Matthew 17

 

The Transfiguration

Verses 1-13

 

After six days had passed Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a high mountain. On this mountain Christ was transfigured before them, he was metamorphosed or changed into another form. The substance of his body was not changed nor was his divine nature. His face had the same appearance as a human face, but it shone with glory and light equal to that of the sun. Moses, the lawgiver, and Elijah one of the chief prophets appeared before them and spoke with Christ. Peter wanted to make three tabernacles, one for Christ, one for Moses and one for Elijah. When Peter said this a voice from beyond the clouds said, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” The three disciples fell to the ground in awe. Jesus told them to not be afraid and to tell no one about this event until after he was raised from the dead.

 

There are lessons to be learnt here. We learn that in the Second Coming of Christ he will appear in glory. It was Christ’s intention to show the majesty of the Second Coming. We also learn the proof of life after death. Here Moses and Elijah appeared visibly with Christ. They were seen in body and heard talking with Christ. Over 1400 years passed since Moses was buried and more than 900 years since Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Yet here they are seen alive by Peter, James, and John. There is no such thing as annihilation, all who have fallen asleep in Christ are kept and saved. They are in God’s safe keeping.

 

It is also worth noting what Peter wanted to do. He seemed to place Moses and Elijah side by side with Christ as if all three were equal. Peter was rebuked as a cloud covered Moses and Elijah and the words at our Lord’s baptism were repeated. Moses was the faithful servant of God who gave the law and Elijah a bold witness, but Christ is the only Son of God. He is not equal to Moses and Elijah.

 

A Faithless and Perverse Generation

Verse 14-21

 

In this passage, we read another of our Lord’s great miracles. He heals a young lunatic man who is possessed by a devil. In the passage, we are told that the young man was “lunatic and sore vexed.” The devil pressed him to the point of the destruction of his body and soul, and often he fell into the fire and water. This was common in the days of our Lord. This must have been a difficult and painful time. There surely can be no greater pain from a devil than this.

 

Just look at all the young men in our nation who have given themselves over to the evil one. There are numberless souls who are held under the control of the devil. They are completely given over to the temptations of Satan and his demons. They refuse to listen to the wise counsel of preachers and ministers of God who watch out for their souls. They reject the advice of their parents and take very little responsibility for their sins and make unwise decisions. They are willing bondservants of Satan.

 

Satan does not have overall control of men’s bodies in most cases nowadays. However, he does have a foothold in the hearts, minds and souls of men and women. The Jesus that dealt with the devil-possessed man in the passage is the same today. He has power over the devil and the souls of men and women. The Lord will soften hearts. He will remove hearts of stone and replace with a heart of flesh. There is hope for such souls, they may repent and be converted to the truth. This is why calling on the Lord and praying for lost souls is so important. Are you a believer that seeks the salvation of lost souls? Man can spend a lifetime searching for truth. If you are on that quest for truth look no further than the Holy Bible; the truth is right in front of you.

 

Christ Regarding Taxes

Verses 22-27

 

Here we read about an event that is only recorded by Matthew. A miracle of Christ is done so that the payment is made possible for the tribute money required for the service of the temple. The amount required was a half shekel, about two days of wages. Every Jewish male over the age of twenty was required to pay this annually (Exodus 30:13-14 & 2 Chronicles 24:9). Christ paid all taxes required by law and Christians are subject to the law of the land (Romans 13:1-8).

 

There are three points made in this passage that are worth our attention.

 

Firstly, the fact that Christ knows all things that are said and done in the world. We are told that those who came to Peter asked him if his master pays a tribute. It is clear from the text that Jesus was not present when this question was asked, and an answer is given. However, Jesus had knowledge of this as he asked him, “What thinkest thou, Simon?” There is nothing that our Lord does not know. Every word spoken and every deed done Christ knows. There are no secrets with Christ. We cannot deceive Christ. He knows what we do and say in both private and public. So, hypocrisy is pointless, we are only deceiving ourselves.

 

We ought to live as in the sight of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is always with us after all. Let it be our desire to not say or do anything that we would not do or say before Christ himself. Ask yourself this question, how would I act if Christ was in the room with me? Such a thought is not far-fetched as Scripture teaches us that our Lord is always near us. God our creator knows all things. He knows the secrets of our hearts and the thoughts that run through our minds. He knows your heart; he knows your desires and he knows if you are a true follower or one of the many hypocrites who use religion for personal gain. Happy is he who realises that he lives in the ever presence of almighty God to whom one day must give an account.

 

Secondly, our Lord’s power over creation. We see here a fulfilment of Psalm 8:6-8. Read these verses carefully in your Bible and compare them to this passage in Matthew 17. Here is one of many passages of Holy Scripture that shows our Lord’s divine nature. We know from Scripture such as Colossians 1:16-19 that all things were created by him, and all things consist of him. Also, in John chapter 1 Christ was with the Father in the beginning and that all things were made by him. Christ has all power over all things.

 

Lastly, Christ’s willingness to make concessions rather than to give offence. Christ had every right not to pay a tribute to the temple. However, Jesus does not do so. Instead, he desires Peter to meet the requirement. Pay close attention to what our Lord does here. Our Lord teaches us that there are times when we ought to put our own personal opinions to one side for the sake of the Gospel and as a good witness. Better to put aside our opinions, rather than give offence and hinder the work of the Gospel. We must never compromise on God’s truths and must not cause ourselves to fall into sin. We may sink our opinion on a given matter, rather than cause offence. Such times when it is profitable to show more grace rather than to speak. An example of this is giving our view on the political leaders of the day and the policies they enact. We may disagree with some measures but how helpful is it to the cause of Christ to express your view? If their measures are not harming our souls then is it really worth our time and effort?

 

An example of political action that has divided many Christians in recent years is the measures taken by governments to deal with the COVID-19 situation. Some say that it was wrong of the government to force churches to close for several weeks, and it was a step too far to restrict the freedom to gather. Some Christians have said the ministers, elders and church leaders were wrong to follow the demands of the government. We may not think that those who rule over us in the are always right. However, are the points we disagree on really of vital importance? If not then remain silent, lest we should offend people. Remember the words of 1 Corinthians 9:12, “If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.”