Matteo 17:6 Commento

In this chapter we have, I. Christ in his pomp and glory transfigured (Mat 17:1-13). II. Christ in his power and grace, casting the devil out of a child (Mat 17:14-21). And, III. Christ in his poverty and great humiliation, 1. Foretelling his own sufferings (Mat 17:22, Mat 17:23). 2. Paying tribute (Mat 17:24-27). So that here is Christ, the Brightness of his Father's glory, by himself purging our sins, paying our debts, and destroying for us him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Thus were the several indications of Christ's gracious intentions admirable interwoven.

That is, so long after Christ's conversation with his disciples at Caesarea Philippi, Peter's confession of him, and the reproof he gave him, upon his intimating that he should suffer and die, and Christ's resentment of it; after he had discoursed about his disciples taking up their cross, and following him; and of men's losing and finding their lives; and after the promise, or prophecy, that he had given out, that some then present should not die, until he came into his kingdom. Mark says the same as here, Mar 9:2 but Luk 9:28 says, it was about an eight days after, which may be reconciled in this manner; Matthew and Mark leave out the day in which Christ delivered the above sayings, and that in which he was transfigured, and so reckon but six days; and Luke takes them both into the account, and makes it eight days, so that they all agree; and it appears, in short, to be that day seven night. Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother: Peter is taken, though he had so lately offended his master; Christ did not bear the offence in mind, but freely forgave him, and still loved him: James was not the brother of our Lord, who was of that name, but the Son of Zebedee; as appears from John being his brother, who was the beloved disciple; these three were all favourite disciples, and were at other times admitted to be with him, when others were not, Mat 26:37. Such a number was taken, as being proper and sufficient to bear witness of the truth of the following account of Christ's transfiguration; and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart. Luke says, to pray; as he was wont to do, in such places. This mountain is generally said to be Tabor; but for what reason does not appear. Christ was going to Caesarea Philippi, when he had that discourse with his disciples, which this account is connected with; and though it was a week after, yet we have no intimation of his removing from these parts, with his disciples; only of his leading them up into a mountain: and quickly after this, we hear of him at Capernaum, which was ten miles from Mount Tabor. Dr. Lightfoot (z) thinks, that this was the mountain, which Caesarea was at the foot of; where formerly, the first idolatry was set up, one of Jeroboam's calves; and now the eternal Son of God is shown, in the confession of Peter, and in the illustrious demonstration of the Messiah. Since the goodly mountain Lebanon, and which was a very high one, was in those parts which Moses had a sight of before he died; why may it not be that, which he now descended upon, to be one of the witnesses from heaven, of Christ's transfiguration? (z) Hor. Heb. in Mar. ix. 2.

And when the disciples heard it,.... The voice out of the cloud, and which they apprehended came from God, and was uttered with so much majesty: they fell on their face: not so much out of reverence, or for the sake of adoration, but as persons struck with astonishment and fear, and were as half dead; and so fell with their faces fiat to the ground, not being able to stand before God, to behold his majesty, and hear his voice: and were sore afraid: they were filled with fear, when, awaking out of their sleep, they saw the surprising glory of Christ, and of the two men that were with him, insomuch that they knew not what to think, or say; and so they were when they entered into the cloud, and still more upon hearing the voice of God himself, even though it was a voice of love, grace, and mercy; see Deu 5:24. But yet they were not struck with so much amazement and surprise, as not to know what was said; for they distinctly heard the words, rightly understood, and faithfully related them; from whom the evangelists had them, and which Peter perfectly remembered, and recorded many years after.

A like danger to which also befell Peter, and John, and James, (who confronted not the same light) without risking the loss of their reason and mind; and if they, who were unable to endure the glory of the Son, had only seen the Father, they must have died then and there: "For no man shall see God, and live.

"And when they heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid." How was it that, when they heard these words, they were dismayed? And yet before this also a like voice was uttered at Jordan, and a multitude was present, and no one felt anything of the kind; and afterwards again, when also they said, "It thundered," yet neither at that time did they experience anything like this. How then did they fall down in the mount? Because there was solitude, and height, and great quietness, and a transfiguration full of awe, and a pure light, and a cloud stretched out; all which things put them in great alarm. And the amazement came thick on every side, and they fell down both in fear at once and in adoration.

(Verse 6.) And when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were exceedingly afraid. They were terrified for three reasons: either because they realized they had made a mistake, or because a shining cloud had covered them, or because they had heard the voice of God the Father speaking. For human frailty cannot bear the sight of greater glory and, trembling in mind and body, falls to the ground. The more one seeks greater things, the more one will collapse into lower things if one does not know one's own measure.

Their cause of terror is threefold. Because they knew that they had done amiss; or because the bright cloud had covered them; or because they had heard the voice of God the Father speaking; for human frailty cannot endure to look upon so great glory, and falls to the earth trembling through both soul and body. And by how much higher any one has aimed, by so much lower will be his fall, if he shall be ignorant of his own measure.

Through their speaking together it shows that the old prophets also spoke the same things as Jesus, even if enigmatically. In great awe the disciples fell on their faces, and the Savior raised them up. This shows that if Jesus had not been incarnate and had not been Mediator between God and humanity and strengthened his own nature, he would not have endured to hear the voice of God.

Whereas the holy Apostles fell upon their faces, that was a proof of their sanctity, for the saints are always described to fall upon their faces, but the wicked to fall backwards.

And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid. Not able to endure the brightness of the cloud, nor the voice, the disciples fell to the ground. Their eyes were also heavy with sleep, as Luke says (See Lk. 9:32), ("sleep" indicating the daze caused by the vision).

And the disciples hearing fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. Having presented the transfiguration, here he presents its effect upon the disciples. And first, fear is presented; secondly, Christ's strengthening against fear; thirdly, its effect. The second is at and Jesus came, etc.; the third at and they lifting up their eyes, saw no one. He says therefore and hearing. They heard the voice of the Father from the cloud, as is said in 2 Peter 1:18: this voice we heard when we were on the mountain. And he presents a sign of fear, because they fell upon their face. Then follows the fear: and they were very much afraid. But why were they afraid? Jerome gives three reasons. First, because they recognized that they had erred, as is said of Adam in Genesis 3:10: Lord, I heard your voice and was afraid, because I was naked. Likewise because they were enveloped in the cloud, they recognized the presence of the divine majesty; Exodus 13:21: and the Lord went before them to show the way by day in a pillar of a cloud, etc. And it is natural that everyone is astonished at what he is unaccustomed to. Likewise on account of the voice from the cloud; Deuteronomy 5:26: what is all flesh that it should hear the voice of the living God? And from this their strength failed, because they fell upon their face. But it should be noted that the wicked fall differently than the saints. The wicked fall backward, as is found in 1 Kings 4:18 concerning Eli, who when he had heard the reports about the ark of the Lord, fell from his chair and, his neck broken, expired. But the saints fall upon their faces; Apocalypse 7:11: they fell upon their faces. And the reason is that we do not see what is behind us. Ecclesiastes 2:14: the eyes of a wise man are in his head.

HEALING OF A DEMONIAC BOY--SECOND EXPLICIT ANNOUNCEMENT BY OUR LORD OF HIS APPROACHING DEATH AND RESURRECTION. ( = Mark 9:14-32; Luk 9:37-45). (Mat 17:14-23) And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them--Mark (Mar 9:30), as usual, is very precise here: "And they departed thence"--that is, from the scene of the last miracle--"and passed through Galilee; and He would not that any man should know it." So this was not a preaching, but a private, journey through Galilee. Indeed, His public ministry in Galilee was now all but concluded. Though He sent out the Seventy after this to preach and heal, He Himself was little more in public there, and He was soon to bid it a final adieu. Till this hour arrived, He was chiefly occupied with the Twelve, preparing them for the coming events. The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men . . . And they were exceeding sorry--Though the shock would not be so great as at the first announcement (Mat 16:21-22), their "sorrow" would not be the less, but probably the greater, the deeper the intelligence went down into their hearts, and a new wave dashing upon them by this repetition of the heavy tidings. Accordingly, Luke (Luk 9:43-44), connecting it with the scene of the miracle just recorded, and the teaching which arose out of it--or possibly with all His recent teaching--says our Lord forewarned the Twelve that they would soon stand in need of all that teaching: "But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, He said unto His disciples, Let these sayings sink down into your ears; for the Son of man shall be delivered," &c.: "Be not carried off your feet by the grandeur you have lately seen in Me, but remember what I have told you, and now tell you again, that that Sun in whose beams ye now rejoice is soon to set in midnight gloom." Remarkable is the antithesis in those words of our Lord preserved in all the three narratives--"The son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men." Luke adds (Luk 9:45) that "they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not"--for the plainest statements, when they encounter long-continued and obstinate prejudices, are seen through a distorting and dulling medium--"and were afraid to ask Him"; deterred partly by the air of lofty sadness with which doubtless these sayings were uttered, and on which they would be reluctant to break in, and partly by the fear of laying themselves open to rebuke for their shallowness and timidity. How artless is all this!