Matthew 17:1-13

¹ Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; ² and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. ³ And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. ⁴ Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁵ While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” ⁶ And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” ⁸ When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. ⁹ Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” ¹⁰ And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹¹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. ¹² But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 ¹ Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; ² and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 

In fulfilment of His Word (see Matt. 16:28) the Lord Jesus Christ now takes Peter, James, and John his brother up on a high mountain, because in antiquity high mountains were the dwelling place of the Divine. And so, it is there when He is alone with these three chosen disciples that the Lord Jesus is transfigured (gr. Μεταμορφόομαι, Str. 3339) before them. Now what took place is the Lord Jesus Christ literally revealing His Divine Person as the Son of God to them, for His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. Revealing Himself to them in a way that could see and understand. 

Vs. 3-4 ³ And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. ⁴ Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 

Now as the Lord Jesus Christ is transfigured before them, there also appears to them Moses and Elijah the two most significant figures in Old Testament Israel with Moses representing the Law and Elijah representing the prophets talking with Jesus (vs. 3). Having then seen these two most revered figures appear with and talking too the Lord Jesus Christ, Peter then not knowing what to say (see Mark 9:6) then says to Him, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Now Peters ill thought of response to this amazing sight is again born out of his own fear at was taking place before his very eyes. Nonetheless as we will see no one is to be put on par with the Lord Jesus Christ’s Person. 

Vs. 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

Therefore, it will be God the Father who will now correct Peters very ill thought and misguided request to built three tabernacles there, saying to him and the disciples there, and us all, that: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” For before Moses and before Elijah and before any other revered person is the Lord Jesus Christ’s Person and it is His Person and Word that we are all to be in subjection to. For Moses and Elijah did not appear there during Christ’s transfiguration as anywhere near equals to Him, but only as completely subservient and subject to Him, appearing there so as to honor Him in the presence of the disciples, something which Peter and James and John clearly missed. Nonetheless the moment Peter spoke his ill-conceived thought, God the Father immediately corrected him, something I hope He won’t ever have to do with any of us who likewise believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  

Vs. 6 “And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.”

Now when the disciples heard God’s voice rebuking them out of the cloud they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. Something which befalls anyone who likewise hears the voice of the Almighty displeased at not honoring His Son, there is but one response that seizes them, and that is to fall on one’s face trembling in great fear before Him. 

Vs. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 

However, with the disciple’s contrition and response to the Voice of God, Jesus now comes to them and touches them, saying to them, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” Something Jesus will do for you and everyone who likewise fears and trembles at God’s Word. For the Lord Jesus Christ will make salvation arise in your hearts and lives the moment you repent and believe! 

Vs. 8 “When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.” 

Now as the disciples opened their eyes they saw no one but Jesus only. Which for them at that moment would have left them not only awed as to what had just occurred, but also now very well in tune with just who the Lord Jesus Christ’s Person truly is. 

Vs. 9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” 

The Lord Jesus having transfigured Himself before the disciples on the mountain now tells them to tell no one the vision (of His being Glorified), until the Son of Man is risen from the dead. The Lord Jesus then did not want to invoke a rebellion amongst the Jewish people against the then ruling Romans with the disciples telling the people of what they had seen. Instead the Lord Jesus wanted them to only tell the vison after He had risen from dead so that it would become apart of the Gospel that would be preached to everyone, everywhere. 

Vs. 10-13 ¹⁰ And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹¹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. ¹² But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist. 

Now the disciples had just witnessed the Lord’s Glory, of how He will appear to all of humanity when He comes in the glory of His Father with His holy angels. And so, the disciples in verse ten wanted to know why the scribes say that Elijah must come first, something Malachi the prophet declared (see Malachi 4:5). Therefore, Jesus now explains to them that Elijah is coming first and will restore all things before Christ’s Second advent. However, Elijah has already come in the person and ministry of John the Baptist who came in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare Israel for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (see Luke 1:17; Matt. 11:14). Yet Israel did not recognize him as such, as the forerunner, and so they did to him whatever they wished. Therefore, the Lord Jesus now tells the disciples that just as their leaders ultimately rejected and then killed John, so too they would reject, mistreat, and then kill Him. Having then declared as much to the disciples they now understand that Jesus’ Words about Elijah is His referring to John the Baptist. 

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.