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Matthew Chapter 17

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October 10, 2025

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Jesus Becomes Super Bright! ✨

One day, Jesus took His three best friends—Peter, James, and John—on a special hiking trip up a really tall mountain. They wanted to be alone with Jesus to pray and spend time together.

Suddenly, something absolutely amazing happened! Jesus began to glow like the brightest light you’ve ever seen! His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became whiter and brighter than fresh snow. The disciples had never seen anything like it!

Then two very special visitors appearedᵃ—Moses and Elijah! These were heroes from long, long ago who loved God very much. They started talking with Jesus about important things that were going to happen.

Peter was so excited he could barely contain himself! “Jesus, this is incredible!” he shouted. “Let me build three little houses here—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah! We can all stay here together!”

But while Peter was still talking, a bright, fluffy cloud came over them like a warm blanket. Then they heard the most amazing voice ever—it was God the Father speaking from Heaven! He said, “This is My Son whom I love very much, and I’m so proud of Him! Listen to everything He tells you!”

When the disciples heard God’s voice, they were so amazed, and honestly a little scared, that they fell flat down on their faces. But Jesus came over and gently touched them. “Get up, friends. Don’t be afraid,” He said with His kind voice. When they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and it was just Jesus with them again—but now they knew for sure that Jesus was God’s special Son!

A Secret for Now 🤫

As they walked back down the mountain, Jesus told them something important: “Don’t tell anyone about what you saw today until after I come back to life from the dead.”

The disciples were confused. “Jesus, our teachers say Elijah has to come back before the Messiah comes. What does that mean?”

Jesus explained, “Elijah did come back, but people didn’t recognize him. They treated him badly. The same thing is going to happen to Me.” Then the disciples understood—Jesus was talking about John the Baptistᵇ, who was like Elijah and had prepared people for Jesus to come.

Jesus Helps a Sick Boy 💙

When they got back to where the crowds were, a worried dad came running up to Jesus. He got down on his knees and begged, “Jesus! Please help my son! He has terrible seizuresᶜ that make him fall down and get hurt. Sometimes he even falls into the fire or into water! I brought him to Your other disciples, but they couldn’t make him better.”

Jesus looked around at all the people and felt sad that they didn’t trust God enough. “You don’t have enough faith!” He said. “How long do I have to be patient with you? Bring the boy to Me right now.”

When they brought the sick boy to Jesus, Jesus told the evil spirit that was making the boy sick to leave immediately. And it did! The boy was completely healed and felt great again!

Why Couldn’t We Do It? 🤔

Later, when Jesus was alone with His disciples, they asked Him, “Jesus, why couldn’t we heal the boy like You did?”

Jesus told them, “Because you didn’t have enough faith. Listen carefully—if you have even a tiny bit of real faith in God, as small as a mustard seedᵈ, you could tell that big mountain over there to move, and it would! When you really trust God, nothing is impossible!”

Sad News About What’s Coming 😢

While they were traveling through Galilee, Jesus told His friends something that made them very sad. “Soon, bad people are going to capture Me and hurt Me. They will even kill Me. But don’t worry—on the third day, I will come back to life!”

The Magic Coin in the Fish! 🐟

When they arrived back in the town of Capernaum, some temple tax collectorsᵉ came to Peter with a question. “Doesn’t Jesus pay the temple tax like everyone else?”

“Of course He does!” Peter answered quickly.

When Peter went inside the house, Jesus already knew what had happened! “Peter, let Me ask you something. When a king collects taxes, does he make his own children pay, or does he collect from other people?”

“From other people,” Peter replied.

“Exactly! So the sons of God are free. But we don’t want to upset anyone, so here’s what you’re going to do. Go fishing! Catch the very first fish that bites your hook, and when you open its mouth, you’ll find exactly the right coin to pay the tax for both of us!”

And that’s exactly what happened! God made sure there was a special coin waiting in that fish’s mouth. How amazing is that?

👣 Footnotes

  • ᵃ Moses and Elijah: Moses was the great leader who helped God’s people escape from Egypt and gave them God’s instructions. Elijah was a brave prophet who did amazing miracles. They both loved God very much and were now in Heaven with Him!
  • ᵇ John the Baptist: This was Jesus’ cousin who told people that Jesus was coming. He baptized people in the river and ate honey and grasshoppers! He was very brave and told everyone to get ready for Jesus.
  • ᶜ Seizures: This means the boy would suddenly shake and fall down because an evil spirit was making him sick. But Jesus has power over all evil spirits!
  • ᵈ Mustard seed: This was the tiniest seed they knew of in that day; can you imagine—smaller than a freckle! But when it grows, it becomes a big, strong plant. Jesus was saying even tiny genuine faith can do huge things!
  • ᵉ Tax collectors: These were people who collected money from everyone to help take care of the temple where people went to worship God. Everyone had to pay a little bit each year.
  • 1
    Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother up a high mountainᵃ by themselves.
  • 2
    There before their eyes, He was transfiguredᵇ—His face blazed like the sun, and His clothes became as brilliant white as light itself.
  • 3
    Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with Jesus.
  • 4
    Peter, overwhelmed by what he was seeing, said to Jesus, “Lord! This is incredible! If You want, I’ll set up three shelters here—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
  • 5
    While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud declared, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”
  • 6
    When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown, terrified.
  • 7
    Jesus came over and touched them, saying, “Get up. Don’t be afraid.”
  • 8
    When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus alone.
  • 9
    As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
  • 10
    The disciples asked Him, “Why do the religious teachersᶜ say that Elijah must come first?”
  • 11
    Jesus replied, “Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things.
  • 12
    But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they didn’t recognize him. Instead, they did whatever they wanted to him. In the same way, the Son of Man will also suffer at their hands.”
  • 13
    Then the disciples understood that He was speaking about John the Baptist.
  • 14
    When they reached the crowd, a man came up to Jesus and knelt before Him.
  • 15
    “Lord! Have mercy on my son,” he pleaded. “He suffers from severe seizuresᵈ and is in terrible agony. He often falls into the fire or into water.
  • 16
    I brought him to Your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”
  • 17
    Jesus answered, “You faithless and crooked generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.”
  • 18
    Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy. From that very moment, the child was healed.
  • 19
    Later, when the disciples were alone with Jesus, they asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
  • 20
    He told them, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have genuine faith as small as a mustard seedᵉ, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
  • 21
    [“But this kind only comes out by prayer and fasting.”]ᶠ
  • 22
    While they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.
  • 23
    They will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised to life.” The disciples were filled with grief.
  • 24
    When they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the temple taxᵍ came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your Teacher pay the temple tax?”
  • 25
    “Yes, He does,” Peter replied. When Peter went into the house, Jesus spoke to him first: “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”
  • 26
    “From others,” Peter answered. Jesus said to him, “Then the children are free.
  • 27
    But so we don’t offend them, go fishing on the lake, and take the first fish you catch, open its mouth, and you will find a large silver coinʰ. Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.”

Footnotes:

  • ¹ᵃ High mountain: Traditionally identified as Mount Tabor or Mount Hermon, this was likely a place where Jesus could pray privately with His closest disciples.
  • ²ᵇ Transfigured: The Greek word “metamorphoo” means to be transformed or changed in form, revealing Jesus’ divine glory that was normally veiled in His humanity.
  • ¹⁰ᶜ Religious teachers: The scribes and Pharisees who interpreted Jewish law and taught that Elijah would return before the Messiah came.
  • ¹⁵ᵈ Severe seizures: The Greek term suggests epileptic-type seizures, though in this case caused by demonic oppression rather than a medical condition alone.
  • ²⁰ᵉ Mustard seed: One of the smallest seeds known in that region, representing even the tiniest amount of genuine faith in God’s power.
  • ²¹ᶠ Verse 21: This verse appears in some ancient manuscripts but not others, which is why it’s shown in brackets. The teaching emphasizes that some spiritual battles require intensive prayer and fasting for God’s strength.
  • ²⁴ᵍ Temple tax: A yearly half-shekel tax that every Jewish male over 20 was required to pay for the maintenance of the temple in Jerusalem.
  • ²⁷ʰ Large silver coin: A four-drachma coin worth exactly one shekel, enough to pay the temple tax for two people—Jesus and Peter.
  • 1
    (1) Six days later, Yeshua took Peter, Jacob (James) and John his brother and lead them up to a high-mountain by themselves.
  • 2
    (2) Transfiguring before them, His face shone like the sun and His garments became bright-white as light.
  • 3
    (3) And look, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
  • 4
    (4) But replying, Peter said to Yeshua, “Adonai (LORD), it’s good for us to be here, if You want I will make three tents here, one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah!”
  • 5
    He was still speaking and look! A bright cloud overshadowed them. Then look! A voice out of the cloud said, “THIS IS MY beloved SON IN WHOM I DELIGHT. Listen to Him!”
  • 6
    (6) And when the disciples heard they fell on their faces and were extremely terrified.
  • 7
    (7) Yeshua came and touched them, saying, “Rise up and don’t be afraid!”
  • 8
    (8) Now lifting up their eyes they saw nobody except Yeshua Himself only.
  • 9
    (9) They came down from the mountain and Yeshua commanded them saying, “Tell the vision to nobody until the Son of Humanity rises from death.”
  • 10
    (10) The disciples asked Him saying, “Why then do the Torah-scribes say that Elijah must come first of all?”
  • 11
    (11) Now He answered, saying, “On one hand, Elijah is coming and restores everything,
  • 12
    (12) but I tell you that Elijah already came and they didn’t recognise him, rather doing in his case whatever they wished. In this way also the Son of Humanity is going to suffer by them.”
  • 13
    (13) At that time, the disciples understood that He spoke to them about John the Immerser.
  • 14
    (14) Coming to the crowd, a man approached Yeshua, kneeling down before Him, saying,
  • 15
    (15) “Adonai (LORD) have mercy on my son, for he’s moonstruck (a lunatic) and suffers severely because he often falls down into the fire and the water!
  • 16
    (16) I brought him to Your disciples and they couldn’t heal him.”
  • 17
    (17) But Yeshua answered, saying, “O unbelieving and crooked generation, for how long will I be with you?” For how long do I wait for you? Bring him here to Me?
  • 18
    (18) Yeshua rebuked it and the demon went out of him and the boy was healed from that hour.
  • 19
    (19) At that time the disciples came to Yeshua privately saying, “Why couldn’t we expel it?”
  • 20
    (20) Now He said to them, “Because of your little faith! Because amen I tell you, if you have faith like a mustard seed you will say to this mountain, ‘Leave from here to there’ and it will leave, nothing will be impossible to you!”
  • 21
    (21) [But this rank doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.”]
  • 22
    (22) Now while they gathered in Galilee, Yeshua said to them, “The Son of Humanity is going to be handed over into the hands of men,
  • 23
    (23) killing Him and will be raised, the third day!” They were extremely grieved.
  • 24
    (24) Now they came to Capernaum, those who receive the two-drachma tax (2 days wage) came to Peter and said, “Does your Rabbi not pay the two-drachma?”
  • 25
    (25) He said, “Yes!” and came into the house. Yeshua anticipated him, saying, “What do you think Simon, from whom do kings of land receive customs or taxes? From their sons or from strangers?”
  • 26
    (26) And Peter said, “From strangers,” Yeshua said to him, “So then, the sons are free?”
  • 27
    (27) But in order to not cause them to stumble, go to the sea and throw a hook and take up the first fish coming up and open its mouth to find a shekel (four drachmas). Take that one and give to them for Me and you.

Footnotes:

  • ¹ᵃ High mountain: Traditionally identified as Mount Tabor or Mount Hermon, this was likely a place where Jesus could pray privately with His closest disciples.
  • ²ᵇ Transfigured: The Greek word “metamorphoo” means to be transformed or changed in form, revealing Jesus’ divine glory that was normally veiled in His humanity.
  • ¹⁰ᶜ Religious teachers: The scribes and Pharisees who interpreted Jewish law and taught that Elijah would return before the Messiah came.
  • ¹⁵ᵈ Severe seizures: The Greek term suggests epileptic-type seizures, though in this case caused by demonic oppression rather than a medical condition alone.
  • ²⁰ᵉ Mustard seed: One of the smallest seeds known in that region, representing even the tiniest amount of genuine faith in God’s power.
  • ²¹ᶠ Verse 21: This verse appears in some ancient manuscripts but not others, which is why it’s shown in brackets. The teaching emphasizes that some spiritual battles require intensive prayer and fasting for God’s strength.
  • ²⁴ᵍ Temple tax: A yearly half-shekel tax that every Jewish male over 20 was required to pay for the maintenance of the temple in Jerusalem.
  • ²⁷ʰ Large silver coin: A four-drachma coin worth exactly one shekel, enough to pay the temple tax for two people—Jesus and Peter.
  • 1
    And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
  • 2
    And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
  • 3
    And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
  • 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 overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
  • 6
    And when the disciples heard [it], they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
  • 7
    And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
  • 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.
  • 10
    And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
  • 11
    And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
  • 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.
  • 13
    Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
  • 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, 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.
  • 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?
  • 20
    And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
  • 21
    Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
  • 22
    And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
  • 23
    And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
  • 24
    And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute [money] came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
  • 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 offend 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: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
  • 1
    After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
  • 2
    There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
  • 3
    Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking with Jesus.
  • 4
    Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You wish, I will put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
  • 5
    While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”
  • 6
    When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown in terror.
  • 7
    Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Do not be afraid.”
  • 8
    And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
  • 9
    As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
  • 10
    The disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
  • 11
    Jesus replied, “Elijah does indeed come, and he will restore all things.
  • 12
    But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.”
  • 13
    Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
  • 14
    When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus and knelt before Him.
  • 15
    “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.
  • 16
    I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
  • 17
    “O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.”
  • 18
    Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
  • 19
    Afterward the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
  • 20
    “Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
  • 21
  • 22
    When they gathered together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.
  • 23
    They will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised to life.” And the disciples were deeply grieved.
  • 24
    After they had arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Does your Teacher pay the two drachmas?”
  • 25
    “Yes,” he answered. When Peter entered the house, Jesus preempted him. “What do you think, Simon?” He asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs and taxes: from their own sons, or from others?”
  • 26
    “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus declared.
  • 27
    “But so that we may not offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish you catch. When you open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.”

Matthew Chapter 17 Commentary

1What’s Matthew 17 about?
2The Full Context
3What the Ancient Words Tell Us
4What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?
5Wrestling with the Text
6How This Changes Everything
7Key Takeaway
8Further Reading

When Heaven Touches Earth: The Transfiguration That Changed Everything

What’s Matthew 17 about?

This is the chapter where three ordinary fishermen get a sneak peek behind the cosmic curtain – witnessing Jesus literally blazing with divine glory on a mountaintop, and chatting with Moses and Elijah like old friends. It’s a pivotal moment that transforms how we understand who Jesus really is and what He came to do.

The Full Context

Matthew 17 sits at the heart of Jesus’ ministry, just after Peter’s great confession that Jesus is “the Christ or Messiah, the Son of the living God” in chapter 16. The disciples have been following this Rabbi from Nazareth, watching him heal the sick and teach with unprecedented authority, but they’re still wrestling with the full scope of His identity, especially after watching Him walk on water. The political tensions are mounting, religious leaders are plotting, and Jesus has just started preparing His followers for the shocking reality of His coming death and resurrection.

This chapter serves as Matthew’s theological hinge – the moment when Jesus’ divine nature breaks through the ordinary human experience in unmistakable ways. The Transfiguration (verses 1-13) functions as God’s own confirmation of Jesus’ messianic identity, while the subsequent healing of the demonized boy (verses 14-21) demonstrates that this divine power isn’t just for mountaintop experiences – it’s meant to transform the broken world below. Matthew is building toward his climactic revelation of who Jesus is and why His mission matters not just for Israel, but for all humanity.

What the Ancient Words Tell Us

The Greek word Matthew uses for “transfigured” is metamorphoo – the same root we get “metamorphosis” from. But this isn’t just a change of appearance; it’s a revelation of Jesus’ true nature that was always there, veiled behind His human form. When Matthew writes that Jesus’ face “shone like the sun,” he’s using language that his Jewish audience would immediately recognize from descriptions of Moses coming down from Mount Sinai and Ezekiel’s ‘Merkava’ (throne room) visions.

Grammar Geeks

The verb tense Matthew uses for “appeared” when describing Moses and Elijah is aorist passive – meaning they didn’t just show up on their own. They were “caused to appear” by divine intervention. This wasn’t a coincidence or a vision the disciples conjured up – God orchestrated this entire encounter.

But here’s where it gets fascinating – Matthew deliberately parallels Jesus with Moses throughout his Good News (Gospel), and this scene is the climax of that comparison. Moses’ face glowed with reflected glory after speaking with God, but Jesus’ face shines with inherent divine radiance. The implication is staggering: Moses reflected God’s glory, but Jesus is God’s glory.

The choice of Moses and Elijah as conversation partners isn’t random either. In Jewish thought, Moses represented the Torah (Law) and Elijah the Prophets – the two pillars of Hebrew Scripture. Their presence with Jesus signals that all of Israel’s history has been pointing toward this moment, this person.

What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?

For Matthew’s first-century Jewish readers, this scene would have been absolutely electrifying. They’re hearing echoes of Mount Sinai, where God gave the Torah to Moses amid cloud and fire. But now there’s a voice from Heaven saying something unprecedented: “This is my beloved Son… listen to Him.”

That phrase “listen to Him” is a direct reference to Deuteronomy 18:15, where Moses promised that God would raise up a prophet like himself, and to listen to Him. For centuries, Jews had been waiting for this prophet. Now God Himself is saying, “Here He is – and whatever He tells you supersedes everything else including Moses.”

Did You Know?

The “six days” Matthew mentions before the Transfiguration isn’t just a timeline detail – it’s a deliberate echo of Exodus 24:16, where the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai for six days before calling Moses up into the cloud. Matthew is painting Jesus as the new Moses, but infinitely greater.

The disciples’ terror makes perfect sense in this context. In Hebrew Scripture, seeing God’s glory was understood to be potentially fatal. When Isaiah saw Yahweh in the temple, he cried out, “Woe is me, for I am undone!” When Ezekiel saw the divine Merkava chariot, he fell on his face. Peter’s bumbling offer to build shelters shows he’s trying to process an experience that’s beyond human comprehension.

Wrestling with the Text

Here’s what’s genuinely puzzling about this passage: Why does Jesus tell the disciples not to share what they’ve seen until after the resurrection? You’d think this would be exactly the kind of evidence that would convince skeptics and strengthen faith.

But Jesus understands something the disciples don’t yet grasp – this revelation would be meaningless, even dangerous, without the context of the cross. A Messiah who blazes with divine glory but doesn’t suffer and die would fit perfectly into first-century expectations of a conquering political leader. The disciples needed to understand that Jesus’ greatest glory would be displayed not on the mountain, but on Calvary.

Wait, That’s Strange…

Why do Moses and Elijah appear specifically to talk about Jesus’ “departure” (the Greek word is exodus) that he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem? Luke tells us this detail, but Matthew focuses on the conversation itself. It’s as if all of salvation history is converging on this moment, with Israel’s greatest heroes discussing this cosmic rescue mission He’s about to complete.

The healing of the demonized boy immediately after the Transfiguration creates an intentional contrast. The disciples have just witnessed the ultimate Divine Power on the mountain, yet they can’t cast out a demon in the valley below. Jesus’ frustration is palpable: “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you?”

This isn’t just about healing techniques – it’s about the relationship between revelation and practical faith. Being near God’s glorious Word is meaningless if it doesn’t translate into confident trust in God’s power over evil and suffering.

How This Changes Everything

The Transfiguration isn’t just a nice mystical experience – it’s the moment when Heaven’s evaluation of Jesus breaks through into human history. For three years, people had been debating Jesus’ identity: teacher, prophet, political revolutionary, or dangerous heretic. Now God himself settles the question with unmistakable clarity.

“The Transfiguration is God’s own commentary on the Incarnation – showing us that this carpenter from Nazareth carries the full weight of divine glory.”

But notice what happens next – Jesus doesn’t stay on the mountain. The glory that was revealed there immediately gets put to work healing a boy that human religion and human medicine couldn’t help. This is the pattern of Christian faith: we encounter God’s glory not to escape the world, but to transform it.

The disciples’ failure to heal the demonized boy isn’t just about lacking prayer and fasting (though Jesus mentions these). It’s about disconnecting mystical experience from practical trust. They’ve seen God’s power displayed in ultimate terms, but they’re still operating from a limited understanding of what faith actually accomplishes.

This chapter challenges our tendency to compartmentalize spiritual experience. The same Jesus who blazes with transfigured glory is the One who heals broken children, pays temple taxes, and walks dusty roads with confused disciples. Divine power isn’t reserved for special occasions – it’s available for ordinary human needs.

Key Takeaway

The Transfiguration reveals that the Jesus who walks beside us in our everyday struggles is the same Jesus who blazes with the glory of God – and that changes how we approach both our worship and our problems day to day.

Further Reading

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