Word of Jesus Part 14
Mat 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother,
and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun,
and his raiment was white as the light.
Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
Mat 17:4 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.
Mat 17:5 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.
Mat 17:6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore
afraid.
Mat 17:7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
Mat 17:8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus
only.
This vision is given to these two disciples I believe to bear witness that Jesus
was the Christ sent from God. Jews at that time believed in Moses and Elijah.
They recognized them as true prophets of God. This was only given to Peter,
James and John; but it showed them that Jesus was indeed who He said He was. Also
it showed them that Jesus now was the one to follow for He came to fulfill the
law.
I read an interesting theory on this on the Internet. I will state it hear as
just his opinion for it might not be correct but it was interesting. He stated
that Moses represented the part of the rapture that resurrected the dead saints
of God. Elijah represented the ones raptured without dying first as did Elijah.
Another one raptured without death is Enoch. He further stated that Peter, James
and John were chosen because they represented the part of the church that was
ready and accounted worthy to go in the rapture. The rest of the apostles
represented the sleeping church who missed the rapture and had to endure the
tribulation. We know that the apostles made heaven by the verses in Revelation
but the point he was making sounded very interesting considering that Jesus did
warn us to watch and pray that we might be counted worthy to escape all these
things and stand before the Son of Man.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy
to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son
of man.
I don't know if I would agree with all of this but it could very well be that
Moses and Elijah could represent what he stated that they could represent. Other
opinions on the subject seem to place the importance on the verse:
Mat 17:8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus
only.
After the vision was gone they only saw Jesus which might indicate that Jesus
now is the main object of our attention while Moses and Elijah's part was
fulfilled. My own thought was on Peter, James and John being witnesses of Moses
and Elijah confirming who Jesus was.
Perhaps all these meanings are true. Bible study can be fascinating if one will
consider the opinion of others without getting angry or to the opposite extreme;
excepting someone's opinion because of who they are instead of making sure they
have gotten it right.
Mat 17:9 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.
This could be so that they would not irritate the Jewish leaders and cause Christ's
death to come before the right time. Maybe perhaps if they told the other
disciples at this point, they would feel left out and rejected. Jesus knew
though what He was saying and why. Peter, James and John probably didn't
understand all these events until after the resurrection of Jesus and the coming
of the Holy Spirit.
Mat 17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that
Elias must first come?
Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come,
and restore all things.
Mat 17:12 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.
Mat 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the
Baptist.
Some teach that as John the Baptist was a forerunner of the first coming of
Jesus, Elijah will be a forerunner of His second coming. There are to be two
witnesses appearing during the tribulation. Some believe this to be Moses and
Elijah but if that was the case, Moses would have to die literally twice. Some
speculate, Enoch and Elijah since they never died. Some say Enoch and John since
they believe there is no proof of the death of John. There reasoning is one from
the Old Testament and one from the New testament. This is just guesswork though.
Some things we just do not know for sure but it makes interesting conversation
and study.
Mat 17:14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain
man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
Mat 17:15 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.
Mat 17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Mat 17:17 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.
Jesus rebuked unbelief in His disciples. They should have been able to help this
boy and deliver Him from the power of the enemy. This kind of faith comes by
prayer and fasting as we are led by the Holy Spirit.
Mat 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child
was cured from that very hour.
Mat 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we
cast him out?
Mat 17:20 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.
Mat 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
John Wesley's commentary on this passage states:
This kind of devils - goeth not out but by prayer and fasting - What a testimony
is here of the efficacy of fasting, when added to fervent prayer! Some kinds of
devils the apostles had cast out before this, without fasting.
Certain kinds of devils are so stubborn that only powerful faith attained by
prayer and fasting can drive them out.
We have to be very careful to walk in humility, love and stay focused on the
will of the Holy Spirit. There have been some that go around casting devils out
of everyone for a variety of reasons. This doesn't mean that we should just
avoid this type of ministry because there are those that really need help and
deliverance. It should be done but in humility and truth. Not in giving too much
attention and adoration to the one doing the ministering. We should never exalt
one person above another and think of them more highly that we ought to think.
They are just men and women. We all should be able to cast a devil out of a
demon possessed person but we have to be equipped and led by the Holy Spirit to
do it. We can't do it alone. Actually more than one should be praying.
Mat 17:22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man
shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
Mat 17:23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again.
And they were exceeding sorry.
Again Jesus prepares them for the days to come. They still will not understand
when it happens but later they will understand. Most were still thinking that
Jesus was coming at that time to set up His kingdom.
Some in these latter days are trying to set up Christ's kingdom for Him. This is
not the way. We fall into the same error that the Jews fell into in looking for
a literal kingdom to be fulfilled at the wrong time. It will not happen until
God says it is time. We can't decide that we are supposed to do it ourselves. We
are to spread the gospel into the entire world, not try to set up a worldwide
church and a manmade kingdom of God. The Catholic church already tried that and
look that the murder and wars that took place. This is not the gospel. The
gospel of the kingdom is being "born again" by the spirit of God and the kingdom
is within each and every believer. The literal kingdom of God will not come
until Jesus Himself returns as lightning shines from the east to the west.
Hallelujah. We cannot make it happen ourselves. Just as we cannot make someone
become "born again" or "saved", we cannot make the kingdom of heaven come by our
own works and rituals. We are to be vessels to spread the gospel of being saved
by grace but we cannot force this upon anyone. Only God and the person receiving
can bring salvation.
The first coming was to make the way for sin to be remitted for all who believe
and repent of sin. When we repent of sin and come to Christ, we are born again
by the spirit of God. This cannot be forced upon anyone. It is a work of the
Holy Spirit. The same thing is true of the coming of Jesus and setting up His
kingdom. We cannot make that happen by our own works of taking over government
and uniting church and state. Only Jesus Himself in person can do that. If we
try, we will only become just exactly like the church in the middle ages that
became corrupt and almost destroyed the true meaning of being saved by grace and
born again by the spirit. Read the bible and understand the truth.
Mat 17:24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money
came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
Mat 17:25 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?
Mat 17:26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the
children free.
Mat 17:27 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.
Tribute money was supposed to be voluntary to support the temple. Jesus allowed
them to give anyway rather than offend but in reality it should be voluntary
giving and not coerced in any way like we have seen the church do throughout the
ages.
