned, Lu. 9. 39, indicate a disease resembling epilepsy; but both there and in ver. 18 the disease is declared to be under the control of a malignant spirit. At this infidels and sceptics may scoff; but what pretensions have they to know anything of the invisible world? When they can cure the disease with a word of rebuke, they may question the Scripture account of its origin. C.
Reflections.—How mixed was the lot of our Redeemer in this world! How quickly lifted up and cast down again! Now he shines in glory; anon he is plunged into sufferings and death. Now devils and distempers flee before his infinite power and grace; anon he is discredited, or ill understood, by weak disciples, and despised by faithless and perverse Jews. Possessed of all the fulness of Godhead—of all the riches of heaven and earth—he humbly, but miraculously, borrows his tribute-money from a fish, to avoid giving offence. But his resurrection from the dead wiped away all his reproach, and rendered illustrious his deepest debasement. If Moses and Elias have, in solemn manner, resigned to him all their powers and honours, let me hear him as my great, my only divine prophet! Let me rejoice in his dearness to God, and exalted dominion over men! Let me lift up my heart, and retire from the world, to hold fellowship with him, and prolong his visits to the utmost! Let no danger, no guilt, terrify my heart, while I enjoy the great Propitiation and Saviour! If the choicest saints forsake me, it is enough that Jesus remains to comfort me. Ravishing discoveries of him on earth are indeed but short-lived; and suffering is the certain fate of all his followers. I must return to depths of temptation, desertion, and trouble, in which my fellow-Christians have often laboriously struggled with stubborn devils and indwelling lusts. But if I or my friends experience their uncommon cruelty, let me, with fervour and humility, supplicate Jesus for relief. And let want or weakness of faith, which mar my duty and obstruct my mercies, be the grief, the burden, the detestation of my heart. And while through manifold tribulations I follow him to his kingdom and glory, let me carefully avoid whatever could prejudice others against him, his doctrines, or ways. It is better to waive my right and open my purse than dishonour my Redeemer.