The Gospels · New Testament

Matthew 17

Matthew 17: the transfiguration, the boy the disciples could not cure, and the tribute money

General context

After six days Jesus takes Peter, James and John up a high mountain and is transfigured before them; his face shines like the sun and his clothing becomes white as light. Moses and Elias appear talking with him. Peter offers to make three tabernacles. A bright cloud overshadows them and a voice says This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. The disciples fall on their faces in fear, Jesus touches them, and they see no one but Jesus. Coming down, he charges them to tell the vision to no one until the Son of man is risen. They ask why the scribes say Elias must first come; Jesus says Elias has come already and was not known, and the disciples understand he means John the Baptist. At the multitude a man kneels and asks mercy for his son, who falls into fire and water; the disciples could not cure him. Jesus speaks of a faithless generation, rebukes the devil, and the child is cured. Asked privately why they failed, Jesus says because of unbelief and speaks of faith like a mustard seed, adding that this kind goes out only by prayer and fasting. In Galilee he says again that the Son of man will be betrayed, killed and raised, and the disciples are exceeding sorry. At Capernaum collectors ask Peter whether his master pays tribute. Jesus asks Peter of whom kings take tribute, concludes that the children are free, and sends Peter to catch a fish with a piece of money in its mouth to pay for them both.

Cited passages: Matthew 17:1, Matthew 17:2, Matthew 17:3, Matthew 17:4, Matthew 17:5, Matthew 17:6, Matthew 17:8, Matthew 17:9, Matthew 17:10, Matthew 17:12, Matthew 17:13, Matthew 17:15, Matthew 17:16, Matthew 17:17, Matthew 17:18, Matthew 17:20, Matthew 17:21, Matthew 17:22, Matthew 17:23, Matthew 17:24, Matthew 17:26, Matthew 17:27

Matthew 17 (KJV)

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

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

³And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

⁴Then 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.

⁵While 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.

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

⁷And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

⁸And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

⁹And 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.

¹⁰And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

¹¹And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

¹²But 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.

¹³Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

¹⁴And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

¹⁵Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

¹⁶And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

¹⁷Then 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.

¹⁸And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

¹⁹Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

²⁰And 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.

²¹Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

²²And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

²³And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

²⁴And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

²⁵He 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?

²⁶Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

²⁷Notwithstanding, 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.

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Historical context

The three disciples on the mountain are named as Peter, James, and John his brother; the mountain is called high and is not named. Moses and Elias are said to appear and talk with Jesus, but the text records none of their words. The voice from the cloud repeats the words spoken at the baptism in chapter 3, with the addition hear ye him. Jesus calls the event a vision when he commands silence. The identification of Elias with John the Baptist is presented as the disciples' understanding of Jesus' words, and Jesus' phrase they knew him not is applied to the treatment of John. The father describes the boy as lunatick; the narrator describes the cure as the departure of a devil. The tribute money scene names Capernaum, the collectors ask about tribute without naming its recipient, and the narrator does not report Peter actually catching the fish; the chapter ends with the instruction. The second passion prediction states betrayal, killing and raising on the third day, with no date.

Cited passages: Matthew 17:1, Matthew 17:3, Matthew 17:5, Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:9, Matthew 17:12, Matthew 17:13, Matthew 17:15, Matthew 17:18, Matthew 17:24, Matthew 17:27, Matthew 17:23

Literary context

The chapter moves from a mountain to a crowd to a house. On the mountain the disciples see and hear but are told to keep silent; Peter speaks and is answered not by Jesus but by the cloud's voice, which commands them to hear ye him. The scene ends with the narrowing phrase Jesus only. The Elias question connects the vision to John the Baptist and to the coming suffering, since Jesus says Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer. Below the mountain the disciples' failure sets up Jesus' saying on faith as a grain of mustard seed. The second passion prediction is shorter than the first and now receives the disciples' sorrow rather than a rebuke. The tribute scene closes with a question-and-answer exchange in which Peter gives the answer Jesus draws on, and the chapter ends on an instruction whose fulfilment is left unnarrated.

Cited passages: Matthew 17:4, Matthew 17:5, Matthew 17:8, Matthew 17:12, Matthew 17:19, Matthew 17:20, Matthew 17:23, Matthew 17:25, Matthew 17:26

Key moments

Transfigured on the mountain (Matthew 17:2). Jesus' face shines like the sun and his clothing becomes white as light before Peter, James and John.
The voice from the cloud (Matthew 17:5). A voice calls Jesus the beloved Son and commands the disciples to hear him.
Elias has come already (Matthew 17:12). Jesus says Elias was not recognized, and the disciples understand he means John the Baptist.
The child cured (Matthew 17:18). Jesus rebukes the devil and the boy the disciples could not cure is made well.
Faith as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). Jesus tells the disciples their failure came from unbelief.
Second passion prediction (Matthew 17:22). Jesus says the Son of man will be betrayed, killed and raised, and the disciples grieve.
The coin in the fish (Matthew 17:27). Jesus sends Peter to find a piece of money in a fish's mouth for the tribute.

For reflection

Peter offers to build three tabernacles, and the voice from the cloud answers with hear ye him. What does the text suggest about the difference between wanting to keep a moment and being told to listen?