Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What Does Matthew Chapter 17 Mean?

The previous chapter concluded with a prediction: some of those with Jesus would not die before seeing Him coming in His kingdom. That is what happens six days later when Jesus selects Peter, James, and John to climb a high mountain with Him. Once there, they see Jesus transfigured into His glorious reality, His face shining like the sun and His clothes gleaming white as light. Not only that, but the three disciples also see Moses and Elijah, long gone from the earth, standing and talking with Jesus (Matthew 17:1–3).

Peter, ever eager to act, feels the need to say something in response to wonder. In awestruck haste, he blunders by offering to build three tents, one for each of these figures. That suggestion is literally interrupted by a voice from heaven. God the Father arrives in a bright cloud and describes Himself as being well-pleased with Jesus, His beloved Son. He commands the disciples to listen to Jesus. They fall to their faces in terror. When they look up again, all has returned to normal. Jesus commands them to tell nobody about this until after His resurrection and then answers a question about Elijah (Matthew 17:4–13).

The three return to the base of the mountain to find the remaining nine disciples in a crowd of people. A man kneels before Jesus and asks Him to have mercy on his son. The boy has seizures, caused by a demon, that make him fall into fire and water to hurt himself. This detail distinguishes the condition from something natural like epilepsy. The man tells Jesus the disciples could not heal the boy (Matthew 17:14–16).

Jesus responds with exasperation. The same men who He’d earlier empowered to perform such tasks (Matthew 10:5–8) seem to be doubting their mission. He asks how long He will have to put up with this faithless and twisted generation. He rebukes the demon and the boy is healed. When asked by the disciples why they could not cast out the demon, Jesus says it is because of their little faith. With even a mustard seed-sized faith, nothing will be impossible for them (Matthew 17:17–21).

Jesus tells the disciples, once again, about His impending death (Matthew 16:21). He will be betrayed and handed over to those who will murder Him (Matthew 17:22–23).

Back in Jesus’ adopted hometown of Capernaum (Matthew 4:13), collectors of the annual two-drachma, half-shekel temple tax approach Peter. They ask “if” Jesus will pay the sum required of every Jewish man 20 years and older. Most likely, they are not really wondering, but are there to collect the payment. Peter says yes, Jesus will pay it (Matthew 17:24–25).

Before Peter can bring this up to Him, Jesus explains that, as the Son of God, He is exempt from the tax. However, Jesus agrees to pay the tax to avoid giving offense over the issue. He commands Peter to get the money for the tax by catching a fish in the Sea of Galilee. Peter will find a shekel coin in the mouth of the first fish he catches. He should use that coin to pay the tax for both himself and for Jesus (Matthew 17:26–27).

Chapter Context
Matthew 17 begins with the fulfillment of Jesus’ prediction at the end of the previous chapter: that some of those present would not die before seeing Him coming in His kingdom. Jesus casts out a demon, predicts His death, and commands Peter to pay a temple tax with a coin from the mouth of a fish. This leads Matthew back to extensive records of Jesus’ teachings, continuing through chapter 20.

Verse By Verse

Verse 1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

In the previous verse, the end of chapter 16, Matthew reported Jesus’ prediction: that some of those present with Him would not die before seeing Jesus coming in His kingdom. Most commentators believe that the transfiguration of Jesus described in this passage is the fulfillment of that prediction. The event depicted here took place six days after Jesus said those words. Mark’s telling of this story also mentions the six-day gap (Mark 9:2). Luke describes it using a Greek expression that means “about a week later.”

Some scholars believe the six-day interval to be significant and symbolic, perhaps connected to the length of time the glory of God rested on Mount Sinai when God spoke to Moses from a cloud in Exodus 24:16. The six days may also have included some travel time to this location. Jesus and the disciples had been in the district of Caesarea Philippi, 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 16:13).

Most of the locations referred to as “mounts” or “mountains” in the Bible are what some cultures would call “tall hills.” Jesus was not in the habit of rock-climbing when He taught (Matthew 5:1). However, some locations around Jerusalem are “mountains” according to almost any definition. Scholars offer several options for where this might have taken place on. A common suggestion is Mount Hermon, since Caesarea Philippi sits at its base. That peak of that mountain range is more than 2,800 meters, or 9,000 feet, above sea level. Another option is Mount Miron, less than half that height, between Caesarea Philippi and Capernaum, where the group next arrives (Matthew 17:24).

Whatever the location, Jesus selects only three of the disciples to climb this “high mountain” with Him. Peter, James, and John were Jesus’ inner circle of disciples within the larger group of the Twelve (Matthew 10:1–4).

Verse 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

This simple sentence describes one of the most amazing events in the lives of Peter, James, and John. This moment confirmed in dazzling light what they already believed to be true: Their master Jesus was the Son of the God of heaven. The word “transfigured” comes from the Greek word metamorphoō. This is the root word for English terms like metamorphosis and is translated as “transformed” in verses like 2 Corinthians 3:18.

This moment connects Jesus to both Moses and Elijah, who appear in the following verses. Moses’ face also shone brightly after He spent time with God (Exodus 34:29–30), but that shining was only the reflection of God’s glory. Jesus is transformed from the inside out into His glorious appearance in heaven before coming to earth. Peter, James, and John are witnessing Jesus in a state more representative of His nature as the Son of God.

The two words that characterize Jesus’ transfigured appearance are “light” and “white.” His face shines like the sun, and His clothes are as white a light. Mark’s account describes Jesus’ clothes as more intensely white than anyone on earth could bleach them (Mark 9:3). Jesus literally becomes a source of light before their eyes.

The disciples are witnessing nothing less than the glory of God in the person of Jesus. It is a moment that will stick with them forever, confirming to them Jesus’ identity as God’s Son. John will begin His own gospel affirming the fact that “we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (John 1:14). Peter will also testify about it in one of his letters: “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,’ we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain” (2 Peter 1:16–18).

Verse 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.

Jesus has been transfigured: described using the word from which we get the term metamorphosis. This transformation occurred before the eyes of Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1–2). He is radiating the glory of God as light, and His clothes have become intensely white. He stands on top of the mountain changed into a more-native appearance as the Son of God in heaven.

To further confirm that the disciples are glimpsing the glory of heaven, Moses and Elijah appear on the mountain, as well, and begin talking with Jesus. The fact that these two heroes of Judaism appear is significant. For one, it confirms that there is a life after death where they continue to dwell. Many scholars suggest that the pair are also meant to represent the Law and the Prophets that are so central to God’s relationship with Israel. God gave the Law to Moses to the give to the people, and Elijah was the most notable of all the prophets that followed. In addition, both men interacted with God on Mount Sinai, later called Mount Horeb (Exodus 24:15–16; 1 Kings 19:8).

Jesus has come to fulfill the Law and the prophecies about the Messiah (Matthew 5:17–18). He does not stand equal with this pair, but above them as the Son of God. The fact that the three are talking indicates that Jesus knows both men personally. Luke’s account mentions that they talked about Jesus’ “departure,” meaning His death, which was to happen soon in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). Moses and Elijah are shown to be aware of the plans of heaven for the completion of Jesus’ mission on earth.

Verse 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

Peter, James, and John are witnessing something that is beyond words: Jesus has been “transfigured” before their eyes into a radiant appearance as the Son of God in heaven. He stands talking to two of the greatest heroes of Israel: Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1–3).

In this holiest of moments, Peter’s choice to speak is awkward and inappropriate. In fact, he will be literally interrupted by a voice from heaven (Matthew 17:5). It also reveals he only shallowly understands that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16, 21–23). Mark’s account puts Peter’s gawky response in relatable terms: he did not know what to say (Mark 9:6). Luke is somewhat less kind, pointing out that Peter did not know what he was saying (Luke 9:33). Peter recognizes the astounding nature of what is happening. Though he is terrified, he feels he must respond with some act of worship. That impulse was not wrong, but the specific action Peter suggests misses the point.

The Gospels portray Peter as a man of extremes: at times the best, other times the worst of the Twelve. He has the faith and boldness to walk on the water as Jesus does, and the weakness to see the waves and sink (Matthew 14:28–31). He accurately declares Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, only to be harshly scolded for trying to rebuke Jesus’ teaching (Matthew 16:13–19, 21–23). Peter’s boldness and enthusiasm repeatedly reveal both a good heart and a level of recklessness. Many readers are drawn to Peter, because so many of us are very much like him.

Peter tells Jesus that it is good he and James and John are present. He offers to make three tents, one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Why tents? Peter possibly sees a fulfillment of Israel’s Feast of Tabernacles, where Jewish people would make tents to remember God’s provision and to look forward to the coming of the kingdom. It makes some sense as a worshipful response, but Peter made the mistake of making Jesus equal to Moses and Elijah. The voice of God the Father from heaven will rebuke Peter and correct his error.

Verse 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Witnessing Jesus radiating the glory of heaven while talking to Moses and Elijah, Peter felt the overwhelming need to do something, to say something. This follows the typical pattern of the Gospels, which reveal Peter to be a man of both positive and negative extremes (Matthew 14:28–31; 16:13–19, 21–23). He has suggested the worshipful act of building three tents, resting places, one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. He seems to have in mind the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles (Matthew 17:1–4).

Peter’s mistake is in implying that Jesus is equal to Moses and Elijah instead of far superior to them as the Son of God. Moses and Elijah were revered in Israel, but they were merely fallible men whom God had used to accomplish great things. Jesus was the perfect and sinless “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).

This was also not an appropriate time for Peter to speak, at all. Adding to the awkwardness, Peter’s clumsy attempt is interrupted—literally as “he was still speaking”—by the voice from heaven. The voice of God the Father booms out that Jesus is His beloved and pleasing Son. God commands Peter, James, and John to listen to Jesus. How awesome and terrible it must have been for Peter to be rebuked by the voice of God the Father. How clearly He must have received the message to listen to Jesus.

The cloud that overshadows the trio fits the description of the cloud that often appeared when God descended to interact with people on earth (Exodus 13:21–22; 34:5–7; 1 Kings 8:10–13). There could have been no doubt in Peter’s mind who was speaking to him.

Verse 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.

The response of the disciples is familiar and reasonable. Overshadowed by the presence of God the Father, seeing figures like Moses and Elijah, and spoken to by the voice of God the Father, they are terrified. They fall on their faces, which is both a common expression of both terror and one of reverence. This is an entirely natural and completely appropriate response to any encounter with God.

Prior to this, Peter seems to have understood on an intellectual level that Jesus was the Son of the living God. He had said so in response to Jesus’ earlier question (Matthew 16:13–16). Twice since then, however, Peter had shown that he did not yet fully understand that being the Son of the living God meant that Jesus was God. Otherwise, Peter would not have rebuked Jesus when Jesus said that He must suffer and die before being raised on the third day (Matthew 16:21–23). Peter would certainly not have suggested worshipping Jesus alongside Moses and Elijah on the mountain (Matthew 17:1–5).

Peter will eventually come to understand that his natural response to God the Father, falling on his face in fear, is also an appropriate response to God the Son, Jesus. This is the same man who had declared a week earlier that He would come in judgment with His angels and the glory of the Father when He returns to earth (Matthew 16:27).

Verse 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.”

Peter, James, and John have fallen on their faces in reverence. They have been overshadowed by the presence of God the Father in a cloud, hearing His voice command them to listen to His Son, Jesus (Matthew 17:1–6). They apparently remained in that position as the scene dissolved. The presence of God in the cloud departed. Moses and Elijah disappeared from view. Jesus, “transfigured” into a radiant image, has returned to His familiar earthly state.

Jesus now approaches the three of them and touches them. He tells them to rise and not to be afraid—a common reassurance given to those who see God’s messengers (Matthew 28:5; Luke 2:10). Jesus treats them with gentleness and kindness following their terrifying glimpse of the glory and power of heaven. He surely understands how deeply terrified they have been. He comforts them by showing that He remains with them as they have known Him.

Verse 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

We’re not told how long the transfiguration of Jesus lasted. Was it five minutes or five hours? After being addressed by the voice of God from a bright cloud, the three disciples fell on their faces in terror. By the time Jesus told them to rise, everything has returned to normal. Only Jesus remains and He has returned to His fully human appearance as the Son of Man (Matthew 17:1–7).

Still, Peter, James, and John know what they saw. They never forgot the image of Jesus radiating the glory of heaven, clothed in dazzling white with His face shining like the sun as He spoke with the long-dead Moses and Elijah. They certainly never forgot the voice of God the Father declaring that Jesus is His beloved Son and commanding them to listen to Him.

As convincing as the experience was, the following chapters will show that their faith in Jesus still had plenty of room to grow. They still did not understand what Jesus must do next.

Verse 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”

Jesus had taken Peter, James, and John up the mountain with Him. He meant for them to see Him in His glory, radiating light from His face and His clothes. He meant for them to see Him talking to Moses and Elijah. Their participation in this moment was intentional. It was intended to convince them and those they would tell that Jesus was truly the Son of God from heaven (Matthew 17:1–8). Now, though, as the four of them walk down the mountain together, Jesus commands them not to tell anyone for the moment. They must wait until He, the Son of Man, is raised from the dead.

This is the final time Jesus will instruct His disciples not to reveal the deepest truths about His identity. Taken together, Jesus seems to want to avoid having the people of Israel revolt against Rome, attempting to make Him king by force. That is not the purpose of His mission (John 6:15). In addition, He means for His resurrection from the dead to be the central evidence to the people that He is the Son of God. This is the sign of Jonah that He has promised to the Jewish religious leaders (Matthew 12:39; 16:4). Perhaps He does not want the report of His glorious appearance on the mountain to overshadow that event.

Matthew doesn’t mention it, but Mark’s account of this moment reveals that Peter, James, and John were confused by Jesus’ mention of His rising from the dead. They wondered what it meant (Mark 9:10). Though Jesus had told them repeatedly what He must soon do, they still did not understand it.

Verse 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”

Peter, James, and John are trying to figure out how what they have just witnessed on the mountain fits with what Jesus has said about rising from the dead.

On the one hand, they have just seen with their own eyes Elijah, from heaven, standing on the earth and talking to Jesus. If that was the return of Elijah, though, wasn’t he supposed to come before the Messiah? Jesus, who they now understood to be the Messiah, had already come. They ask Jesus why the scribes say that Elijah must come first before the Messiah.

Jesus will confirm that the scribes’ insistence that Elijah must come first was right. It was based on the prophecy found in Malachi 4:5–6: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.”

Verse 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.

The disciples are trying to figure out how the prophecy about the return of Elijah the prophet before the coming of the Messiah (Matthew 17:9–10) fits with what they have just seen on the mountain (Matthew 17:1–3) and with Jesus’ mention that He will be raised from the dead. Jesus has confirmed that the teaching about the prophecy is true. It is found in Malachi 4:5–6:

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Now Jesus agrees that Elijah will come and that he will restore all things. Jesus also says in the following verse that Elijah has come, meaning that John the Baptist was the fulfilment of the prophecy about the return of Elijah. While John was not literally a reincarnation of Elijah (John 1:20–21), and many people rejected John’s message (Matthew 11:14), he was successful in leading many in Israel to repentance (Luke 1:17). Ultimately, however, his work ended with rejection by Israel’s religious leaders and execution by Israel’s political leadership (Matthew 14:1–12).

Verse 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.”

The disciples are asking Jesus about the return of Elijah the prophet. The scribes teach from Malachi 4:5–6 that Elijah must return before the Messiah can come. Now, they know Jesus is the Messiah who has come to earth (Matthew 17:1–11). So, what about Elijah? They had just seen Elijah talking with Jesus during the transfiguration, but was that his “return”?

Jesus has confirmed that the prophecy is true and adds now that it has already taken place. Elijah has already come, in the prophetic sense which was predicted. Jesus says the reason the scribes are still insisting that Elijah is yet to come—meaning that Jesus must not be the Messiah—is that they did not recognize that John the Baptist was “the Elijah who was to come” (Matthew 11:14). The people are treating the prophecy as a superstition—that Elijah will be raised from the dead. This is why John the Baptist denied being Elijah when questioned by the Pharisees (John 1:20–21).

Although John’s ministry was successful in leading many in Israel to repentance (Luke 1:17), he was ultimately rejected by most of Israel’s religious leaders. Israel’s political leaders, in the form of Herod Antipas, did to John whatever they pleased as the political leaders of old had done to the prophets of old. Herod had John arrested and eventually executed (Matthew 14:1–12).

Jesus concludes by saying the same—rejection followed by execution—will happen to Him. He will go unrecognized for who He truly is. He will be rejected, and He will suffer at the hands of the religious and political leaders of Israel (Isaiah 53:3–6). Jesus is not disguising His words to the disciples about His approaching suffering, death, and resurrection. They are still struggling to understand what this means and how the Messiah could possibly die in such a way.

Verse 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

Will Elijah the prophet return before the coming of the Messiah? Malachi 4:5–6 says He will. Peter, James, and John have just seen Elijah on the mountain talking to Jesus, apparently from heaven. If Elijah has not yet returned to earth to lead the people to repentance, how can Jesus be the Messiah?

Jesus has told them that the “Elijah” prophesied in the Old Testament has returned but was not recognized by Israel’s religious leaders. He had said this before in Matthew 11:14. Now the disciples realize that Jesus is saying John the Baptist fulfilled the prophecy of Elijah’s return.

This is not simply a convenient way for Jesus to explain away an inconvenient prophecy. God’s intention was always for John the Baptist to fulfill that prophecy. Before John was born, an angel told Zechariah, John’s father, that John would “turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:16-17).

Somehow, John the Baptist operated in the spirit and power of Elijah. It’s likely some expected Elijah himself to be resurrected and once again minister in Israel—this an idea John himself rejected (John 1:20–21). God’s plan was for John the Baptist to do the work of Elijah, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to accomplish God’s plan to make the people ready for Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 11:14).

Context Summary
Matthew 17:1–13 follows Jesus’ prediction that some of the disciples won’t die before seeing Him coming in His kingdom (Matthew 16:28). Peter, James, and John see Jesus transfigured—radiating the glory of God––while talking with Moses and Elijah. Peter blunders in his attempt to contribute to the moment. The voice of God the Father identifies Jesus as His Son and commands the disciples to listen to Him. Jesus tells the three not to tell anyone else what they’ve seen until after He is raised from the dead. He answers their question about a prophecy involving Elijah.

Verse 14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him,

Jesus has privileged Peter, James, and John to an astounding experience on the mountain and a powerful conversation as they hiked down (Matthew 17:1–13). Arriving at the bottom, they immediately enter back into a world of demanding crowds and the earthly needs of Jesus’ ministry.

A man approaches Christ and kneels before him in respect and humility. Matthew’s telling of this story is quite condensed. Mark gives a much more detailed account (Mark 9:14–29). From Mark, we know that Jesus came to the remaining nine disciples and found them surrounded by a crowd and in an argument with some of the religious leaders known as scribes. When Jesus asks what they are arguing about, this man approaches Jesus and begins to describe what is happening to his son. Apparently, the scribes were arguing with the disciples about their inability to heal the boy.

Verse 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.

Three of the disciples have returned, with Jesus, from His “transfiguration” on top of a nearby mountain (Matthew 17:1–13). Christ approaches the other nine disciples to find them in an argument with some Jewish scribes. In Mark’s account (Mark 9:14–29) this father approaches after Jesus asks what they are arguing about. The man pleads on behalf of his son who suffers from seizures which often cause him to fall into fire or water. Mark and Luke are more direct in ascribing these symptoms to a demon: “…a spirit that makes him mute…throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid” (Mark 9:17–18). And “it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him” (Luke 9:39). Many commentators have described these symptoms as a form of epilepsy brought on by the evil spirit. The detail included here by Matthew strongly implies this is not “just” epilepsy. As the father notes, it so often happens in especially dangerous moments. This fits with the self-destructive nature of demon oppression.

While Jesus was gone, this man brought his son to Jesus’ nine remaining disciples. The source of the argument with the scribes seems to be their inability to cast the demon out of the boy. Jesus will explain why they were unsuccessful.

Verse 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.”

Jesus had taken Peter, James, and John with Him to the top of the mountain to witness His transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–13). During that time, He left the other nine core disciples (Matthew 10:1–4) behind at the foot of the mountain. In Mark’s telling of this moment, Jesus returned to find a crowd gathered around His disciples as they engaged in an argument with some Jewish scribes (Mark 9:14–17).

The reason for the argument was that the disciples could not cast a demon out of a boy suffering from seizures. The combined details from Matthew, Mark, and Luke make it clear the boy’s condition was not simply something like epilepsy, but something happening in especially dangerous moments (Matthew 17:15) thanks to a demonic spirit (Mark 9:17–18; Luke 9:39). The scribes were teachers of the Law and did not usually claim the power to cast out demons. Perhaps they were insisting that the disciples did not have the authority from God to cast out demons since they were unable to do so.

Jesus, though, had given the disciples the authority to do this. He had given them His authority and power to “heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons” to show that they represented Him and His kingdom on the earth (Matthew 10:8). In fact, these disciples may have cast out demons prior to this. So why did they fail to cast out this spirit? Jesus will explain it in the following verses.

Verse 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.”

While Jesus was away on the mountain with Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1–13), a desperate father brought his demon-afflicted son to Jesus’ remaining nine disciples (Matthew 10:1–4). The demon has caused the boy to be mute and experience epileptic-style seizures. Partly proving that this is not simple epilepsy is how often the boy is thrown “into fire and into water, to destroy him” (Mark 9:22).

The disciples attempted to cast the demon from the boy, but they were unable. This provoked an argument with some Jewish scribes, perhaps about whether the disciples had the authority to cast out demons. This was something most scribes did not even claim for themselves. Though the disciples were not rabbis or official Jewish leaders, they did have the authority to cast out demons. Jesus had specifically given them the power to represent Him in this specific way (Matthew 10:8).

Jesus sounds exasperated both with His disciples and His people. He lumps them in together as a “faithless and twisted” generation. Mark’s account of this story shows that the faith of the father is also an issue in this healing (Mark 9:22–24). His comments here are the first suggestion we see in Matthew’s writing of Jesus growing weary of His time among humanity. When Jesus expresses this kind of frustration, the issue is nearly always the same: unbelief. Specifically, the people of “this generation” have failed to believe in Him as the Messiah and in His authority and power as the Son of God.

Jesus asks the father to bring his demon-afflicted son to Him.

Verse 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.

As did many ancient writers, Matthew often skips details and condenses accounts. While he seems especially detailed in his records of Jesus’ words, he more often summarizes Jesus’ interactions and miracles. He describes the exorcism of the demon from this boy (Matthew 17:14–17) very simply: Jesus rebuked the demon. It left, and the boy was instantly healed of the symptoms the demon had been causing. Mark provides much more information about this incident (Mark 9:20–27). When the demon, from inside the child, sees and recognizes Jesus, it causes the boy to go into a convulsion and fall to the ground, rolling around and foaming from the mouth.

The father asks Jesus to have compassion and help “if” He is able. Jesus does not let the doubt implied in that statement pass. Doubt is the very thing which has caused Him so much exasperation during His ministry (Matthew 17:17). He tells the father that all things are possible for the one who believes. The father famously responds by saying “I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). This has become the prayer of many people down through history struggling with faith in the face of their limited understanding.

Jesus quickly casts the demon out of the boy by saying “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again” (Mark 9:25). The demon convulses the boy once more and then leaves. The boy appears dead, but Jesus takes him by the hand and the boy stands up.

Verse 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

Jesus has cast a demon from a boy (Matthew 17:18). It was causing symptoms like epilepsy, including seizures and foaming at the mouth. Unlike “normal” epilepsy, however, these events frequently happen in crucial moments, throwing the boy into fire and water. Jesus was not available when the boy first arrived with his father. He was up on a mountain with Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1). The remaining nine of the twelve disciples (Matthew 10:1–4) attempted to cast the demon out themselves, as Jesus had given them the power and authority to do (Matthew 10:8). They failed.

Jesus responded to their failure with exasperation, lumping them in with a “faithless and twisted” generation (Matthew 17:17). Now, the disciples want to understand what went wrong. They sincerely attempted to cast the demon out, and they don’t know why they were unable to do so. They come to Jesus privately, after they are away from the crowd, and ask Him in all earnestness why they couldn’t do it. He will explain the heart of the issue in the following verse.

Verse 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

The nine disciples left behind when Jesus took Peter, James, and John up the mountain (Matthew 17:1) have failed in a critical task. They could not cast a demon from a boy who was suffering greatly. Their public failure prompted both an argument with some Jewish scribes, as well as an exasperated response from Jesus about their “faithless and twisted” generation (Matthew 17:14–17).

Jesus healed the boy, but the disciples really want to understand what went wrong (Matthew 17:18–19). They have asked Him privately, away from the crowds, why they could not cast the demon out. Jesus responds to them directly, but relatively kindly in this verse. At the heart of their failure was their “little faith.” They either did not trust the power previously given them by Jesus (Matthew 10:8) or they did not believe such power could be exercised through them. Perhaps they saw this specific case as too difficult. That they could perform miracles using Christ’s power, at all, was an astounding reality. Jesus reveals here that the key to that power is faith in Him.

Part of the lesson here is the potency of genuine faith. In giving this reminder, Christ once again mentions the tiny mustard seed as a metaphor for living, active faith (Matthew 13:31–32). Even with that amount of faith, Jesus says, they will be able to tell a mountain to move and it will do so. With even a sliver of faith in His power and authority, nothing will be impossible for them.

This is an important and powerful lesson for the disciples. These men will eventually come to perform impossible-seeming miracles as they represent Jesus for the remainder of their lives on earth. The power to do so will never come from their own ability or goodness or status. It will always come through their special endowment, enabled by their faith in Jesus.

Verse 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. (KJV)

Most modern translations don’t include these words in book of Matthew. The phrase does not appear in the most reliable manuscripts available. A reference to prayer is included in Mark’s account, with a comment on fasting also appearing as a later footnote (Mark 9:29).

Jesus’ words, from Mark, imply that some demons require additional effort to exorcise. In the prior verse, from Matthew, Jesus said faith was the heart of the issue for the disciples’ failure to cast the demon out (Matthew 17:17). He did not say their primary issue was a lack of prayer and fasting. The true error—the foundation of their failure—was they did not sufficiently trust the power of God to work through them. Jesus was clear that nothing would be impossible for them if they had faith even as small as a mustard seed (Matthew 13:31–32; 17:20).

Still, prayer and fasting are expressions of faith. It would never be wrong for a Christian to pray or even to fast when trying to accomplish the will of God. It would be wrong, however, to believe that the actions of prayer and fasting are themselves sources of power. Those things are merely expressions of faith in God. His power is what accomplishes the will of God, such as for demons to be removed.

Context Summary
Matthew 17:14–21 finds Jesus and three of the disciples returning from the mountain, to find a crowd gathered around the remaining nine. A desperate father pleads on behalf of his demon-afflicted son who has seizures and often falls into water or fire. The disciples could not cast the demon out (Mark 9:14–29). Jesus, exasperated by the doubt of His disciples, rebukes the demon and heals the boy. When they ask, Jesus tells the disciples their faith was too small to cast out the demon. Even faith as small as a mustard seed is enough to move a mountain. Verse 21 nearly duplicates Mark 9:29 but is not found in the earliest manuscripts of Matthew.

Verse 22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men,

Jesus and the disciples are gathering in Galilee. This may refer to their return to Galilee from Caesarea Philippi in the north (Matthew 16:13). It might also mean re-gathering after being separated into two groups, with Peter, James, and John following Jesus to the top of the mountain for the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–2).

This is not the first time that Christ has mentioned His coming death and resurrection. Matthew 16:21 mentions a recent incident where He referred to this impending series of events. This was the moment Peter tried to rebuke Jesus and Jesus rebuked Peter, instead, as if he were Satan (Matthew 16:22–23).

Now, Jesus adds a new detail about what will soon happen to Him. He says that He, “the Son of Man,” is about to be delivered into the hands of men. In other words, someone is going to turn Jesus over to the people who will kill Him. It’s not clear from this verse if Jesus means that the one doing the delivering will be Judas in his betrayal of Jesus or, perhaps, God the Father in His work of offering Jesus as the sacrifice for sin.

What’s clear is that, though the disciples are distressed by Jesus saying this, they still don’t understand what He means.

Verse 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

In making these statements, Jesus is not speaking in parables or obtuse language. He is not attempting to confuse the disciples. He truly wants them to know what is coming, and He is intentionally being clear about what will soon happen to Him. He is providing for them both by managing their expectations for what comes next and by giving them facts to remember after His death and then His resurrection.

He has told them that He, the “Son of Man,” is about to be delivered into the hands of men. Now He adds that those men will kill Him and then He will be raised on the third day (John 12:32–33). Jesus willingly made Himself available to be sacrificed for the sins of humanity on the cross. He did this with full knowledge of what would take place (Matthew 16:21; 17:22–23). He was never surprised by a moment of it. He was acting in full obedience and submission to the will of God the Father, who gave His only begotten Son as this sacrifice (John 3:16).

The disciples were upset to hear Jesus say this. Still, they did not fully understand what it meant (John 2:22).

Verse 24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?”

Exodus 30:13–16 commands that every Jewish man 20 years and older was required to give a half-shekel to the work of the tent of meeting as an offering of atonement. What began in the time of Moses was still being practiced in Jesus’ day. Two drachmas were the equivalent of a half-shekel. The money now went to support the temple instead of the tabernacle.

When Jesus and the disciples arrive in Jesus’ adopted hometown of Capernaum (Matthew 4:13), they are approached by the collectors of this temple tax. This was not a tax levied by the Romans. This was given to the Jewish leaders, by the Jews, to support their own religious practices and to comply with the law of Moses.

The temple tax collectors speak to Peter and not to Jesus Himself. Perhaps this was in deference to Jesus’ status or because He was unavailable. This once again portrays Peter as the de-facto leader of the disciples. The collectors ask Peter if his teacher does not pay the tax, which was a round-about way of asking if Jesus would be contributing to the collection. It’s possible that some issue had caused them to wonder if Jesus would object to paying the tax or if He had perhaps paid it already in another location.

Verse 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?”

Jesus and the disciples have arrived in Capernaum, Jesus’ place of official residence (Matthew 4:13). Peter has been approached by some collectors of the temple tax. This was not a Roman tax. Jewish men, 20 years and older, were required by the law of Moses to contribute two drachmas, or half a shekel, to the temple once a year (Exodus 30:13–16). These collectors have asked Peter if his teacher Jesus plans to pay the tax. That might have been a rhetorical question, which really meant “your master needs to pay the tax.”

Peter now replies that Jesus plans to pay the tax. Peter then enters the house where Jesus is, perhaps to ask Jesus for the money or where to get the money. Before Peter can speak, though, Jesus begins to ask Peter about it. Did Peter answer yes too quickly, assuming Jesus would pay the tax when He did not plan to do so?

Jesus calls Peter by his original name, Simon, and asks about a specific issue: Do kings collect taxes from their own children, or from others? Peter will give the obvious answer to the question. Kings do not collect taxes from their own sons. Jesus concludes His point in the following verse.

Verse 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free.

Every Jewish man, 20 years and older, is required by the law of Moses to contribute two drachmas, or half a shekel, to the temple every year (Exodus 30:13–16). Collectors have come to ask if Jesus will pay this temple tax. Peter has told them yes, but now Jesus has asked Peter a question about it: Does the king collect tax from His sons or from others (Matthew 17:24–25)?

Peter gives the obvious answer in this verse. The king does not collect tax from his sons; he collects it from others, from the people. Now Jesus says that the sons are free. Jesus’ point should be obvious. The two-drachma temple tax is meant to be given to God, who is the king over all. Jesus is God’s Son. The temple tax is not required of the Son of God any more than a regular tax is intended for the son of the king. Jesus should not be required to pay this tax.

Jesus will not demand this right, however. He seems more interested in using the opportunity to help Peter to see, once again, exactly what it means that Jesus is the Son of the living God. It’s not just a title. It is the reality with serious implications for Him and for those who follow Him. However, to avoid giving offense or giving the religious leaders anything to hold against Him, Jesus will pay the tax. He will do so in a surprising way.

Scholars and commentators over the years have attempted to use this passage to make points about whether Christians should or should not pay taxes demanded by their own governments. This tax, though, is a religious tax instituted by God for the people of Israel and doesn’t seem to speak to the issue of believers paying government taxes, one way or the other. A better passage for that issue is found in Matthew 22:15–22.

Verse 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Peter told the collectors of the tax for the temple, set up by God in Exodus 30:13–16, that Jesus would pay the tax. Jesus, though, has declared He is exempt from the tax since He is the Son of the “king”—God—who is collecting it (Matthew 17:24–26). From a spiritual or moral standpoint, there’s no reason Jesus needs to pay this toll.

Despite being free from that obligation, on technical grounds, Jesus agrees to pay the tax. He does this to avoid causing unnecessary offense over this issue (Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18). Jesus is also aware that the religious leaders are looking for anything they can use to discredit Him or to have Him arrested. He is not willing to make this issue a point of conflict.

This passage does not have much to say about whether Christians should pay taxes to governments (Matthew 22:15–22). Still, it may have provided important teaching for Jewish Christians. These early believers had to decide whether to pay this tax after the church was established in Acts 2, and before the temple was destroyed in AD 70.

Jesus commands Peter to find the money for the tax in a surprising way. He tells the former fisherman to go to the nearby Sea of Galilee, cast a hook, and catch a fish. In the mouth of that fish, Jesus says, Peter will find a shekel—this is described as a statēr in the original Greek. A statēr coin was worth four drachmas. Peter was to use that coin to pay the two-drachma, half-shekel tax for both himself and for Jesus.

We’re not told that Jesus and the disciples did not have the money to pay the tax otherwise. It was not a large amount. Instead, it seems Jesus gave Peter one more confirmation that God was fully capable of providing for him all that was needed at any time. More such examples would follow in the difficult days to come.

Context Summary
Matthew 17:22–27 begins with Jesus once again predicting His death at the hands of religious enemies in Jerusalem (Matthew 16:21). Collectors of the annual two-drachma temple tax approach Peter and ask if Jesus will pay. Jesus explains to Peter why He is exempt from the tax, but He says that He will pay it to avoid giving offense over the issue. He commands Peter to pay the tax for them both: by catching a fish in which he will find a coin sufficient for the task.

Chapter Summary
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain. There, they see Him “transfigured” into a shining, divine form. They also see Christ speaking with Moses and Elijah but are commanded not to speak of this event until later. Jesus heals a demon-afflicted boy after the disciples cannot cast the demon out. Jesus very clearly tells the disciples He will be delivered into the hands of men, killed, and raised on the third day. After explaining why He is exempt from a temple tax, Jesus agrees to pay it and tells Peter to find the money in the mouth of a fish.