The Transfiguration
Matthew 17:1-3 (AMP)
1 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John the brother of James, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And His appearance changed dramatically in their presence; and His face shone [with heavenly glory, clear and bright] like the sun, and His clothing became as white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.
Exodus 34:29-30 (AMP)
Moses' Face Shines
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hand, he did not know that the skin of his face was shining [with a unique radiance] because he had been speaking with God. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him.
1 John 1:5 (NLT)
Living in the Light
5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
1. Both Happen on a Mountain — a Place of Revelation
- Moses: Ascends Mount Sinai to meet with God and receive the Law (Exodus 19–34).
- Jesus: Ascends the Mount of Transfiguration to reveal the fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 17:1–8; Mark 9:2–8; Luke 9:28–36).
- Mountains represent the meeting point between heaven and earth — where God reveals Himself.
2. Both Reveal God's Glory
- Moses: His face shines after encountering God's glory (Exodus 34:29–35).
- Jesus: His entire being shines — His face and clothes radiate with divine light (Matthew 17:2).
- Moses reflected God's glory; Jesus is God's glory.
3. Law vs. Fulfillment
- Moses brought the Law written on stone tablets — the external standard of righteousness.
- Jesus embodies grace and truth — the internal transformation of righteousness (John 1:17).
- Moses' mountain was about commandments; Jesus' mountain was about completion.
- The Law said, "Do"; Jesus says, "It is done."
4. Divine Voice and Covenant Connection
- On Sinai: God speaks audibly — "I am the LORD your God" — establishing the Old Covenant.
- At the Transfiguration: The Father speaks again — "This is my beloved Son; listen to Him" — confirming the New Covenant.
- The same God who spoke through Moses now speaks through His Son (Hebrews 1:1–2)
5. Moses and Elijah Appear with Jesus
- Moses represents the Law, and Elijah represents the Prophets.
- Their appearance shows that everything the Law and Prophets pointed to is fulfilled in Jesus.
- Jesus is the living connection between what was written (Moses) and what was spoken (Elijah).
6. Moses Came Down with Tablets — Jesus Came Down with Transformation
- Moses descended with the commandments written on stone.
- Jesus descended with a transfigured revelation — God's glory meant to be written on hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3, 18).
- The old glory faded; the new glory remains.
7. Both Point to Redemption
- After Moses came down, he found Israel in sin (the golden calf) and mediated on their behalf.
- After the Transfiguration, Jesus came down the mountain and went toward the Cross to provide eternal mediation. Moses interceded with blood of animals; Jesus interceded with His own blood.
The Transfiguration was a foretaste of heaven; the participants were doing something worth noting—they were talking together. In God's world, interactions count highly.
Matthew 17:4 (AMP)
4 Then Peter began to speak and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good and delightful and auspicious that we are here; if You wish, I will put up three [sacred] tents here—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
Peter wanted to build three memorials for these three great men. Peter had the right idea about Jesus, but his timing was wrong. Peter wanted to act, but this was a time for worship and adoration. He wanted to memorialize the moment, but he was supposed to learn and move on.
Matthew 17:5-6 (AMP)
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased and delighted! Listen to Him!" 6 When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
Moses and Elijah were the two greatest prophets in the Old Testament. Moses represents the law, or the old covenant. He wrote the Pentateuch, and he predicted the coming of a great prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). Elijah represents the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6). Moses' and Elijah's presence with Jesus confirmed Jesus' messianic mission: to fulfill God's law and the words of God's prophets. Just as God's voice in the cloud over Mount Sinai gave authority to the law given to Moses (Exodus 19:9), God's voice at the Transfiguration gave authority to Jesus' words.
Jesus is more than just a great leader, a good example, a good influence, or a great prophet. He is the Son of God. When you understand this profound truth, your only adequate response will be to worship him. Today, some consider Jesus' teachings as merely one more religious point of view. But God said to listen only to him. Regard him as your authority for truth and guidance.
Matthew 17:7-8 (AMP)
7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Get up, and do not be afraid." 8 And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.
Matthew 17:9 (AMP)
9 And as they were going down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Do not tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
Jesus told Peter, James, and John not to tell anyone what they had seen until after his resurrection because he knew that they didn't fully understand it and could not explain what they didn't understand. Their question (17:10) revealed their misunderstandings. They knew that Jesus was the Messiah, but they had much more to learn about the significance of his death and resurrection.
Matthew 17:10-13 (AMP)
10 The disciples asked Him, "Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" 11 He answered and said, "Elijah is coming and will restore all things; 12 but I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not recognize him, but did to him as they wished. The Son of Man is also going to suffer at their hands." 13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.
The Transfiguration was a vision, a brief glimpse of the true glory of the King (16:27-28). This was a special revelation of Jesus' divinity to three of the disciples, and it was God's affirmation of everything Jesus had done and was about to do.
Based on Malachi 4:5-6, the teachers of the Old Testament law believed that Elijah must appear before the Messiah would appear. Jesus was referring to John the Baptist, not to the Old Testament prophet Elijah. John the Baptist took on Elijah's prophetic role, boldly confronting sin, particularly the sinful lifestyles and abuses of the political and religious leaders, and pointing all people to God.
The Demoniac
Matthew 17:14-17 (AMP)
14 When they approached the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, kneeling before Him and saying, 15 "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic (moonstruck) and suffers terribly; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to Your disciples, and they were not able to heal him." 17 And Jesus answered, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me."
The disciples had been given the authority to heal, but they had not yet learned how to appropriate the power of God consistently. Regularly, Jesus was frustrated with the religious leaders as the unbelieving and unresponsive generation. Here his disciples were reflecting that attitude. Jesus bluntly corrected the disciples, but his purpose was to spur them on to greater faith.
Matthew 17:18-20 (AMP)
18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed at once. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, "Why could we not drive it out?" 20 He answered, "Because of your little faith [your lack of trust and confidence in the power of God]; for I assure you and most solemnly say to you, if you have [living] faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and [if it is God's will] it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
The disciples had been unable to cast out this demon, and they asked Jesus why. He said the quality of their faith was insufficient. The power of God, plus our faith, is what moves obstacles and heals people. To the disciples, the mustard seed was the smallest particle imaginable. Jesus said that even faith as small or undeveloped as a mustard seed would have been sufficient. Perhaps the disciples had tried to cast out the demon with their own ability rather than God's. Even a little faith has great potential when we trust in God's power to act. If we feel weak or powerless as Christians, we should examine our faith, making sure we are trusting God's power, not our own ability to produce results.
Jesus rebuked the disciples for insufficient faith. He was showing how important faith would be in their future ministry. If you are facing problems that seem as big and immovable as a mountain, turn your eyes from the mountain and look to Jesus for more faith. Then you will be able to overcome the obstacles that stand in your way.
Matthew 17:21 (AMP)
21 [But this kind of demon does not go out except by prayer and fasting.]"
Matthew 17:22-23 (AMP)
22 When they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed and handed over to men [who are His enemies]; 23 and they will kill Him, and He will be raised [from death to life] on the third day." And they were deeply grieved and distressed.
Once again Jesus predicted his own death (see also 16:21); more important, he told of his resurrection. Unfortunately, the disciples heard only the first part of Jesus' words and became discouraged. They couldn't understand why Jesus wanted to go back to Jerusalem, where he would walk right into trouble.
The disciples didn't fully comprehend the purpose of Jesus' death and resurrection until Pentecost (Acts 2). They didn't know that Jesus' death and resurrection would make his Kingdom possible. We shouldn't get upset at ourselves for being unable to understand everything about Jesus. After all, the disciples spent three years with him, saw his miracles, and heard his words, but they still had difficulty understanding. Despite their questions and doubts, however, they believed. We should do no less.
The Tribute Money
Matthew 17:24 (AMP)
24 When they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the half-shekel [temple tax] went up to Peter and said, "Does not your teacher pay the half-shekel?"
All Jewish males had to pay a Temple tax to support the Temple's upkeep (Exodus 30:11-16). Tax collectors set up booths to collect these taxes. Only Matthew records this incident perhaps because he had been a tax collector himself.
Matthew 17:25-27 (AMP)
25 Peter answered, "Yes." And when he came home, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly rulers collect duties or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?" 26 When Peter said, "From strangers," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are exempt [from taxation]. 27 However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take it and give it to them [to pay the temple tax] for you and Me."
Peter answered a question without really knowing the answer, putting Jesus and the disciples in an awkward position. Jesus used this situation, however, to teach Peter about Jesus' kingly role. Just as kings pay no taxes and collect none from their families, Jesus, the King, owed no taxes. But Jesus supplied the tax payment for both himself and Peter rather than offending those who didn't understand his kingship. Although Jesus supplied the fish and the money, Peter had to go and get it. Ultimately, all that we have comes to us from God's supply, but he may want us to actively participate in the process.
As God's people, we are foreigners on earth because our loyalty is always to our real king—Jesus. Still, we have to cooperate with the authorities and be responsible citizens. An ambassador to another country keeps the local laws in order to represent well the one who sent him. We are Christ's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). Are you being a good foreign ambassador for him to this world?