Matthew 171 -13 The TRANSFORMATION or the TRANSFIGURATION.

He was metamorphosed, or changed into another form J. Gill

Swallowtail metamorphosis

Mat 17:1  Six day later, Jesus took with Him Peter and the brothers James and John, and brought them up a high mountain to a solitary place.

Mat 17:2  There in their presence His form underwent a change; His face shone like the sun, and His raiment became as white as the light.

Mat 17:3  And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them conversing with Him.

Mat 17:4  Then Peter said to Jesus, "Master, we are thankful to you that we are here. If you approve, I will put up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

Mat 17:5  He was still speaking when a luminous cloud spread over them; and a voice was heard from within the cloud, which said, "This is My Son dearly beloved, in whom is My delight. Listen to Him."

Mat 17:6  On hearing this voice, the disciples fell on their faces and were filled with terror.

Mat 17:7  But Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Rouse yourselves and have no fear."

Mat 17:8  So they looked up, and saw no one but Jesus.

Mat 17:9  As they were descending the mountain, Jesus laid a command upon them. "Tell no one," He said, "of the sight you have seen till the Son of Man has risen from among the dead."

Mat 17:10  "Why then," asked the disciples, "do the Scribes say that Elijah must first come?"

Mat 17:11  "Elijah was indeed to come," He replied, "and would reform everything.

Mat 17:12  But I tell you that he has already come, and they did not recognize him, but dealt with him as they chose. And before long the Son of Man will be treated by them in a similar way."

Mat 17:13  Then it dawned upon the disciples that it was John the Baptist about whom He had spoken to them.

Introduction.

Like a Beautiful Butterfly is metamorphosed from a grub to a chrysalis to an adult butterfly, similarly Our Lord Jesus Christ was Transformed when the glory of His Divinity shone through. What an amazing experience for Peter, James and John to be there with Him and to see Him conversing with Two Heavenly Visitors, Moses and Elijah.

This incident is found in all three Synoptic Gospels, Matt., Mk., and Lk. but not in John.

What a great encouragement this must have been to the disciples after they just heard Jesus talking of His Death and the need of His Followers to take up their Cross and to follow Him.

Mat 17:1  Six day later, Jesus took with Him Peter and the brothers James and John, and brought them up a high mountain to a solitary place.

Notes

Six days later, Six days after what?.... After the Confession of Peter at Caesarea Philippi that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

Jesus took with Him Peter and the brothers James and John,

These three were the Inner Circle of the Disciples who were closest to Jesus. It is interesting that Jesus would chose these three. Peter the spokesman, James,the Son of Zabdi, and John his brother, who was the beloved Disciple. All three had been fishermen on the Lake of Galilee.

and brought them up a high mountain to a solitary place.

Not Mt. Tabor, as tradition holds, but probably Mt. Hermom. It could not have been Mt. Tabor, for, as we learn from Josephus, who lived in that time, the top of Mt. Tabor was then occupied by a town and fortress. On the other hand, the Lord was in the vicinity of Mt. Hermon (Mat_16:13, note); Hermon was a "high mountain," ten thousand feet high, visible over most of Palestine. PNT.

Mt Hermon in Northern Israel and Syria

Mat 17:2  There in their presence His form underwent a change; His face shone like the sun, and His raiment became as white as the light.

Notes

Jesus with Moses and Elijah on the High Mountian

There in their presence His form underwent a change;

To change G3339 μεταμορφόω metamorphoō

Thayer Definition:

1) to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure

1a) Christ appearance was changed and was resplendent with divine brightness on the mount of transfiguration Part of Speech: verb

That is, transformed, changed in form. The great object was to reveal to the disciples his Divine glory before they beheld his humiliation upon the cross, in order to sustain their faith in the hour of trial. PNT

His face shone like the sun, and His raiment became as white as the light.

Mat 17:3  And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them conversing with Him.

Notes

Why did Moses and Elijah appear with Him on the Mountain?

There is a Great expectation among the Jews that Elijah will come back to earth at the End of Days. CP. v.10 They often even set a place for him in their Passover seder. The Rabbis also expect Moses to appear though their is no proof from Scripture

- Moses, a distinguished servant of God, by whom the law was given, and whose institutions typified the Messiah. It was particularly proper that he should appear, when his prophecies and types were about to be fulfilled, and the rites which he had instituted were about to be done away. Elias, or Elijah, a distinguished prophet, taken to heaven without seeing death. See 2Ki_2:11. Elijah had been honored eminently by being thus translated, and still more by being made the model of the forerunner of the Messiah, Mal_4:5; Luk_1:17; Mat_11:14. They appeared “in glory” Luk_9:31; i. e., as they are in heaven with the glory which the redeemed have there. Barnes Notes

They were Conversing with Jesus.

Luke says they were speaking of Christ’s soon-to-come death in Jerusalem.Luk 9:31  They came in glory, and kept speaking about His death, which He was so soon to undergo in Jerusalem.

Mat 17:4  Then Peter said to Jesus, "Master, we are thankful to you that we are here. If you approve, I will put up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

Notes

"Master, we are thankful to you that we are here.

..in this mountain, with thyself and such company; better than to be below among the throng and multitude, where nothing but misery and distress are to be seen, and noise and tumult heard; or it is better to be here, than to go to Jerusalem, and there suffer and die; the horror of which, is thought by some, still to abide on Peter's mind.

If thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles: tents, or booths, such as were made, at the feast of tabernacles, of boughs and branches of trees, to keep off heat, cold, and rains:

one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias; Luke adds, "not knowing what he said"; and Mark, "for he wist not what to say": the one representing him, as with the rapture and surprise, not himself; and the other, under the awe and dread of such majesty, as at the utmost loss what to say, J.Gill

Mat 17:5  He was still speaking when a luminous cloud spread over them; and a voice was heard from within the cloud, which said, "This is My Son dearly beloved, in whom is My delight. Listen to Him."

Notes

He was still speaking when a luminous cloud spread over them;

that is, Jesus, Moses, and Elias; the two last of which were seen no more; and which cloud covered them, as the cloud of glory covered the Israelites in the wilderness: and which, as it ceased at the death of Moses, the first prophet; one like unto it appeared at the declaration of Christ, as the greater prophet, spoken of, and typified by Moses. The disciples at its first appearance were not under it, and overshadowed by it; for Luke adds, "and they feared as they entered into the cloud"; there was such a solemnity and glory in it, as struck their minds with awe and fear, as they gradually came into it, and under it. This cloud, which is said to be a "bright" one, was a symbol of the divine presence, J.Gill

and a voice was heard from within the cloud, which said, "This is My Son dearly beloved, in whom is My delight. Listen to Him."

Now the Voice of God speaks with them from the Cloud. It was similar to the Voice which spoke at Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:17. The Divine Voice spoke of the SON, THE BELOVED. Here is Messiah the Beloved Son of God in whom I am well pleased. Jesus is the One who gives God unlimited pleasure because he came at the Father’s bidding and completely did His Father’s Will.

Listen to Him. His Credentials are unrivaled; mortal people should take heed to all that HE SAYS. L. Morris. p.441

hear ye him; as the former clause chiefly respects that part of his mediatorial office, the priestly, this regards his prophetic office principally, and also his kingly office; so that in this divine testimony, first his sonship is bore witness to, and then his several offices; which his sonship is the foundation of, and qualifies him to bear and execute. This clause has the very words which Moses delivered, when he spoke of the Messiah, the great prophet like unto himself, that should be raised up among the Jews; saying, "unto him ye shall hearken", Deu_18:15. So that these words, "hear ye him", most clearly point to Christ, as being this prophet, who is to be heard, and he only; not Moses, but he, the prophet Moses prophesied of; nor Elias, or any of the other prophets,J.Gill

Mat 17:6  On hearing this voice, the disciples fell on their faces and were filled with terror.

Notes

Fell on their face - Dismayed by the voice, and dazzled by the glory of the cloud. So Daniel, Dan_8:17, and Saul of Tarsus, Act_9:4.

Mat 17:7  But Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Rouse yourselves and have no fear."

And touched them (kai hapsamenos autōn). Tenderness in their time of fear. RWP

Mat 17:8  So they looked up, and saw no one but Jesus.

Lifting up their eyes (eparantes tous ophthalmous autōn). After the reassuring touch of Jesus and his words of cheer.

Jesus only (Iēsoun monon). Moses and Elijah were gone in the bright cloud.

Mat 17:9  As they were descending the mountain, Jesus laid a command upon them. "Tell no one," He said, "of the sight you have seen till the Son of Man has risen from among the dead."

Notes

Tell the vision to no man - This vision was designed particularly to confirm them in the truth that he was the Messiah. While he was with them it was unnecessary that they should relate what they had seen. When he was crucified they would need this evidence that he was the Christ. Then they were to use it. There were three witnesses of it as many as the law required Deu_17:6; Heb_10:28, and the proof that he was the Messiah was clear. Besides, if they had told it then, it would have provoked the Jews and endangered his life. His time was not yet come.

Vision - Sight; appearance. What they had seen on the mount.

Charged them - Gave them a commandment.

The sole design of this transfiguration was to convince them that he was the Christ; that he was greater than the greatest of the prophets; that he was the Son of God.

Mark adds Mar_9:10, “they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.” The Pharisees believed that the dead would rise, and there is no doubt that the disciples believed it; but their views were not clear, and, in particular, they did not understand what he meant by his rising from the dead. They do not appear to have understood, though he had told them Mar_12:40 that he would rise after three days.

Elijah and the Chariot of God

Mat 17:10  "Why then," asked the disciples, "do the Scribes say that Elijah must first come?"

Mat 17:11  "Elijah was indeed to come," He replied, "and would reform everything.

Barnes Notes

Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things - He did not mean by this that Elijah was yet to come, for he tells them immediately Mat_17:12 that he had come; but he meant to affirm that it was a true doctrine which the scribes taught, that Elijah would appear before the coming of the Messiah. To “restore” means to put into the former situation. See Mat_12:13. Hence, it means to heal, to correct, to put in proper order. Here it means that Elijah would put things in a proper state;

Mat 17:12  But I tell you that he has already come, and they did not recognize him, but dealt with him as they chose. And before long the Son of Man will be treated by them in a similar way."

Mat 17:13  Then it dawned upon the disciples that it was John the Baptist about whom He had spoken to them.

Notes

Elias is come already - That is, John the Baptist has come, in the spirit and power of Elias. See Luk_1:17.

They have done unto him whatsoever they listed - The word “list” is an old English word, signifying to choose, to desire, to be inclined. See Jdg_3:8. It means, here, that they had done to John as they pleased; that is, they had put him to death, Mat_14:10.

Mark adds Mar_9:12 that Jesus told them that it was “written of the Son of man that he must suffer many things, and be set at naught.” This was written of him particularly in Isa_53:1-12. To be set at naught is to be esteemed as worthless or as nothing; to be cast out and despised. No prophecy was ever more strikingly fulfilled. See Luk_23:11, Luk_23:14-21. This narrative, with some additions, is found in Mark 9:14-29, and Luk_9:37-43.