Matthew 17 - The Transfiguration

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The Transfiguration

We often use the phrase "mountaintop experience" to characterize a moment when we encounter God in a powerful way. Maybe it was at a camp, retreat, or maybe even outdoors in nature.  

The famous Christian writer Henri Nouwen said this about mountatintop experiences, 

"At some moments we experience complete unity within us and around us. This may happen when we stand on a mountaintop and are captivated by the view. It may happen when we witness the birth of a child or the death of a friend. It may happen when we have an intimate conversation or a family meal. It may happen in church during a service or in a quiet room during prayer. But whenever and however it happens we say to ourselves: “This is it … everything fits … all I ever hoped for is here.”

In today's passage Jesus' inner circle of disciples (Peter, James and John) literally have this kind of experience, as Jesus was transfigured right before their eyes. The word "transfiguration" is a hard word to grasp because don't use it very much. 

"The word transfigured speaks of a transformation, not merely a change in outward appearance. The effect was extremely striking; Jesus became so bright in appearance that He was even difficult to look at (like the sun)." - Guzik

I think we could say that the disciples got the glimpse of the glory of Jesus would display when he ascended to the right hand of the Father. The disicples were going to watch Jesus get violently crucified on a cross, but fortunately they would have this experience to remind them that his death on the cross was not the end of the story. 

The experience was so gripping, the disicples wanted to build a tabernacle so they could "bottle up" this experience and never let go of it. Mountaintop experiences are like that. We want them to last forever. We want to bring them with us wherever we go.  

This was also another time when the Father said, "This is my son with whom I am well pleased!" These were the same words the Father said when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River three years ago.  And this is another turning point in the earthly mission and ministry of His Son, as he turns his face toward the cross. In the days ahead these three disciples would need to remember this experience and hold it close to their hearts. 

If you have had anything resembling a mountaintop experience how has this helped you in the valleys of life? Though we can't hold on to or put a box around these experiences, we can certainly remember them as times in our lives where God gave us a glimpse of His glory! This is same glory we will experience day and night when we go to heaven. 

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

As Jesus comes back to the crowds, he is met by another parent who is asking for Jesus to save their child. The father comes respectfully to Jesus and says, "Lord, have mercy on my son." In this case the boy was possessed by a demon, which epilepsy. Of course, this does not mean that anyone who has epilepsy is possessed by a demon.  But in this case it is. 

Jesus immediately casts out the demon, and his disciples ask him why they could not cast it out. He attributes their inability to cast out this demon to their lack of faith. When a believer enters into spiritual warfare the faith we have in the power and authority of Jesus is of paramount importance. While demons have power, their power is limited. And as disciples filled with the Spirit of Christ, as John says, "Greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4. 

When Paul describes the armor of God we need to use when we enter spiritual battles, he says we are equipped with the "shield of faith". Jesus urges the disciples when they go into these types of battles to fast and pray. Why are fasting and prayer important? What role do they play when we enter a situation like this?

 Prayer and fasting demonstrate:

· Great willingness to identify with the afflicted person.

· Great appreciation of the strength of the demonic world.

· Great dependence upon God.

· Great desire to fight and sacrifice for the sake of deliverance. - Guzik   

What spiritual battles are you fighting in your life? Have you ever tried fasting and praying as a way to equip yourself to win it? Why do you think fasting is a spiritual discipline that is not used very much? Could it be that the devil realizes if we use this spiritual discipline, we will become a lot stronger?

The Temple Tax 

All the Israelites paid a temple tax for the upkeep of the temple. The Pharisees asked Peter if Jesus paid the tax. The temple was His Father's house, and as the Son Jesus could have claimed exemption from the tax. But Jesus wanted to set an example to obey those in authority. This is the same principle Jesus teaches when he says later in Matthew 25:12, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's". 

But though Jesus is obligated to pay the tax as a human, he pays for it divinely by putting the coin for the tax in the mouth of the first fish Peter catches. Jesus sure has a way of making his point clear!