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BOOK 40 OF 66 · GOSPELS · KING JAMES BIBLE

Matthew 17

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REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Matthew 17 Overview

Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John; Moses and Elijah appear, and the Father again identifies Jesus as His beloved Son and commands the disciples to hear Him. Descending the mountain, Jesus delivers a boy the disciples could not help, predicts His death and resurrection again, and provides the temple tribute through the coin in the fish.

MatthewBook
17Chapter
27Verses
GospelsDivision

Before you read Matthew 17

Coming from

Matthew 16 established the immediate context: Religious leaders demand a sign, but Jesus warns about their leaven.

In this chapter

The transfiguration reveals Jesus’ glory and supremacy just after He has announced the cross, while the rest of the chapter exposes the disciples’ continuing weakness and misunderstanding.

Leads into

Matthew 18 continues the account: Jesus teaches disciples about humility, receiving little ones, the seriousness of causing others to stumble, seeking the wandering sheep, confronting a sinning brother, church discipline, forgiveness, and the parable of the unforgiving servant.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Moses and Elijah represent major strands of Old Testament revelation, but the heavenly voice directs the disciples specifically to hear Jesus. When the vision ends, they see Jesus only.

The faith-as-mustard-seed saying addresses dependence on God in a ministry failure. It should not be turned into a technique for obtaining anything one wants.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

The suffering Messiah is also the glorious Son

The transfiguration prevents the passion prediction from being mistaken for weakness or loss of identity.

Jesus surpasses Moses and Elijah

They appear with Him, but the Father’s command centers the disciples on the Son.

Ministry power depends on God rather than disciple confidence

The failed exorcism exposes the disciples’ need for faith and dependence.

Jesus willingly submits where He is free

The temple-tax episode emphasizes sonship and voluntary avoidance of unnecessary offence.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Exodus 24; 34

Mountain, cloud, glory, and shining-face imagery recalls Sinai while also showing Jesus’ superiority.

Malachi 4:5–6

Jesus explains the Elijah expectation in relation to John the Baptist after the transfiguration.

2 Peter 1:16–18

Peter later explicitly recalls hearing the Father’s voice on the holy mount.

Mark 9:2–32

Mark gives a close parallel of transfiguration and the difficult deliverance below.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not put Moses, Elijah, and Jesus on the same level

The Father singles out His Son as the One to hear.

Do not use mustard-seed faith as a blank check for personal wishes

The context is disciple dependence in assigned ministry.

Do not infer from the temple-tax miracle that Christians are promised supernatural money whenever bills arise

The sign serves a unique issue concerning Jesus’ sonship and the temple levy.

Read Matthew 17 watching for…

The change in Jesus’ appearance.

The role of Moses and Elijah.

The Father’s command from the cloud.

The contrast between mountaintop glory and valley failure.

The repeated passion prediction.

Jesus’ reasoning about sons and tribute.

TWBC REVIEW STANDARD

Plain language. Scripture first. Fact distinguished from inference. No filler. No fake certainty. Designed to help you read the Bible itself.

Chapter outline4 sections
1-13Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John, and then explains Elijah’s coming14-21Jesus casts a devil out of a child after the disciples could not22-23Jesus again foretells his death and resurrection24-27Jesus provides the tribute money through a fish
1

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

2

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

3

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

4

Then 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.

5

While 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.

6

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

7

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

8

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

9

And 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.

10

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

11

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

12

But 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.

13

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

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

Then 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.

18

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

19

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

20

And 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.

21

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

22

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

23

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

24

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

25

He 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?

26

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

27

Notwithstanding, 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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Matthew 17:21

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