Matthew 17:14-27

Matthew 17:14-27

If the voice at Jesus’s baptism was one bookend the voice at the transfiguration was the other end of His public ministry. The transfiguration marked the end of this public ministry and now Jesus is entering into His sacrificial ministry. Jesus is at this point only about a month from the cross. Three events are recorded together and while they seem random, they are a precursor for what is to come.

Jesus comes down from the mountain top experience to confront the demonic. This case is a little unusual. Typically the sick are healed and those with demons are cleansed. But in this case the presence of the demonic manifested itself in an illness like epilepsy. The main point of this description is not the demon or the illness, but rather the faith problem of the disciples. Because of their “little faith” they were not able to effect a healing. These same disciples had in the past both healed the sick and driven out demons but on this occasion their faith was inadequate. “Little faith” is not a reference to the amount of faith but the incompetence of that faith. Even a tiny amount of faith, the size of a mustard seed is enough to move a mountain.

Hard on the heels of this healing Jesus tells the disciples that he is going to Jerusalem and there He will be mistreated, will die and will be raised again. Jesus says this as the disciples are gathering for the trip to the Passover. As they are forming up their traveling party for the pilgrimage to the Holy city Jesus wants no misunderstanding about what is going to happen. Matthew tells us they were deeply grieved. If the disciples had hopes that this trip would be the beginning of the Messianic kingdom they were disappointed at the outset.

In conjunction with these two stories a third one comes in that seems like a rather odd fit. Peter is asked if his teacher pays the temple tax. This tax, like almost every tax, was controversial. It was seen as a patriotic almost nationalistic gesture. Jesus as a rabbi could have claimed an exemption. Jesus uses this occasion to accomplish two teaching points. First, Jesus by His answer to Peter asserts His unique Sonship to God. He also challenges Peter’s faith. The prospect of catching a fish with the exact coin in its mouth is a bit far fetched. Would Peter have the faith to go fishing? In the next month, the disciples are going to need a strong faith as Jesus goes through the Passion. All of these stories are about the challenge of faith.

"Lord, please help me to have a pure faith, small as a mustard seed, that is fully focused on You. AMEN"

Matthew 17:1-13

Matthew 17:1 - 13

The location of the Transfiguration in the timeline of the gospels is more important than its geography. Following the great confession of Peter and the call for the disciple to take up the cross and before the healing of the demon-possessed boy Jesus's glory is revealed. Peter wants to build shelters not unlike those used during the Feast of Tabernacles. His objective seems to be to institutionalize the euphoria, to have and to keep a religious high. He was not thinking clearly; this was not a plan with a lot of thought put into it. It was simply having a great feeling and wanting to keep it.

The great experience is a part of the life of a disciple, but it is also linked to His cross and my cross. As much as I may want to live in a state of perpetual spiritual and emotional euphoria I must also live with and in the cross. I must go down and confront the ugly, demonic world.

In the midst of the glorification, the heroes of old and the Shekinah glory, God speaks. He endorses His Son and adds, “Listen to him.” Clearly, God establishes Jesus’s words as authoritative. But also there may be a rebuke for Peter and the rest of us who may want to argue for our agenda. It is so easy for us to imprint our agenda on to the Gospel message. God says, “Listen to Him.” We try to make the faith attractive while Jesus invites us to come and die. We talk about peace and prosperity and a happy family yet Jesus talks about the cross, selling what we have, giving it away and about conflict in our own family. We talk about the advantage of membership; Jesus talks about suffering at the hands of ungodly people. Shut up and listen to Jesus, open your ears and close your mouth. You will hear the call to come and die.

"Lord, give me the grace to embrace the cross and not try to soften it to suit me. AMEN"