17:1-9. THE GLORY FORE-SHOWN. THE TRANSFIGURATION.
i 1-. The ascent.
-1. Disciples taken up.
2. The Vision.
3. The Lord. Accompanied.
4. Voice Peter's.
5. Voice. The Father's.
6,7. The Vision. Ended.
8. The Lord. Alone.
9-. The Descent.
-9. Disciples. Charged.
Matthew 17:1 And after six days
(See Mark 9:2. Luke 9:28. It was thus connected with the first mention of His sufferings and death [16:21; 17:9,12], and would counteract any doubts that the disclosure might give rise to. By it the glory is connected with the sufferings, as it always is; and it gives a glimpse of His coming [2 Pet. 1:16-18])
Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
(Not the traditional "Tabor", for it the was inhabited, with a fortress on the top. More probably Mt. Hermon)
1. The event is recorded in three out of the four Gospels. It is therefore of great importance.
2. It is dated in all three accounts, and is therefore of particular importance. It took place "about six days" (exclusive reckoning), or "about eight days" (Luke 9:28, inclusive reckoning) from the Lord's prediction.
3. The event from which it is dated, in all three Gospels, is the Lord's first mention of His sufferings, and rejection (Matt. 16:21. Mark 8:31. Luke 9:22). It must therefore have some close connexion with this
4. What this connection is may be seen from the fact that, in the O.T., while the "glory" is often mentioned without the "sufferings" (Isa. 11; 32; 35; 40; 60, &c.), the "sufferings" are never mentioned apart from the "glory".
5. It is so here; for in each account the Lord goes on to mention His future coming "in the glory of His Father"; and this is followed by an exhibition of that "glory", and a typical foreshadowing of that "coming" (2Pet. 1:16-18) on "the holy mount".
6. The Transfiguration took place "as He prayed"; and there are only two subjects recorded concerning which He prayed : the sufferings (Matt. 26: 39, 42, 44) and the glory (John 17:1, 5, 24).
7. It was on "the holy mount" that he "received from God the Father honour and glory" (time kai doxa, 2Pet. 1:17), and was crowned with glory and honour, for the suffering of death" (Gr. doxa kai time, Heb. 2:9). In these passages the reference is to Exodus 28:2, where the High Priest at his consecration for the office of high priest was clothed with garments, specially made under Divine direction, and these were "for glory and for beauty". In the Greek of the Sept. we have the same two words (time kai doxa).
8. These garments were made by those who were "wise hearted", whom Yehovah said He had "filled with the spirit of wisdom that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto Me in the priest's office" (Ex. 28:3). These latter words are repeated in v.4, in order to emphasize the Divine object. This tells us assuredly that the Transfiguration was the consecration of our Lord for His special office of High Priest and for His priestly work, of which Aaron was the type.
9. This is confirmed by what appears to be the special Divine formula of consecration : (1) In Matt. 3:17, &c. "This is My beloved Son", at His Baptism, for His office of Prophet (at the commencement of His Ministry); (2) In Matt. 17:5 "This is My beloved Son" at His Transfiguration, for His office of High Priest (Heb. 5:5-10): and (3) at His Resurrection, "Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee", i.e. brought Thee to birth. Gr. gegenneka, as in Acts 13:33 and Ps. 2:7 (Sept.).
10. At His resurrection His sufferings were over; and nothing further was needed before He should "enter into His glory" according to Luke 24:26. there was nothing to hinder that glory which He had then "received" from being "beheld" by those whom He had loved (John 17:24). The sufferings had first to be accomplished; but, this having been done, the glory of His kingdom and His glorious reign would have followed the proclamation of that kingdom by Peter in Acts 3:18-26. It was, as we know, rejected : in Jerusalem, the capital of the land (Acts 6:9-7:60), and afterward in Rome, the capital of the dispersion (Acts 28:17-28). Hence, He must come again, and when He again bringeth the First-begotten into the world, the Father will say "Thou art My Son", and "let all the angels of God worship Him" (Heb. 1:5, 6).
(*1) This is doubtless the reason why it finds no place in John's Gospel; for, like the Temptation, and the Agony, it is not needed in that Gospel for the presentation of the Lord Jesus as God.
2 And was transfigured
(Gr. metamorphoomai = to change the form. See Mark 9:2, and in Rom. 12:2, 2 Cor. 3:18. Marking the change to a new condition.)
before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.
(This is to document to them He would not stay in the grave.
Jesus Christ's transfiguration let these three disciples know that through the resurrection the flesh body will be transfigured, rather then left. These three have witnessed before the fact that Christ's body will be transfigured. Meaning that the flesh shall not be left behind, whereby the unbelievers could say, He didn't go anywhere. There is the flesh.
Every time a person dies there is an immediate removal of the soul back to the Heavenly Father, and the flesh is left to rot. The unbeliever simply can't understand that because the body is laying there on the slab. The persons beautiful spiritual body returns to God that gave it.
In this case, there had to be a transfiguration to stop the talk, and have witnesses to the fact, so no one could deny that He arose.)
3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses
(Representing the Law, and those to be raised from the dead. See 8:4)
and Elias
(Representing those "caught up" without dying. Not the "rapture" a false teaching. Both mentioned in Mal. 4:5)
talking with Him.
(Many teach that these two men that were with Christ have been in the grave for quite some time. All souls, including Satan himself, are with God at this time awaiting judgment, or awaiting to be taught in the millennium age.
Why would Jesus appear with Moses and Elias? Moses was the law giver. The law that God gave mankind for the sake of living with one another on earth. It was the yardstick to show man that he was not perfect. When Christ dies on the cross, it will pay the price for man's transgressing of the law.
These two, Moses and Elias [Elijah] were mentioned in the last three verses in the Old Testament.
Malachi 4:4-6; "Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: 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."
Moses stood for the law, and his presence represents those to be raised from the dead. This will occur when Christ is resurrected and brings the souls along with Him to heaven.
Christ's transfigured body was symbolic of that Second Advent. What Jesus is saying to the disciples is that this is the First Advent, these events with Moses and Elijah present do not take place until the end of the sixth dispensation. That is when the hearts of the fathers are turned the children, and the children to the fathers. The "fathers", two of them are Jesus Christ and Satan, and the time is called the Great Tribulation [Deception]. Jesus Christ is the Father of His own, and Satan is the father of his own seed, the Kenites.
So these disciples watched as these three stood in their supernatural bodies, showing that Christ was supernatural. This shows the body that Christ would posses after the crucifixion, and after the tomb. Jesus allowed this time of the transfiguration to happen, so people would not run around saying that Christ did not rise from the tomb. He did it in this manner to where there would be no doubt to where His body was. It was changed.)
4 Then 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 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud
(The Shekhinah, the symbol of Yahaveh's glory.)
overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son,
(The Divine formulation of consecration of Messiah as priest; in 3:17 as prophet. In Ps. 2:7. Acts 13:33, and Heb. 1:5; 5:3, as king)
in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him."
(Deut. Cp. 18:18,19.
Peters excitement in his comments were, because of his love for Jesus. Then in the middle of Peter's comments, the voice of Almighty God comes forth.
This is God's voice speaking from the cloud, and it is powerful. Do you know what they did when the voice from the cloud spoke to them?)
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
(God is telling these disciples to stop their nonsense and listen to His Son; what He has to tell you is very important. God spoke to get the disciples focused on what was taking place, and what they were to do about it. When the disciples heard it they were "sore afraid", they were scared out of their minds with fear.
These men that will play church and blaspheme God will be held accountable for their idle vain words. They put forth their nonsense that God told them to say something that simply goes against His Word.)
7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Arise, and be not afraid."
(When things get tough, and the pressures of life cause you to be afraid; this same tenderness of Christ is offered to you, "Be not afraid." He will take your heavy burden, and place it upon Himself. Remember back in Matthew 11:28-30; "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.")
8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, "Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead."
(Does not include the wicked dead.)
17:10-13. THE SUFFERINGS AND GLORY. EXPLAINED.
10. Disciples. Question, re Elijah.
11. The Lord. Admission.
12. The Lord. Addition.
13. Disciples. Explanation, re John the Baptist.
10 And his disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?"
(John the Baptist was dead at the time of the transfiguration, and they are talking about the Second Advent, that they just read. The day of the crucifixion was the day of passion, and not the day of the Second Advent. That is the day that Elijah comes before. So now Jesus is going to give them the reason.)
11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, "Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
(Not the same, but better.
Jesus is telling Peter, James and John that it is true, Elijah shall come before that Great Day of the Lord.
What throws most people is this next verse. There is a separation between the thought of verse eleven and verse twelve.)
12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them."
(So in v.22 and 20:22.
When Elias came back the first time no one know him. Remember back in Matthew 11:14-15 where Jesus said; "And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
What Jesus is saying is that had the people received Him the first time, then John the Baptist would have been Elias, and there would be no Second Advent. However, John the Baptist was not received, and Jesus Christ was not accepted as the Messiah, in fact, even Christ's disciples did not relate the miracles as coming from the Messiah until later on in the ministry. Had they been aware, they would have known the prophecies, and known that it was the purpose for Jesus Christ coming as a baby.
Therefore John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah. Luke 1:17; "And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Today there are some ministries that are in the spirit of Elijah, they teach the true Word of God, and turning the hearts of many back to our Heavenly Father. While on the other hand, turning the hearts of the Kenites, false shepherds, and disobedient to the Word, back to the other father, Satan.
The time of the separation of God's elect from the goats, is at the door. For we read in Revelation 9:4, the time is coming when you will be sealed by God in your mind with the knowledge of the truth; or you will have the mark of the beast, you will have the seal of the Antichrist on you. Their is no middle ground then, for God will give you over to Satan, if you are not sealed as one of His.
Many will follow false doctrine, such as the rapture doctrine, and other modern day mixes of Christianity, and view the Antichrist as the true Messiah, for they will have been taught so, and their false shepherds will lead them to their father, Satan. They will go gladly, for they will go in ignorance because they think that this first to come is the true Christ.
Their actions in this earth age is the reason for the Millennium Age, for that age is the time of learning and discipline for one thousand years. Then comes the judgment, and the rewards then are by works, for the time of grace will end with the coming of the Antichrist. At that time you will be saved or you will not.)
13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
14-21 MIRACLE. THE LUNATIC SON.
14,15. Request made.
16. Disciples' inability.
17-. Unbelief. Deplored.
-17,18. Request granted.
19. Disciples' inability. Inquiry.
29,21. Unbelief. Explained.
14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
15 "Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick,
(= moonstruck from luna - moon, symbolic of Satan himself)
and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
16 And I brought him to Thy disciples, and they could not cure him."
17 Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me."
(This relates right back to the parable of the sower, and that is necessary to understand the powers that Jesus had. God planted His seed in the daylight, and in the night came the evil one, the devil, and planted his seed. Remember the seed are children, and the seed of the night are Satan's kids.
Another words, if you don't know what the problem is, you can't fix it; and the problem is not the sickness, but the evil spirits that are within the boy. Those evil spirits must go first then the the healing can take place.)
18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, "Why could not we cast him out?"
(See 21:21, and Luke 17:8.
These disciples were slow to learn, they simply were not paying attention in the past, and now it all caught up with them. They want to know why the powers that Jesus had given them were not working. In their ignorance they simply did not recognize what they were dealing with. This is the same reason many have problems today.)
20 And Jesus said unto them, "Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If
(Denoting a contingent condition.)
ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,
(The rabbis were termed rooters up of mountains, because they were dexterous in removing difficulties. See Luke 17:6.)
'Remove hence to yonder place;' and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
(This is talking about the Kenite nation, Christ identifies it here as well as in the Parable of the fig tree. If you have the faith or the knowledge of a mustard seed, of the mountain, which is the nation of the Kenites [know who they are]. They are the lunar nation, the nation of the night, the nation of Satan the devil. Then the powers that God has placed in His children, in the name of Jesus, you have the power to tell Satan and his whole realm "go" and they must go.
This is talking about the power in the name of Jesus, this is why we pray in Jesus name, we are saved in Jesus name, and we rebuke Satan in Jesus name. Satan and his realm, all of it, is that mountain, and the power in the name of Jesus, acting on faith, and belief is what moves that mountain.
This is why you must know the parable of the sower and tares of the Matthew thirteen, for through it, you identify the devil, and his children. Blind faith is fine, but when you put understanding behind your faith, then you learn discernment of spirits.
There is a nation that shall be removed, at the coming of Christ in the near future, and it will be the Antichrist, Satan, and his tribe of Kenites and their followers. They shall be cast into the sea as a millstone, and this is prophecy in Revelation 18:21; "And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all." The sea is the peoples of the earth, and the great city Babylon is his one world system, in which the entire world will be as one. When our Lord Jesus Christ returns Satan and every form of idolatry will be gone.)
21 Howbeit this kind
(Implying different kinds. See Acts 17:17. 1 John 4:1)
goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
(If you know them and about them then you can with the power of God, cast them out. It is only with the credentials of Jesus name, that is the mustard seed that can make any mountain move.)
22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, "The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
(The 2nd of 4 announcements. See 16:21)
23 And they shall kill Him, and the third day He shall be raised again." And they were exceeding sorry.
24-27. GENTILES. AUTHORITY. SONS FREE.
24. Tribute inquired about.
25. their own exempted.
26-. But of foreigners.
-26. Their own free.
27. Tribute paid.
24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, "Doth not your master pay tribute?"
(= the didrachma, a silver coin valued at about 32 cents)
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?"
(I.e. not their own sons. Not foreigners.
Jesus is giving Peter another lesson. Jesus is asking Peter, who do the kings of the earth collect their taxes from, there own children, of the strangers of the land, that is the people that live in their territory? The reason is that the only true king of the earth is standing before Peter, and that is Jesus Christ. What Jesus is trying to say is that He does not have to pay it, for he is the true king, the King of kings.)
26 Peter saith unto him, "Of strangers." Jesus saith unto him, "Then are the children free.
27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook,
(A weighted line with several hooks, rapidly drawn through the water, as employed today at Tiberias)
and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money:
(A shekel = a silver coin, valued at about 64 cents)
that take, and give unto them for me and thee."
(Jesus is telling Peter, just to save a bunch of trouble, because they will not understand it if we did tell them, go and pay the tax. The money that will be paid is for both the king and his children.
There is a deeper meaning to this then it appears on the surface. Jesus told Peter to take a hook and cast it into the sea, and the sea, according to Revelation, is the people. Go to the sea of people, and take from them, and give unto Rome that which is Rome's. This is given for the ministry of the Word. That is what the tithe is for, to be used to satisfy the worldly obligations to meet the needs of those doing the work of the Lord.
The people of God in working in the world and gaining a wage from the world, give their portion to cover the required needs of the ones that are doing the full time work of the Lord. It is given from the heart, not because of some pledge, telethon, or worldly scheme. Then the Lord's work will be blessed, and the hands that gave it.)