Matthew Lessons 14-28 Matthew Lesson 1 - 16:13-20 Matthew Lesson 2 - 17:1-9 Matthew Lesson 3 - 20:1-16 Matthew Lesson 4 - 21:1-11 Matthew Lesson 5 - 21:33-45 Matthew Lesson 6 - 22:1-14 Matthew Lesson 7 - 24:36-51 Matthew Lesson 8 - 26:17-30 Matthew Lesson 9 - 26:36-46 Matthew Lesson 10 - 26:63-75 Matthew Lesson 11 - 27:41-52 Matthew Lesson 12 - 28:1-15 Matthew Lesson 13 - 28:16-20 Extra - Transfiguration Extra - Matthew 2:1-2, 11

Matthew Lesson 2 - 17:1-9

Matt. 17:1-9 - THE TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS CHRIST

INTRODUCTION: Last Week in Matt. 16:13-20, Jesus asked His disciples two questions: (1) "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" (v. 13). They told Him that people say He is John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets. This showed that the people saw Jesus as a person having amazing powers but don't comprehend who He is or His purpose in coming. (2) Then Jesus turned to His disciples and asked them "But who do you say that I am?" (v. 16). True to form, Simon spoke for all of them and professed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (v. 16), which acclaimed Jesus as the Savior-the Messiah for whom Israel had been waiting for centuries. Then Jesus re-named him as "Peter," declaring that he would be the "rock" on which Jesus would build His "church" (v. 18). This is the first revelation of the "church" in the Bible. We learned from this that the church would be a living entity that Jesus would build in the future. And He declared that the gates of Hades (death) would never triumph over the church, because the church could never die (v. 18). Jesus planned events this way because He knew He would be rejected as the Messiah, and as a consequence, the kingdom would be delayed until His Second Coming, when He would return to establish His millennial reign on earth. Jesus told Peter He would give him "the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (v. 19) by which people are either admitted (or denied entry) to the kingdom. This authority wasn't exclusive to Peter but would extend to church leaders all the way up to the present age. There were several points of application, but the main truth is that Christ loves the church and gave Himself up for it, and His church is the means by which He reveals himself to a lost world.
This week, in Matt. 17:1-9, we'll study an event known as the Transfiguration, which is reported in all three synoptic gospels (see, Mark 9:2-8 and Luke 9:28-36); and is also mentioned in Peter's epistle (2 Peter 1:16-18). The previous chapter set the stage for the Transfiguration. The disciples were now prepared for more information about Jesus' mission. He shocked them when He revealed that He must suffer and die on a cross. When Peter protested, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You!," Jesus fiercely rebuked him, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's purposes, but men's." (16:22-23). The Transfiguration stands in sharp contrast to the humiliation Jesus warned His disciples He must suffer in Chap. 16. On the mountain, Jesus is glorified-a preview of His majesty after the Ascension.

Read Matt. 17:1 - THE TRANSFIGURATION

1 Six days later Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves.

v. 1a: "Six days later" - This was exactly "six days" after He told His disciples "He must go to Jerusalem...suffer many things...be killed, and...raised on the third day." (Matt. 16:21-22). Six is an important number in Scripture: God created the world in six days (Gen. 1:1-31) and rested on the seventh; and under Torah Law, Hebrew slaves were required to work for their masters six years before being freed (Ex. 21:2-4).
v. 1b: "Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John his brother," - "Peter and James and John" comprise Jesus' handpicked inner-circle. Jesus apparently selected them because they were the most discerning of the twelve to comprehend the significance of this extraordinary revelation. In an OT parallel, when Moses ascended Mt. Sinai, he took Joshua, Nadab, and Abihu with him (Ex. 21:4).
v. 1c: "and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves." - The exact identity and location of this "high mountain" isn't recorded. It's traditionally regarded as Mt. Tabor in the Jezreel Valley but many modern scholars suggest Mt. Hermon because of its proximity to Caesarea Philippi.

Read Matthew 17:2 - HE WAS TRANSFIGURED BEFORE THEM

2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

v. 2a: "And He was transfigured before them;" - Jesus underwent a metamorphosis. The word for "transfigured" (Gk. metemorphōthē) means a change of form, as when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. It was not only His appearance that had changed, but His essential form also became different. Scholars suggest that Jesus had taken on his post-resurrection, glorified body. And the phrase "before them" indicated that Jesus did this especially for their benefit.
v. 2b: "and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light." - Jesus' "face shone," as Moses had (Ex. 34:29-30) and "His garments became as white as light" because they radiated God's glory. But Moses had only reflected God's glory, whereas Jesus radiates His own glory.

This vision of Jesus would have solidified the disciples' faith that He was truly the Messiah, and it would have helped them to better understand and accept that the sufferings He would soon be forced to endure would not be the end of Him.

Read Matthew 17:3-4 - MOSES AND ELIJAH APPEARED TO THEM

3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

v. 3: "And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him." - The word "behold" introduces yet another amazing spectacle. Together, these two men, "Moses and Elijah," symbolize the coming of the Messianic Age, and their conversation with Jesus conclusively identified and confirmed Him as the Messiah who will usher-in this Age. Both Moses and Elijah had played key roles in God' plan for Israel: Moses established the Covenant under which Israel was commanded to live and Elijah sought to lead the people back to that Covenant after they fell into apostasy, and both had experienced a vision of God's glory on a mountain. Consequently, Moses was the greatest figure to be associated with the giving of the Law and Elijah was arguably the greatest OT prophet.

v. 4a: "Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here;" - Notice that Peter addressed Jesus as "Lord," a title that Jesus will soon take that reflects the fact of His unqualified preeminence as God the Son in the Holy Trinity.
v. 4b: "if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." - Here, Peter characteristically speaks without being spoken to. Why "three tabernacles" (Gk. skenas, lit. means tents)? Peter appears to be suggesting that he erect temporary structures like those commonly used in the Jewish feasts. He was apparently caught up in the greatness of this occasion and wanted to do something-anything-to celebrate it. Even though Peter doesn't possess the self-restraint to wait, he does qualify his suggestion with "if you wish." But before he can say or do anything more, his efforts will be completely overtaken by what happens in the next verse.

Read Matthew 17:5 - A VOICE OUT OF THE CLOUD

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!"

v. 5a: While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them," - The cloud was exceptionally bright because it reflected the shekinah glory of God. Previously, the prophets had predicted that that the Messiah would come to set up His kingdom with clouds and that clouds would overshadow His kingdom (Isa. 4:5; Dan. 7:13). That the cloud "overshadowed them" possibly meant that they were actually enveloped within the cloud.
v. 5b: "and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased;" - These are the very same words that God spoke at Jesus' baptism (Matt. 3:17); however, at that event, it was not clear who had heard the voice besides John the Baptist and Jesus. But here, the disciples are the intended audience and they realize the message is directed squarely at them.
v. 5c: "listen to Him!" - God's command, "listen to Him," reminds us of Moses' words to the Israelites when he said, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen; to him you shall listen" (Deut. 18:15). Here, God presents Jesus as the climax of Biblical revelation, so that people should very conscientiously listen to every single word He speaks. Moreover, God's injunction, "listen to Him," revealed that Jesus, specifically named by God' as His "beloved Son," was someone having far more prominence than either Moses or Elijah.

Read Matthew 17:6-8 - THEY FELL FACE DOWN AND WERE TERRIFIED

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. 7 And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, "Get up, and do not be afraid." 8 And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.

v. 6: "When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified." - God's revelation had the same impact on Peter, James, and John as the revelation God gave to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 20:18-21; Deut. 4:33). When people see the glory of God revealed and realize that they are in God's presence, they experience terror and real fear. In our text, the Transfiguration was for the disciples' benefit, but it is likewise confirmation for us who read these words. While the disciples did not immediately understand the significance of what they just seen and heard, it was this revelation from God that would enable them to better understand the events coming in the near future, especially after the resurrection. In the immediate sense, it did give them a deeper conviction that Jesus was who He claimed to be-the Messiah-and the kingdom that He would inaugurate

The main purpose of the Transfiguration was confirmation. It confirmed several critical facts: One of these was the certainty of a future kingdom that would not take place at this time. The very fact that the Transfiguration happened directly attests to this. The presence of the OT saints (Moses and Elijah) on earth with Christ in a glorified state constituted the strongest possible verification of the kingdom promises in the OT. The reality of this kingdom is also evident from the connection of the Transfiguration with the promise of Matt. 16:27-28: "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." And as a down payment on the coming of the kingdom, three men were allowed to see the Son of Man glorified in His kingdom.

v. 7a: "And Jesus came to them and touched them and said," - At this point, Jesus has been fully restored to his previous human form. Any kind touch has the ability to soothe, but Jesus touch has the power to heal and restore. His touch would not only comfort His three disciples but reassure them that this is the real Jesus they know and love, not just a figment of their imaginations.
v. 7b: "Get up, and do not be afraid." - 'Do not be afraid' is a recurring biblical theme. To those who believe in Him, God tells us, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!" (Isa. 43:1). In other words, with Jesus, we are eternally secure.

v. 8: "And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone." - Each of the synoptic gospels includes this verse (Mark 9:8; Luke 9:36). God previously acknowledged the importance of Moses and Elijah by having them appear with Jesus in this revelation; but, we need to see that the voice of God spoke only of Jesus. Now, with Moses and Elijah gone, Jesus alone remains. This is symbolic: We are reminded of the spiritual heritage we derive from Moses and Elijah, but in the final analysis, Jesus is the only one who can save. Amen?

That eternal salvation is available through faith alone in Jesus alone can be an uncomfortable truth in the multicultural world we live in today where people are pressured to tolerate anything and everything. Churches that allow themselves to prize tolerance over truth can easily fall into this trap. Yet, this truth-that only Jesus can save-remains as the solid bedrock of the New Testament. Moses and the prophets are beneficial, but in the end, there is only Jesus; science and education can be valuable, but in the end, there is only Jesus; medicine can be helpful, but in the end, there is only Jesus; therefore, Jesus alone must remain the primary focus of our proclamation.

Read Matthew 17:9 - TELL THE VISION TO NO ONE

9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead."

v. 9: This is the last of five instances recorded in Matthew's gospel where Jesus commands His disciples to maintain silence about what they have seen and heard. In the previous chapter, after Peter proclaimed Jesus as "the Christ, the living Son of God," he emphatically ordered His disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah (16:16, 20). But in this particular instance, Jesus told them that they must not share this revelation-the Transfiguration-with others until after His resurrection. Therefore, proclamation of the king and His kingdom would begin anew after the resurrection.

The Jews (both those of Judea and elsewhere in the Roman Empire) were eager for someone who might liberate them from the Roman yoke, and would have welcomed Jesus to save them from Rome, but they did want Him as a Savior from sin. For all practical purposes, Israel had rejected her Messiah, and it would have been pointless to tell the Jews about this vision of Messianic glory. But after the resurrection, and only then could Jesus' message be proclaimed worldwide.
Even more to the point, the disciples still do not yet fully comprehend what it means for Jesus to be the Messiah. Jesus has told them that He will suffer and die in Jerusalem, but they still don't 'get it." They still held to their perception of a Davidic Messiah-king in their hearts. Only after the resurrection will the light begin to dawn for them. After Jesus was resurrected, his disciples were suddenly and miraculously transformed from a group of confused and frightened people into a new, purpose-driven people whose message about the living Christ and a coming kingdom-often preached at the risk of their lives-eventually changed an entire empire, and then the whole world.

APPLICATION-What the Transfiguration Confirms About Jesus Christ:

1. The Transfiguration confirmed the fact that God's Kingdom was in the future. The Jews were expecting a political and military messiah-figure like a new David who would free them from the Roman yoke and restore the glory of Israel as an earthly nation. Earlier in His ministry, Jesus did say that the kingdom of God was "near" (Matt. 4:17), but Israel rejected their King and, in so doing, rejected the kingdom. The coming of the kingdom is now in the future as God works through the church, which consists of both Jews and Gentiles. Once the church age has ended, God will again make Israel the focus of His work in the world. Jesus will return, Israel will receive their Messiah, and then the kingdom of God will come.

2. The Transfiguration confirmed the fact that Jesus was the Messiah predicted in the OT prophecy. The alteration of Jesus' appearance demonstrated His Messiahship in three ways: (a) That He was much more than an ordinary human teacher; (b) that His association with Moses and Elijah confirmed His messianic role; and (c) the voice of God from heaven established that He is the Son of God.

3. The Transfiguration confirmed the fact that the Messiah had to suffer. Jesus knew He was destined to suffer greatly throughout His trial, torture, and crucifixion (Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19). Jesus had to suffer because suffering is part of sacrifice, and Jesus was "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). Jesus' physical torture was part of the payment required for our sins. We are redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (1 Peter 1:19).

ENDNOTE: The main purpose of the Transfiguration was to permit the inner circle of disciples-Peter James, and John--to achieve a higher understanding of who Jesus was in reality. Christ underwent a dramatic change in appearance so that they could behold Him in His glory. With this experience, they now had a greater realization of the deity of Christ, and though they could not fully comprehend it, it still gave them the reassurance they needed after being informed of the shocking news of His coming suffering and death.