Matthew 17:1. And after six days— That is, about six days if we reckon exclusively, and about eight days if we reckon inclusively, after our Lord had accepted the title of Messiah. See Luk 9:28 who has it, about eight days after. The two accounts differ only, as if one should say, that Christ appeared to his disciples after his death, another after his resurrection: the connection with the end of the former chapter must be attended to here, as in many other places. Heylin. Tradition has generally conferred the honour of the transfiguration on mount Tabor, famed in ancient history for the victory which Deborah and Barak gained over Sisera, Judges 4:14. Roland observes, that this tradition took its rise from Mar 9:2 where it is said, that Jesus carried Peter, James, and John into a high mountain apart by themselves. It seems the original words κατ ιδιαν, apart, were thought to describe the position of the mountain; and because Tabor is very high, and stands in the plain of Esdraelon, at a distance from other hills, they thought it could be said of no other mountain so properly, that it is an high mountain by itself. Hence the tradition of our Lord's being transfigured on this mountain might arise; especially as this mountain is not only high, but verdant also, and woody, and of a beautiful regular form; nevertheless the whole account determines the transfiguration to some mountain not far from Caesarea Philippi, rather than to Tabor, which was situated in the south of Galilee: for after the transfiguration, when Jesus had cured an epileptic who was also possessed by a demon, it is said, Mar 9:30 that they departed and passed through Galilee, and then to Capernaum. Now it is not very probable that the Evangelist would in this manner have related our Lord's journey from the mount of transfiguration to Capernaum, if that mountain had been in Galilee, the region in which Capernaum stood, especially if, as the continuators of Chemnitz's Harmony affirm, the word παραπορευεσθαι signifies to pass through quickly, secretly, and as it were in a journey: yet, upon the faith of the tradition mentioned above, theChristians very early built a monastery and church on the top of Tabor, which, according to the account of travellers, spreads itself into an ample plain, surrounded with a wood. The church was dedicated to Jesus, and his two attendants Moses and Elias; and from 2Pe 1:18 they call the mountain itself the Holy Mount. Our Lord admitted to the singular honour of his transfiguration, Peter his most zealous, James his most active, and John his most beloved disciple. It was necessary that this remarkable occurrence should be supported by sufficient evidence: hence it was that three of the disciples were chosen, because so many witnesses were required to establish a fact by the Jews; and no more were chosen, because this number was sufficient. Besides this reason for electing these three persons in particular, we may add, that Peter was the most sanguine and the most forward speaker among the apostles, that James was the first martyr, and that John, being the survivor of all the other Apostles, gave a sanction to this record, as it is most probable that he had a sight of all the other Gospels, and likewise confirmed it by his personal testimony as long as he lived. See Macknight, Renald's Palaest. Illust. lib. 1 and Maundrell's Journey, p. 112.

Matthew 17:2. And was transfigured before them— The word μεταμορφωθη implies either that there was a transfiguration made on the substance of his body, according to the import of the word in the best classic writers; (See Philippians 3:21.) or that the outward appearance only of his body was altered, as seems most probable from the manner in which St. Luke has expressed it. In this transfiguration the face of Jesus became radiant and dazzling; for it shone like the sun in its unclouded meridian clearness, and so was incomparably more glorious than the face of Moses at the giving of the law: at the same timehis garments acquired a snowy whiteness bright as light, and sweetly refulgent, but in a degree inferior to the radiancy of his countenance. Thus for a little while, during the state of his humiliation, the Son of God permitted the glory of his divinity to break forth, as it were, and shine through the veil of his human nature with which it was covered. See Macknight and Calmet.

Matthew 17:3. And behold, there appeared—Moses and Elias— See Luke 9:30., &c. respecting the remainder of this transaction.

Matthew 17:8. And when they had lifted up their eyes, &c.— This transfiguration of our Lord was intended for several important purposes. About six days before it happened, Jesus had predicted his own sufferings and death; at the same time, to prevent his disciples frombeing dejected by the melancholy prospect, as well as from falling into despair when the dismal scene should open, he told them, that though in appearance he was nothing but a man, and affliction was generally to be the lot of his disciples, he would come hereafter in great glory as universal Judge, and render unto every man according to his deeds, ch. Matthew 16:27-28. And for proof of this he declared, that some of themselves should not taste of death till they saw him coming in his kingdom; saw a lively representation of the glory which he spake of, and were witnesses to the extent of his power as judge, on his enemies, the unbelieving Jews, who were to be punished by him with the most terrible destruction that ever befel any nation. The first article of his promise he fulfilled by the transfiguration, wherein he gives three of his Apostles both a visible representation, and also a clear proof of the glory in which he will come to judgment. That this was one principal end of the transfiguration, and of the voice from heaven which attended it, we learn from St. Peter, who urges both, to demonstrate the certainty of Christ's coming: 2 Epist. Matthew 1:16-18. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And this voice which came from heaven, we heard when we were with him in the holy mount.—Nevertheless, other purposes might likewise have been served by the transfiguration: as, 1. The conference which our Lord had with Moses and Elias, concerning the sufferings that he was to meet with in Jerusalem, might animate him to encounter them with resolution, and make his disciples sensible how agreeable it was to the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets, that the Messiah should be evil-intreated and die, before he entered into glory.—2. The appearing of these two great men, so long after they had gone into the invisible world, was a sensible proof and a clear example of the immortality of the soul, very necessary in those times, when the opinion of the Sadducees was so prevalent.—3. To find Moses and Elias assisting Jesus in the new dispensation, must have given great satisfaction to the converted Jews, and particularly the Apostles, who thus could not doubt that the Gospel was the completion and perfection of the law. For had it not been so, Moses, the giver of the law, and Elias, who with a flaming zeal had maintained it in times of the greater corruption, would not have appeared on earth to encourage Jesus in his design of setting it aside.—4. The threeApostles were allowed to be witnesses of their Master's glory in the mountain, that they might not be offended by the depth of affliction into which they in particular were soon to see him plunged.—5. The transfiguration demonstrated, that all the sufferings befalling Jesus, were on his part perfectly voluntary, it being as easy to deliver himself from dying, as to have adorned himself with celestial glory.—6. The glory with which our Lord's body was adorned in the transfiguration, exhibited a specimen of the beauty and perfection of the glorified bodies of the saints after their resurrection. This the Apostle intimates, Philippians 3:21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. It is also intimated by St. Luke: for although the glory of Moses and Elias at the transfiguration was vastly inferior to that of Jesus, he says expressly, that they appeared in glory; not because they appeared in heaven, but because they appeared in glorified bodies, like to those which the saints shall have in heaven. There can be no doubt of this, with respect to Elias, for his body was changed and fitted for immortality when he was translated; and as for Moses, though he had not his own body, he might have one formed for the occasion. See Macknight.

Matthew 17:9. And as they came down, &c.— Jesus and his disciples having been in the mountain all night, (See Luke 9:37.) the transfiguration may be supposed to have happened either in the day-time, or in the night: that it happened in the night-time is probable, from the disciples falling asleep while Jesus prayed; a circumstance which could hardly happen by day to all the three, and in the open air. Next morning, as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged the Apostles to conceal what they had seen, till he should arise from the dead. He knew that the world, and even his own disciples, were not yet capable of comprehending the design of his transfiguration, nor of the appearance of Moses and Elias; and that if this transaction had been published before his resurrection, it might have appeared incredible, because nothing hitherto but afflictions and persecution had attended him. See Macknight, and for an explication of the following verses, the note on Mark 9:10; Mark 9:50.

Matthew 17:11. Elias truly, &c.— True, Elias was to come first, and to set all things right: Matthew 17:12. But I tell you, &c.

Matthew 17:15. For he is lunatic— Σεληνιαζεται . The English word lunatic always implies madness; but the Greek word is applied to any disease which is under the influence of the moon, such as the epilepsy, which seems to have been the distemper wherewith this man's son was afflicted by the power of the demon which possessed him. See also for this history the parallel places in St. Mark and Luke, who relate it more circumstantially than St. Matthew.

Matthew 17:20. Because of your unbelief— When the disciples were come with our Lord, they askedhim the reason why they could not cast out that particular demon; to which he replies, because of your unbelief.—"Knowing that you doubted whether I could enable you to cast out this demon, I ordered it so, that he would not go out at your command, for a reproach of the weakness of your faith." We may observe that the disciples had attempted to cast him out. To encourage them, our Lord describes to them the efficacy of the faith of miracles; If ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, &c. If you have but the least degree of the faith of miracles, you may say to the vast mountain whence we just now came down, Move thyself, and go to some other place, and it shall obey you. Ye shall by that faith be able to accomplish the most difficult things, in all cases where the glory of God and the good of his church are concerned. It is certain that the faith which is here spoken of may subsist without saving faith: Judas had it, and so had many, who thereby cast out devils, and yet will at last have their portion with them. It is only a supernatural persuasion given to a man that God will work miracles by him at that hour. Now, though I have all this faith so as to remove mountains, yet if I have not the faith which worketh by love, I am nothing. Not only the persons on whom the power of working miracles was bestowed, were obliged to have faith likewise, in order to the exercise of that power; but it was a different kind of faith from that which was necessary in the subject of the miracles. For it consisted, first, in a just and high notion of the divine power, by which the miracle was to be effected: secondly, as we observed, in a firm persuasion that the miracle was to be wrought at that particular time. Now this persuasion was to spring from a two-fold source: 1. A consciousness of the power which Christ had conferred on them when he ordained them his Apostles: 2. It was to arise from a sensible impression made upon their minds by the Spirit of God, signifying to them that a miracle was to be performed at that time. Accordingly, the Apostles, and such of the first Christians as were afterwards honoured with the power of miracles, never attempted to exerciseit without feeling an impression of this kind; as is plain from St. Paul's leaving Trophimus at Miletum, sick.—Wherefore as the nine had, in all probability, attempted to cure the youth spoken of in this account, and had made the attempt with some degree of doubtfulness, it is no wonder that they were unsuccessful. To remove mountains is a proverbial expression, which signifies the doing of any thing seemingly impossible, as we may learn from Zechariah 4:7. When the Jews had a mind to extol any of their doctors, they were used to say of him that he plucked up mountains by the roots. In this description of the efficacy of faith, there is abeautiful contrast between the smallness of a grain of mustard seed, to which their faith is compared, and the vast size of the mountain that was to be removed thereby. Dr. Heylin finely remarks, "All inanimate nature is passive to Deity, and therefore infallibly executes what it is designed for. When faith is consummate in the human nature, that becomes alike susceptible of the divine energy."

Matthew 17:21. This kind goeth not out, &c.— Prayer and fasting could have no relation to the ejection of demons, but so far only as they had a tendency to increase the faith of miracles in him who had that power formerly conferred upon him. For example, prayer, by impressing a man's mind with a more intimate sense that all things whatsoever depend upon the infinite and incomprehensible power of God, raises his idea of that power to a greater sublimity than can be done in the way of ordinary speculation. And as for fasting, by weakening the animal life, it subdues such passions as are nourished by continual repletion of body. Hence fasting has a tendencyto free the mind from the dominion of passion, which never fails to occasion a great inward perturbation, and at times has been found to make even holy men inattentive, at least to the more silent impressions of God's Spirit. Fasting therefore produces an inward quietness and calm, very favourable to the growth of faith

Matthew 17:22. And while they abode in Galilee— It should seem that the wonder of the discipleswasaccompaniedwith proportionably high expectations of happiness in that temporal kingdom, which they were now convinced Jesus could easily erect. Our Lord, knowing this, thought fit when they came to Galilee, the country where he had the greatest train of followers, to moderate his disciples' ambition, not only by concealing himself for awhile, forbearing to preach and work miracles as he returned through Galilee, but also by predicting a third time his own sufferings and death. Upon this they were exceeding sorry, taking no comfort from the mention that he made of his resurrection: the prediction concerning his death raised such fears in their minds, that they durst not ask him to explain it; especially as they remembered that he had often inculcated it, and reprimanded Peter for being unwilling to hear it.

Matthew 17:24. And when they were come to Capernaum— Josephus has expressly asserted, that each of the Jews used yearly to pay a didrachma, or half shekel, the piece of money here mentioned, and in value about fifteen-pence of our currency, to the service of the temple, (See Antiq. lib. 18. 100. 9.) a custom which probably took its rise from the demand of that sum from each of the Israelites when they were numbered, Exodus 30:13. Thus Casaubon, Hammond, and many other great critics, understood it. It was gathered every year through all their cities; and, as it should seem from the manner of the collectors' making the demand, was a voluntary thing, which custom rather than law had established. See Nehemiah 10:32. Beza is of opinion, that it was the poll-tax levied by the Romans, after Judea was reduced into the form of a province, (see Ch. Matthew 22:17.) and which Agrippa Major, in the reign of Claudius, remitted to the Jews. If this was the tribute which the collectors demanded of Peter, the import of their question was this: "Is your master of the sect of Judas of Galilee, whose opinion is, that taxes should be paid to no foreign power?" They demanded the tribute for Jesus from Peter, either because the house in which Jesus lived was his, or because they observed him to be more forward than the rest, or because none of them were with him at that time but Peter. See Macknight.