New Testament Commentary - Matthew 17

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 17 Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John on the mount— Jesus heals a lunatic, tells of his coming death, and pays taxes in a miraculous manner.
1 AND after six days Jesus taketh ^aPeter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was ^atransfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them ^aMoses and ^bElias talking with him^a. Moses and Elijah Moses held the keys to the gathering of Israel from the nations of the earth. This would be a mission unto the 'Lost Sheep of Israel' to whom Jesus so states is his ministry unto, that he is sent unto the Lost Sheep of Israel. But that the keys need be bestowed by Moses upon Jesus and the first presidency of the early church is significant. So also were they to be bestowed, 'restored', upon Joseph Smith in the Kirkland Temple in 1836. So also was Elijah, like Moses who was translated and taken to heaven, that he might also come and 'restore' or 'bestow' the keys which he held. These keys were the sealing keys of the temple to that of sealing men to God, both the living and the death and the fathers to thier children and the children to the fathers in the covenant of heaven. Thus the early Christian church was noted as performing such 'sealing ordinances' as that of baptizing for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29). And just as Moses' keys of gathering was the missionary work to the living, so was those keys of Elijah they that opened the doors of missionary work to the death, which Jesus orgainized during the time his body laid in the tomb. He having received those keys in the flesh so he could minister them to them in the spirit of the spirit world.	3^a there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him Moses held the keys to the gathering of Israel, or of that missionary work and Elijah (Elias) held the sealing keys of the kingdom, the basis for the work for the dead. Thus the keys were restored by these two 'translated beings' to Jesus Christ and his three chief apostles. Christ being he who held them active while he lived and from thence they pasted to the first presidency, Peter, James and John. They were talking with Jesus concerning the order of the kingdom and what was to come. What would have been more appropriate a discussion topic at this point but the covering of the events of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, which was central to the gospel of the kingdom. In this respect, one must wonder concerning the 'two angels' which came to the tomb that first Sunday morning and who participated in that priesthood ordinance of the raising of the Lord from the dead. Could they have been this same Moses and Elijah?	1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of; TG Transfiguration 3^a D&C 63:21; D&C 110:11; TG Priesthood, Keys of; TG Translated Beings ^b IE Elijah; 1 Kings 17:1; Luke 4:25; D&C 110:13-16 Keys of the Kingdom To Jesus came Moses and Elijah bestowing the keys of the gathering and of the sealing powers of workings with the dead and sealing them to the living. These are the same two who appeared with Jesus Christ and another simply named as Elias (D&C 110:12) in the Kirkland temple who 'restored' of 'bestowed' those same keys upon Joseph Smith and the church in the latter days. That Elias who may will be the same as Gabriel (D&C 27:7) who visited Zacharias giving him the promise that he should have a son to be named John. That Noah should restore the Covenant of the Fathers, which is the same as the Covenant of Abraham to the blessing of the nations of the earth is most appropriate, for since the days of the flood, all who live upon the earth are the children of Noah, similar to all being the sons and daughters of Adam. But that responsibility shifted from Adam to Noah, Adam being given a further position and Noah being given that position of universal father responsibility since the time of the flood. And that the keys to all the nations and the blessings of all of the earth were not given at the transfiguration of Christ but were given in the latter days, says much concerning the latter day work of the sons of the covenant, even those who are of Ephraim, whose responsibility it is and upon whom the covenant rested, being bestowed upon him by Jacob in that adoption which made Ephraim Israel, the 'Firstborn of the Covenant' and of God (Jeremiah 31:9).
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. 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright ^acloud overshadowed them: and behold a ^bvoice out of the cloud, which said, This is my ^cbeloved ^dSon, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him^a. 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore ^aafraid.	5^a 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 This is the presence of God the Father which came upon them and they, like unto that manner of Joseph Smith, were introduced to the fact that Jesus was literally the Son of the Father, and that all things pertaining to the Kingdom of God were to come under the administration of his voice and word. This is the primary responsibility which the Father takes upon himself in respect to the second estate, and that is to introduce the 'Ministering God' of the second estate, and that is His Son Jesus Christ and none other.	5^a Ex. 24:15 ^b TG God, Body of -- Corporeal Nature ^c Matt. 3:17; 3 Ne. 11:17; JS-H 1:17; TG Witness of the Father ^d TG God the Father; TG Godhead; TG Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship 6^a Ex. 3:6; Deut. 5:5;
7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the ^avision to no ^bman^a, until the Son of man be risen again from the ^cdead.	9^a Tell the vision to no man Now in the traditional Christian world, it is presumed that this witness in the gospels in the 'telling of the vision' which in part it is. But there is also much more that was seen and heard beyond just the appearance of Moses, Elijah to bestow the credical priesthood keys and God the Father to witness the Son's authority over the kingdom, there is also an entire vision of the affairs of the kingdom which the D&C references in part when it states that they, the appostles where shown the manner and the pattern of the eventual transfiguration of the whole earth in the latter days which transfiguration was to be upon the whole of the earth standing before God (D&C 63:20-21).	9^a TG Visions ^b Mark 9:9 (9-13) ^c TG Death
10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, ^aElias truly shall first come, and ^brestore all things^a. 12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they ^alisted. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. Elias and Elijah In one sense and use of the two words, Elias is the Greek form of the name Elijah. Elijah literally translated is 'Eli' = 'God' and 'Jah' = 'Jehovah'. Or in other words 'God Jehovah' or 'Jehovah is God'. As such, Elijah is one of the names of God and does refer directly to the person of Jehovah, even Jesus Christ. The ancient prophet who held the 'sealing powers' was given the name of God as he was named Elijah. This Elijah is the one which is expected to come and restore those sealing powers of heaven. The Jews await him with by providing him an empty chair to occupy. He is the Elijah which appeared and restored these powers in the Kirkland Temple. And it is this Elijah who had just appeared to Jesus Christ in the mount of transfiguration. This 'name of God' is also used in other matters beyond just being the Greek form of that name of that single ancient prophet. 'God Jehovah' - Elias also is used as an office title of one who is a 'forerunner', one who goes before to prepare the way. In this use John the Baptist, Joseph Smith, Jesus Christ, and even the Holy Ghost can bear the office title of Elias/Elijah as they do 'go before and prepare the way' in various respects of the Gospel. There was also another ancient prophet who lived in the days of Abraham who was given either the name or the title of being Elias. As a title this may be the same as Abraham, if it is a name then there was another prophet who lived in the days of Abraham to who was committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham. He also appears in the Kirkland Temple on April 3, 1836. (D&C 110:12).	11^a Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things Being consistent with the current frame of reference, this future coming Elias who 'shall' yet come is considered to be one who is to come into this mortality, a future living being and soul just as John the Baptist was. In this parallelism of John the Baptist already having come and being killed, this later coming Elias would 'restore all things'. In terms of this later restoration which is the latter-day restoration, there is only one mortal who fulfills this role of being this future coming Elias, and that is Joseph Smith, the prophet of the restoration.	11^a JST Matt. 17:10-14 ^b D&C 27:6; D&C 77:14 D&C 110:13-16; TG Dispensations; TG Restoration of the Gospel 12^a GR desired
14 ¶ And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he ^afalleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.		14^a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12); D&C 109:60-61; D&C 133:34; TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^b Septuagint; crosing his hands
17 Then Jesus answered and said, O ^afaithless and ^bperverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your ^aunbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have ^bfaith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this ^cmountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be ^dimpossible unto you. 21 Howbeit this ^akind goeth not out but by prayer and ^bfasting.
22 ¶ And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be ^abetrayed into the hands of men: 23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be ^araised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
24 ¶ And when they were come to Capernaum, *they that received tribute money* came to Peter^a**, and said, Doth not your master pay ^atribute? 25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus ^aprevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the ^bkings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? 26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. 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 ^amoney: that take, and ^bgive unto them for me and thee.	*24^a they that received tribute money* came to Peter** Who were these that came to ask 'tribute' of Christ calling him by the title Master? An obvious answer would be the tax collectors of Ceaser. And the point the Lord would be making would be that He it was, that was the King of all the earth and Peter was as it were his son. And that it was Ceaser and the Romans who were the strangers. But a less obvious possibility lumes. That is these are Jews of the Sanhedrin acting in the name of the temple collecting the anual 'Temple Tax' of the passover. That tax was a half a shekel and would easily be paid for two by one coin if that coin were a silver shekel.