Matthew 17:1 ¶ And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured 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 Moses and Elias talking with him. 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 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. 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 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 vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. 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, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
I think logically this is a fulfillment of verse 28 of the last
chapter. The Preterist would say that Christ returned within their lifetime to
rule the world but that seems sort of insane considering the way history has
gone since AD70. It just seems more likely that revealing Himself in His glory
to these disciples was His intention by making that statement in the last verse
of the last chapter.
Peter, one of the witnesses, confirms this;
2Peter 1:16 ¶ 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 eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Regarding verse 2 notice some other contexts.
Revelation 1:14
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his
eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his
feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the
sound of many waters.
Christ’s face glowed like
the sun shining in its power. Notice the verses regarding Moses;
Exodus
34:29 And it came to pass, when Moses
came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand,
when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face
shone while he talked with him. 30 And
when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his
face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. …33 And till Moses had done speaking with them,
he put a vail on his face…35 And the
children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone:
and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
2Corinthians
3:7 But if the ministration of death,
written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel
could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance;
which glory was to be done away:
Moses and Elijah are there which gives
us evidence as to the two witnesses in Revelation.
Revelation 11:3 ¶
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a
thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Peter, who has been forgiven the error he made in the previous
chapter, wants to build three tabernacles for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah and in
this context he is referring to a tent or some other kind of structure like the
boughs of trees for shelter.
Then, verse 5 reveals a declaration from a voice in the cloud
declaring the Sonship of Christ, which terrified the Apostles present. With
Jesus’ touch this also ended their vision.
The Old Testament alludes to the Messiah’s sonship in verses that
refer in context to Israel itself and then prophetically looking forward to the
Messiah to come;
Proverbs 30:4 Who hath
ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists?
who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of
the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?
Exodus 4:22 And thou shalt
say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
Psalms 89:27 Also I will
make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
Hosea 11:1 When Israel was
a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
This verse in Hosea is referenced in the gospels regarding Christ;
Matthew 2:15 And was there
until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the
Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
As I explained in my comments on Genesis the son of a king in the
ancient world, as evidenced in many sources, came in the name of the king and
for all acts and purposes was considered in authority as the king he
represented. This is just as the son in an ancient family would inherit the
property as well as the religion of his father.
Indeed, the Jews understood that for Jesus to declare Himself the
Son of God made Him equal with God the Father;
John 5:18 Therefore the
Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath,
but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Paul would confirm;
Philippians 2:6 Who, being
in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
The Son of God, uppercase S, then is a reference to God walking in
human flesh, as well, as Jesus declared that He and His father were one;
John 10:30 I and my Father
are one.
And to have seen Him was to have seen the Father;
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto
him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but
by me.7 If ye had known me, ye should
have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen
him.8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew
us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast
thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how
sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Indeed, Paul declares that Christ is the visible image of an
invisible God.
Colossians 1:15 Who is the
image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the
brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all
things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat
down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
And remember He is said to be the true God as I interpret this
verse;
1 John 5:20 And we know
that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may
know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus
Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
The importance of the phrase son of god, whether it be
uppercase S for Christ or lowercase s for spiritual beings, those transformed
by God, or Adam himself representing the image of God in some respect is of
vital importance. Here are the three parts of the Godhead speaking; Father, Son
or Word (Logos), and Holy Ghost;
Genesis 1:26 And God said,
Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle,
and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the
earth.
Here is a reference to what He created;
Genesis 1:27 So God created
man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female
created he them.
Luke 3:38b … which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
This appearance would deteriorate as man devolved with each
passing generation in sin following in the likeness of the previous generation
moving away from that perfection.
Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived
an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his
image; and called his name Seth:
This was also important due to Gnostic cults of the time the New
Testament and much later in European History like the Cathars, also called
Albigensian, insisting that Jesus Christ had no physical body thereby
contradicting the entire doctrine of the Son of God.
1 John 4:3 And every spirit
that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and
this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come;
and even now already is it in the world.
This reference to the spirit of antichrist will be
important to us later in our description of the Beast of Revelation which we
often call The Antichrist, even though John doesn’t use that title in
Revelation.
When Jesus tells them to tell no one about what they had seen
until His, referring to Himself as the Messiah or the Son of Man, Resurrection.
They ask a question referencing this;
Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will
send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of
the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart
of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers,
lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Now they understood that John the Baptist came in the spirit and
power of Elijah.
Matthew 11:7 ¶ And as they
departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye
out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man
clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’
houses. 9 But what went ye out for to
see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold,
I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11 Verily I say unto you, Among them
that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:
notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist
until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by
force. 13 For all the prophets and the
law prophesied until John. 14 And if ye
will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. 15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Jesus here reinforces the importance of John the Baptist’s
ministry and the value of this Old Testament prophet living in the New
Testament. Verse 10 is a reference to;
Malachi 3:1 ¶ Behold, I
will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord,
whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the
covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Jesus here states that John the Baptist was Elijah the prophet in
type. This is not about the idea of reincarnation which is false.
An angel of the Lord told Zacharias, John the Baptist’s father,
this very thing as referenced in;
Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and
power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the
disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the
Lord.
Matthew 17:14 ¶ 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 falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they
could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered
and said, O faithless and perverse 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 unbelief: for verily I say
unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this
mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall
be impossible unto you. 21 Howbeit this
kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Luke 9:37 says that these events happened the day after the last
ones. A lunatic can be a reference to a mental disease or some issue that
causes seizures and fits. The Greeks recognized diseases that caused seizures
including epilepsy but they understood little about it although Hippocrates
suggested it’s origin was the brain. In this case the seizures were caused by a
devil. Jesus rebukes the devil and the faithlessness of the disciples who could
not deliver the child from the devil.
Verse 20 tells us that with sincere faith things that seem
impossible are possible but it does not suggest that the Apostles had the
capacity to move literal mountains around. Only a modernist assumes such a
thing. Jesus thing tells them the “nuts and bolts” of this work; prayer and
fasting. Check to make sure this verse is in the Bible you use.
Matthew 17:22 ¶ And while
they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed
into the hands of men: 23 And they shall
kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding
sorry.
Again, the disciples did not understand that the Messiah had to
die and be resurrected. This repeated prediction of what Jesus must face
dismayed them.
Matthew 17:24 ¶ And when
they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to
Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? 25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the
house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the
kings 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 money: that
take, and give unto them for me and thee.
Here, Jesus provides the tax money that is required of them
supernaturally, making a point to Peter. Indeed, it appears that there is no
warrant to justify being rebellious against the laws of the land in which you
live for the fruits or proof of your being a Christian outwardly cannot be
legislated against.
Galatians
5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is
no law.
James
1:27 Pure religion and
undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows
in their affliction, and to
keep himself unspotted from the world.
See what Paul and Peter also said;
Romans
13:1 ¶ Let every soul be subject unto
the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are
ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore
resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall
receive to themselves damnation. 3 For
rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be
afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the
same: 4 For he is the minister of God to
thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not
the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth
evil. 5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only
for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 6
For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers,
attending continually upon this very thing. 7 ¶ Render therefore to all
their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom
fear; honour to whom honour.
1Peter
4:15 But let none of you suffer as a
murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in
other men’s matters.16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let
him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
The exception appears only to be when the secular rulers demand
that you disobey what God has called you to do in proclaiming Christ and His
gospel to the world.
Acts 5:26 ¶ Then went the
captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared
the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high
priest asked them, 28 Saying, Did not we
straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye
have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood
upon us. 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We
ought to obey God rather than men.
Don’t use Christ as a justification for your seditious, rebellious
heart. If you want to make a case for resistance against everything from a
local zoning ordinance to the federal tax code then make it based on sound
political arguments, moral arguments, or personal opinion or self-interest but
don’t use the name of God to justify your unwillingness to do what lawful
authority tells you to do.
This doesn’t mean we don’t fight and try to change unjust laws
like the ones that permit and even encourage infanticide or encourage depraved
behavior or try to limit the power and scope of government over our lives as
citizens. It just means to be careful how you bring your Saviour into the
argument. In the end all of the laws, institutions, and structures of your country
will be burned up and in eternity be totally meaningless. Keep in mind that the
government is not a fit substitute for God though Christians have made it so.
The three branches of proper government are not found in Washington, D.C. but
under God’s righteous authority.
Isaiah
33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is
our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.
Notice Isaiah said the LORD, not the Supreme Court, Congress, or
the President.
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