MATTHEW 17

We have three titles again for today’s study and they are; Verses 1-13 The transfiguration. Verses 14-23 The disciple’s unbelief. Verses 24-27 The question of the tribute money. At the end of this lesson, we will find a little different summary of these titles, we’ll call them an acrostic, but for now enjoy and pay attention to the titles given here. Matthew 17 and verse 1 reads.

Mat.17:1] And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

Continuing from chapter 16, six days later. Now, I will teach God’s Word boldly and without apology. Pay attention to this mount of transfiguration teaching given here by Jesus himself.

Mat.17:2] And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

He was in his Shekinah Glory. This word transfigured is G3339 metamorphoō pronounced met-am-or-fo’-o, we get our word metamorphose from this word, and it means; to transform (literally or figuratively metamorphose). 1. to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure. a. Christ appearance was changed and was resplendent with divine brightness on the mount of transfiguration.

We have another description of Jesus in his Shekinah Glory in Revelation 10 and verse 1 reads.

Rev.10:1] And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

This description of Jesus is his transfigured body, unlike all the others who were translated, Jesus will never see corruption of his body. Enoch, Moses and Elijah will in the end times see their bodies die before the Great Day of the LORD. Enoch; Rev.2:13 called Antipas. And Moses and Elijah; Rev.11:3-14 called The Two Witnesses and called the two olive trees in Zechariah 4, verse 14 reads.

Zec.4:14] Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.

Back to Rev.10 and verse 2 reads.

Rev.10:2] And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

One foot on the sea, the other on the earth, Dominion. Kingdom. Back to Matthew 17 and verse 3 reads.

Mat.17:3] And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Elias is Greek for Elijah. Zec.4:14, these two stand by the LORD. When the two sons of Zebedee asked to be on the right hand and on the left hand of Jesus, this is why Jesus said it is not for me to decide.

Mat.17:4] 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.

Peter recognized them for who they were. The Holy Spirit must have been all around.

Mat.17:5] 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.

At this moment, God opened their ears. Showing that the two olive trees are always with the LORD. Peter would write of this moment in 2Peter 1 and verse 16 reads.

2Pet.1:16] For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
[17] For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Back to Matthew 17 and verse 6 reads.

Mat.17:6] And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

The power of the LORD is quite frightening, and humbling.

Mat.17:7] 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.

Jesus needed to touch them to pick them up, the LORD is that awesome. When Gabriel came to Daniel a great voice spoke from heaven. Daniel, one of the wisest, also fell on his face. Daniel 8 and verse 16 reads.

Dan.8:16] And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
[17] So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
[18] Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.

It is an awesome thing to hear the voice of the LORD. Let no man tell you God spoke to me today. For if God speaks to you, it won’t be something you tell others unless of great importance. Back to Matthew 17 and verse 9 reads.

Mat.17:9] 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.

Very specific instructions from Jesus here. How Peter, James and John wouldn’t remember after the crucifixion, I believe God has opened their ears in verse 5 and needed to shut them to prevent the twelve, especially Peter, from preventing God’s Word from coming to pass exactly as written.

Mat.17:10] 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.

Let’s first go to Malachi 4 and verse 5 reads.

Mal.4:5] Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
[6] 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.

Notice the fathers is plural. Our Father and their father, which is Satan, the father of that serpent’s seed known as the Kenites. When does he do this, we need to go to Revelation 11 and read all pertaining to this time. Revelation 11 and verse 2 reads.

Rev.11:2] But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

It is given in moons for prophecy pertaining to Satan and his children. Three and a half years given here for the prophecy which is split from the seven years of tribulation given in Daniel 9:27.

Rev.11:3] And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

All prophecies for God’s children are given in Days. Again, three and a half years here declaring the last of the seven years of tribulation. Jesus said he would shorten this in Mark 13:20 and we find in Rev.9:5 and 10, he has shortened it to five months. To be split into two, two and a half month periods.

Rev.11:4] These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
[5] And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
[6] These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

These are the powers of Moses and Elijah.

Rev.11:7] And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
[8] And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

This being Jerusalem.

Rev.11:9] And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

Here we have the only time we can say when exactly the LORD will return. Notice it is the same as Christ in the tomb.

Rev.11″10] And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
[11] And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
[12] And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

All will hear the voice of God at that moment, remember just how awesome that was for Peter, James, John and Daniel.

Rev.11:13] And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

These seven thousand are the fallen angels Satan brings with him. There will be no millennium for them, there time is over.

Rev.11:14] The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

It comes immediately after this, speaking of the seventh trump, there is no rapture or flying away. Back to Matthew 17 and verse 12 reads.

Mat.11:12] 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.

Speaking of John the Baptist being beheaded, and knowing the Kenites will crucify him as well. Remember the Kenites killed all the prophets from righteous Abel to Zacharias between the porch and the altar. They will do the same to Christ our Lord. Jesus shows them the Law, the Prophets and himself for the second advent, this will be called the Betrayal.

Mat.17:14] 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.

Remember anything of the moon is of Satan. This lunatic is of the spirit of Satan himself. First G4582 selēnē pronounced sel-ay’-nay means; 1. the moon. From this we get G4583 selēniazomai pronounced sel-ay-nee-ad’-zom-ahee and means; to be moon struck that is crazy. 1. to be moon-struck or lunatic.

Mat.17:16] 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.

Jesus seems to be getting a little tired of those without faith. Pay attention, he does not call out an evil spirit from this child, but the devil himself.

Mat.17:18] 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.

An important passage here in Matthew. First because of their unbelief, Jesus had given them powers over all evil spirits in Luke 10:19. Then says a little faith would be all that we need, but notice he said to “Move mountains” meaning a nation. Christians have the power to move even our nation into the direction of our LORD. He finishes it with “Nothing shall be impossible to us”, because the LORD dwells within us.

Mat.17:21] Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

This should remind you of when Satan tempted the Lord in the wilderness. Jesus had fasted for forty days, and still was able to rebuke Satan. We need to think of the end times. Amos 8 and verse 11 reads.

Amos 8:11] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

Back to Matthew 17 and verse 22 reads.

Mat.17:22] 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.

Remember this verse, Jesus says that he must be betrayed, killed and will be risen again on the third day, we have here the Burial. King David prophesied of this in Psalms 41 and verse 9 reads.

Psa.41:9] Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
[10] But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

Be careful how you judge Judas, he was chosen by Jesus and fulfilled prophecy. Back to Matthew 17 and verse 24 reads.

Mat.17:24] 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.

Because we pay taxes to the world, and we are not of this world, we are free. Let’s go to John 8 and verse 31 reads.

John 8:31] Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
[32] And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Our hope is in the resurrection, that our sins are forgiven and we have eternal life. Back to Matthew 17 and verse 27 reads.

Mat.17:27] 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.

The sign of Jonah, three days in the fish’s belly. This is the resurrection. Let’s put this chapter together as it was an acrostic. Verses 1-13 The Betrayal. Verses 14-23 Buried. Verses 24-27 He is Risen. A wonderful chapter of God’s Word. Let’s go to his throne.

Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.

KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible