Presents
Matthew 17
It was actually Peter's deep affection and abiding love for Christ that Satan was able to take advantage of in an attempt to hinder the very plan of salvation.
Presents
Matthew 17
It was actually Peter's deep affection and abiding love for Christ that Satan was able to take advantage of in an attempt to hinder the very plan of salvation.
In Mat. 16:21 Jesus Christ began to teach His disciples concerning His suffering, His crucifixion, and His resurrection: "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." However, upon hearing the words of the Lord Peter began to rebuke Christ because he did not like the plan, as in he did not like hearing about the suffering and crucifixion of His Lord.We need to pay special attention to this because it was actually Peter's deep affection and abiding love for Christ that Satan was able to take advantage of in an attempt to hinder the very plan of salvation which would bring about our victory over death.You see, to destroy death, which is Satan the devil, is the reason Jesus Christ came at the first advent. The apostle Paul explains this to us in very simple terms.
So after rebuking Satan and lovingly admonishing Peter, Christ explained that there would be a time when the Son of man would "come in the glory of his Father with his angels" and "reward every man according to his works". Matthew 16:27 "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."Hebrews 2:14
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Christ now continues in Matthew 17 with His teaching concerning the two advents.
We have stated many times that there are no filler words in the scriptures given to merely occupy space without meaning or significance. That means there is a reason why Christ waited "six" days to bring Peter, James, and John up into an high mountain all by themselves, i.e. apart from others, and that reason is to set the time frame to let the wise know that the subject is the second advent and that the events they are about to witness do not occur until the return of Christ on the Day of the Lord, on the 7th Day, which follows after the sixth dispensation, the 6,000 years (six days) of man. All one needs to know is that which Peter knew and wrote for us in 2 Peter 3:8 concerning a day with the Lord: "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." And so it is that even the Lord's Day itself is 1,000 years which is why we call it the "Millennium", a word which means 1,000 years.Matthew 17:1
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
The next question is why did Jesus take these three disciples, Peter (meaning rock), James (English for Jacob), and John (Yahveh is gracious), up into an high mountain, even the holy mount (2 Pet. 1:18)? One reason is again to show us that this teaching concerns the kingdom of God to come upon the earth... as it is heaven (Mat. 6:10). Mountains are used throughout the scriptures to symbolize nations or governments and when Christ returns in His glory and majesty as King of kings and Lord of lords He shall stand upon the high holy mountain of God with His saints and shall rule all nations with a rod of iron (Rev. 19:15), which is the disciplined adherence to His "Truth" and "Justice", i.e. the Word of God. To that end, Peter, James, and John, who alone witnessed the resurrection of Jairus' daughter (Luke 8:51) and who alone will be with Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mat. 26:37) the night before His crucifixion, are now privileged to witness the glory and majesty of Christ as He is transfigured before them.
We will also discover that there is a special reason why this witness of the glory and majesty of Christ is given before the crucifixion.
Let us continue to read and learn from our Father's Word.
This is how Jesus Christ shall appear in His glory and majesty at the second advent. Matter of fact, this is how He even now appears.Matthew 17:2
And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.
The important point to remember here, is that it was before He was crucified that these three disciples became eyewitnesses of the majesty of Jesus Christ that God the Father would bestow upon Him. Thus they came to know with certitude from being first hand witnesses before the fact, the reason the body of Christ would NOT be found left in the tomb.You see, had Christ's body not been transfigured but rather lay in the tomb, it would have been difficult for many who are weak in faith to believe in the resurrection and glorification of the Messiah. Not to worry though now, for the matter has been legally and credibly established and laid to rest by the "witness of two or three". Peter later (i.e. well after the resurrection) recounts their eyewitness of His majesty in his second epistle:Rev. 1:16
And He had in his right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
Do you believe the words of the apostle Peter, a man chosen by God to make known unto us the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? Peter wasn't following made up stories nor cunningly devised fables [read traditions of men] concerning the coming of Jesus Christ in His glory and majesty. He tells us from first hand experience for he saw the transfiguration on the holy mount. He actually witnessed Jesus Christ in all His majesty, along with Moses and Elijah, just to let us know that when John, who was also an eyewitness, says we shall "be like Him" in 1 Jn. 3:2, you can count on it! You can take Peter's and John's word for it... for they witnessed it firsthand... and it's true!2 Peter 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.
We shall read about the "excellent glory" surrounding Peter, James, and John when they heard this voice from heaven, a few verses hence.[17] 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.
"This voice which came from heaven" also had something else extremely important to say! But before we read of that, let's see what else happened in the holy mount when Christ was transfigured![18] And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount.
I guess Moses and Elijah were not dead, were they? Of course not! Neither were they asleep in the ground as some teach. In fact Christ addressed this whole issue of the dead and whether they rise or not with the Sadducees in Mark 12:26-27 who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead: "And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? [27] He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err." "You therefore do greatly err" means all are wrong who believe that when people die they are dead and gone. Haven't you read in Eccles. 12:7 that the flesh (the dust) returns to earth from whence it came, and the spirit (the intellect of the soul, i.e. the soul in his spiritual body, 1 Cor. 15) returns to God from whence he came. Eccles. 12:7 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."Matthew 17:3
And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him.
Of course it is written that
Elijah
did not see death but was taken up into heaven in a "whirlwind
(whirling
vehicle)" which Elisha called the chariot of Israel in 2 Kings 2:12. How
did Elisha know it was the Chariot of Israel? Because
of the horsemen! In other words, it had
the same "faces" on it, the Eagle, the Lion, the Man, and the Ox, that
appeared on the "highly polished bronze whirling vehicle" that came to
Ezekiel in chapter one of his book. These
are the faces on the standards or flags of the tribes of Israel which
stood
before them in their encampment. You
will also find these same "faces" to be the living beings which guard
the
throne in heaven. Rev. 4:7 "And the first
beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third
beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying
eagle."
(After
all, if you saw a jet with the face of a Bald Eagle on it's tail, you
would
recognize that as an American plane, right?)
Next, Matthew 17:3 says that Moses and Elijah were talking with Christ which brings up the question, "What were they talking about?" Well, remember what the subject is that Christ began teaching us in Mat. 16:17, which was His suffering, His crucifixion, and His resurrection? Luke confirms that is the subject of their conversation, i.e. His death which He must accomplish at Jerusalem:
It seems fitting that Moses should appear for the law is fulfilled in Christ and when He pays the price on the cross, the subject of which they are now discussing, He will at the same time fulfill all the shadows and types and become our sacrifice once and for all time, doing away with all blood sacrifices, rituals, and religious ordinances. It is also fitting the Elijah should appear for the prophecies of the promised One who would come and suffer (Isa. 53, Ps. 22, etc.) and bring salvation are also coming to pass giving testimony and witness to the truth of God's Word.Luke 9:30
And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:[31] Who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem.
It is important to what Christ is teaching us here to know and understand that the Law and the Prophets, i.e. the Old Testament, closes with the Book of Malachi, whose name means "My Messenger", and concludes with reference to these two, Moses and Elijah, in the last three verses. This is not by accident but rather by the design of the Holy Spirit.Matthew 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Again, these two men represent "the law" and "the prophets" both of which give their testimony to both "the glory" of the first and "the glory" of the second advent of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. Note: I did not say they were the two witnesses spoken of in Rev. 11, but that they both prophesied and give witness and testimony to the glory of the great and marvelous works of His coming. Matthew 11:13 "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." And so it is in these last days, as it has been written and declared in His Word these thousands of years, Elijah the prophet shall be sent unto His messenger's in the last days just BEFORE the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD!Malachi 4:4-6
Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.[5] Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
BEHOLD means pay real close attention! To whom is the LORD speaking? To whom shall He send Elijah the prophet, not Elijah the Tishbite, i.e. the person of Elijah (see note in Companion Bible on pg. 1301). He shall send Elijah the prophet TO YOU, you who are alive in the final generation, the generation alive in the flesh just BEFORE the great and dreadful day of the LORD! Certainly you can "see" that this is NOT speaking of John the Baptist and the first advent for though John came in the spirit of Elijah, he did NOT precede the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And what shall be the result of His "sending you Elijah the prophet"?
What is the "curse" He shall smite the earth with? It is the smiting of the king of Babylon, the curse of Satan as the false messiah whom He shall send at the sound of 6th Trump (Rev. 12:7-9). You see, even before that cursed one comes as His rod of chastisement, there shall be a "reuniting" of many of the lost children of the House of Israel with the true heritage of their forefathers (many even listed in Rev. 7) leading them "back home" (spiritually) to their heavenly Father. Notice also that the word "father(s)" is plural because at the same time the hearts of the children of disobedience shall be turned to their father, the false father, the false rock![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.
And so it is written that there shall come a "seed" in the final generation (Ps. 22:30-31), who are the sons and daughters of the promise, upon whom our Father shall pour out His Spirit whereby they are able to "see" (understand) the visions of the prophets (Acts 2) and they shall teach the law and the prophets (His Word) to their brothers and sisters in love, speaking after the manner of the covenant of Levi, "Thus saith the Lord" and "It is written"! And through the power of His might, through the light of truth of the Word of God, many blind shall "see" and many lame shall learn to walk in His ways and many "lost children" of the House of Israel shall be freed from their captivity and find their way back home to the house of their fathers, even to the House of their loving Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who shall welcome them with open arms!
Now back to the holy mount.
In contrast to Peter's dislike of the suffering and crucifixion which must be accomplished in Jerusalem, you can just hear Peter say, "Now this is more like it! The kingdom has come so let us build tabernacles and tarry right here!" Sorry Peter, it is written that the suffering must take place and the price must be paid by Messiah before the glory is revealed. Peter once again wanted to do his own thing but while he was speaking (not knowing what he was saying again, Luke 9:33) a bright (full of light) cloud overshadowed them. That got their attention real good and immediately stopped the nonsense! Here is what Luke says: Luke 9:34 "While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud."Matthew 17:4
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.
Remember they are "gone up" into the holy mount (2 Pet. 1:18) and this bright cloud which has "enveloped them" is the Shekinah glory which is ever-present when God is present (see Ezek. 10:3-4)... and He was present for He spoke to them with His voice out of the cloud giving audible witness in declaring that Jesus Christ was the Son of the Living God. Thus the disciples both "saw with their eyes to see" and "heard with their ears to hear"! We read this same declaration "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased", was spoken to and heard by John the Baptist, who was "sent by God" to bear witness of the Light (Jn. 1:8), when he baptized Jesus in Matthew 3:13-17.Matthew 17:5
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.
Now notice the very important words of God the Father following His declaration that Christ was indeed His Son, in whom He is well pleased: "Hear Ye HIM!" That means Open your ears and HEAR THE WORD OF GOD! He is the one foretold of in both the Law and the Prophets whom God would raise up to speak to us in these last days. Have you ever read that which was written by Moses in the Law.
And so it was and so it is. John 14:10 "... the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."Deut. 18:18
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him.
To "hear Jesus Christ" does not just mean to hear His voice, His Word, but to hearken unto His words, i.e. to keep His commands. John 14:15, 21 "If ye love me, keep my commandments. [21] He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."[19] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which He shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
The disciples were totally awe struck when God spoke to them and they fell flat on their faces. Consider this in stark contrast to those preachers and ministers today who claim God speaks to them... even on a daily basis! A word to the wise is sufficient. Just read Ezek. 13:1-9 concerning the supposed "visions" of those false prophets Christ warned us about. Our Father says He DOES NOT speak to them in such a vain fashion.Matthew 17:6
And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
When Christ "touches you" through His word, neither shall you be afraid.[7] And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
The appearance of Christ in His glory and majesty at the second advent is now GONE and they "come back down from the mountain"![8] And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
As we read earlier in 2 Peter 1:16-17, the disciples would understand after the crucifixion concerning the glory of Christ risen in His transfigured body.Until then, it was not yet time to speak of the second advent, of the power and coming of our Lord, for the prophecies of the first advent had not yet been fulfilled. However, following the resurrection Peter would declare His power and His coming![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.
So following the vision they saw of Moses and Elijah and Christ in His resurrected body, and in understanding that this was His first advent and not the "restoration of the kingdom", the disciples asked Jesus the following question concerning the scribes:2 Peter 1:16-17
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.[17] 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.
Of course the scribes didn't "get it" concerning the first advent. They still await messiah as king... and their messiah, their rock, shall soon come and not disappoint them.Matthew 17:10
And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Elijah the prophet shall come first, before the great and dreadful day of the LORD, and as we saw in the last two verses of Malachi 4, and he shall "turn the hearts of the children back to their fathers" which is to (come with me now) restore all things, as in restore the temple (Rev. 7:1-4 to prepare a people) that it may be made manifest on that great day! You "see", had the people received Christ and not rejected the kingdom at His first advent, then the kingdom would have been "restored then" and so John the Baptist would have been accounted as Elijah who would come in the last days just before the restoration! Matthew 11:14 "And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come."[11] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
John the Baptist was not Elijah (he said so himself in Jn. 1:21) but rather as it was prophesied from birth concerning John, he would go before Him in the spirit and power of "Elijah the prophet". To that end, John was a forerunner of "His messengers" who would come in the spirit and power of Elijah in the last days. If you have studied the Minor Prophets (like Zechariah) and the great Book of Malachi ("My Messenger"), then you will understand that which is written concerning the ministry of John the Baptist. Here is what was written of John the Baptist's destiny from birth![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.
The disciples then "got it" concerning John the Baptist! Yes, John was prophesied from birth to come in the spirit and power of Elijah... and so he did. But they rejected him and beheaded him.So too must Christ suffer as it was written of Him in Isa. 53 and Psalm 22.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.
And so it is in these last days, as it has been written and declared in His Word these thousands of years, Elijah the prophet shall be sent unto His messenger's in the last days just BEFORE the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD!Do you have "eyes to see" Christ and "ears to hear" His voice?[13] Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
In our next study we shall learn what it takes to deal with the man in the moon, i.e. a "lunatic"! Don't miss it!
Think about it as we spiritually discern His power and glory in today's study.
The "living stones" of the house of "Jacob (Israel)" to whom "God is so gracious", i.e. Peter, James, and John, were taken "up into an high mountain" where they witnessed the power and glory of Christ, the Son of the Living God, who was transfigured before their eyes while a voice from out of the shekinah glory (cloud) that surrounded them said, "... This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him (Matthew 17:5)."
Now, after realizing that Christ must be killed (as was John the Baptist) and fulfill those things written of Him in the Law and Prophets, even as Moses and Elijah were "speaking of His decease" (Luke 9:31), they have "come down from the mountain" with explicit instructions to "tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead."
Here is a question and a thought to consider as we read the next two events following their descent from on high, i.e. now that they have come down from the holy mount. Remember in the previous chapter Christ asked the questions "Who do men say I am?" and "Who do you say I am?" Though Christ is no longer appearing to the disciples in His power and glory (Matthew 17:8 "And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only."), is He not still Christ, "His beloved Son", the Son of the Living God (Mat. 16:16)? Is He not still the King of kings and Lords and lords even though He is not come in that role to usher in the second advent at this time?Matthew 17:9
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.
First understand that this man worshipped Christ.Matthew 17:14
And when they were come to the multitude, there came to Him a certain man, kneeling down to Him, and saying,
Secondly, in order to grasp the full significance of what Christ is teaching us we must understand what the word "lunatick" means.[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.
Lunatick means "moon stuck*", i.e. one who has been fully struck by the "moon"which is symbolic of that one who rules the night (Gen. 1:16), even the Prince of Darkness, Satan himself!lunatick, seleniazomai, sel-ay-nee-ad'-zom-ahee, Greek 4583; middle or passive from a presumed derivative of Greek 4582 (selene); to be moon-struck, i.e. crazy :- be lunatic.
To
that end, you will always find the prophecies
dealing with time that pertain to the children of darkness
given in "lunar" terms, e.g. moons and months.
At
the same time, you will always find the prophecies
dealing with time that pertain to the children of light,
given in solar terms such as days and years.
* Note: It is common knowledge that during the period of a "full moon" there is more "lunacy" among the people.
The point is that we are dealing with one here whom Satan, the great Lunaticker, the Prince of Darkness, has taken unto himself. You "see", when it comes to POWER, Jesus Christ, the Word of God, even has the power to heal and to save a creature of the night, a child of darkness, even a kenite!
The certain man continues in his supplication to the Lord:
We will find out in verse 20 why it is that the disciples could not handle a "lunatick" at this time.[16] And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
The disciples are not the "faithless and perverse (corrupt) generation (nation)" Christ is speaking of. He is speaking of that nation (generation) of kenites which He refers to as "this mountain" in verse 20 below. Mountains are used symbolically throughout the scriptures to represent governments and nations.[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.
Also, the "How long... how long shall I suffer you (put with you)" should immediately remind you that this same question of "how long is He going to put up with this faithless and perverse nation" is asked of the saints who are now with Him before the throne waiting for His power and glory to be revealed at the second advent. Rev. 6:10 "And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" The answer to the question is found in 2 Pet. 3:9.
Nevertheless, it is important that we not overlook what has transpired here else we miss the in-depth meaning of Christ's teaching. You see, this man's father brought this lunatick to Jesus Christ, to the Word of God, who has all POWER over the forces of evil and can even save and heal the moonstruck children of the night! Are you able to discern one who has been "moonstruck"?
To have the Lord "rebuke the devil" is how one handles Satan and His demonic spirits (see Jude 9). In other words, we do NOT argue nor bargain with Satan even as Jesus Christ set forth the example. You see, the fact is that we of ourselves are no match for Satan, but the Word of God is, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12)."[18] And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
And when you think about it using common sense, why would Christ who is righteous and who has ALL POWER in both heaven earth (Mat. 28:18), argue with or do anything other than rebuke a dead man, i.e. Satan who is already sentenced to die in the lake of fire? The good news is that Jesus Christ, the Word of God, has given us His POWER and His name, which is His authority over the "creatures of the night" like those children of darkness who figuratively and spiritually speaking are a bunch of "serpents and scorpions". Of course one must first have the faith and knowledge which comes from prayer and fasting on the truth of His Word to be able to discern who and what one is dealing with and then USE that power and authority! That is the lesson Christ is teaching us. Here is the documentation that He has given us His power and authority:
Again, it is through His name, which is by His authority, the authority of the Word of God, that evil spirits and demonics are subject to us.Luke 10:17-19
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.name, onoma, on'-om-ah, Greek 3686; from a presumed derivative of the base of Greek 1097 (ginosko) (compare Greek 3685 (oninemi)); a "name" (literal or figurative) [authority, character] :- called, (+ sur-) name (-d).
It is Jesus Christ, the Word of God, who gives us the power! That should be sufficient knowledge... if you have understanding, to answer the following question.[18] And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.[19] Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Matthew 17:19
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
Their unbelief (a-pistia) simply has to do with their lack of faith (pistis), which does not mean they had no faith at all, but that they had not fully matured in coming to know Christ, the Word of God. The point Jesus is making is that IF you have the type of faith that starts out like a mustard seed and grows into a tree, then you will soon be able to stand against Satan's faithless and perverse mountain and rebuke it! You "see", the time of the "delivering up" of God's elect that Christ spoke about in Mark 13:11 & Mat. 24:9 is soon upon us.[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.
A word to the wise.
Question: "How does one acquire the amount of faith that gives him or her the ability to say (ye SHALL say), remove hence?" Does all one have to do is believe that Christ is the Messiah? Well, that is certainly the first step and in the right direction! But then one must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord, which means he or she must build that faith upon the firm foundation of the Rock! Remember? Read what Paul wrote in Heb. 11:1 concerning faith! Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith is SUBSTANCE, which is the knowledge and wisdom of His Word upon which you stand!
This is not complicated nor at all difficult to understand. The simple fact is that IF you do not have much knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ, the Word of God, then you are of "little faith" which means you have "unbelief"! But again, IF you have the faith of a mustard seed, "Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree... (Matthew 13:32)", then you shall say unto "this mountain", remove hence and "be thou cast into the sea (Mark 11:23)"... and it SHALL. And you know what?That mountain, even Satan's beast system, the One World Government, i.e. the NWO, is not only going to be cast into the sea, but God's elect who have faith in Him shall have a part in that casting.sub-stance, hupo-stasis, hoop-os'-tas-is, Greek 5287; from a compound of Greek 5259 (hupo) and Greek 2476 (histemi); a setting under (support), i.e. (figurative) concrete essence, or abstract assurance (object or subject) :- confidence, confident, person, substance.
Again, "How does one acquire the amount of faith that gives him or her the ability to cast out Satan, the lunatick, and say (ye SHALL say) to this mountain, remove hence?"Rev. 18:21
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
Stay prayerfully in His Word and abstain (fast) from the traditions of men which make void the Word of God, else you shall have little or no faith upon which to stand, which is unbelief.Matthew 17:21
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Jesus now for the second time announces to His disciples concerning the events that must take place in Jerusalem. This time He adds the words, "shall be betrayed into the hands of men" which means that He shall be "delivered up"! Again, a word to the wise is sufficient.
He continues with His instructions regarding the crucifixion and the resurrection.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:
Still the disciples focused on the crucifixion and not the glory of His resurrection... the power and majesty of which they already witnessed. You see, even though He had not yet paid the price on the cross to bring salvation to whosoever will, even the kenites, nevertheless the King of kings and Lord of lords was standing right there with them! To that end, Christ is going to use the following event and analogy to make this point, i.e. that the King of the Kingdom of Heaven is right there with them.[23] And they shall kill Him, and the third day He shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
Remember from a previous study that Capernaum means "City of Consolation" or "City of Comfort (even of the Comforter)". Also know that the "tribute money" spoken of here is not civil taxation, i.e. the tribute paid to Caesar in Mat. 22:17, but rather the half-shekel (didrachma) collected to defray the general expenses of the temple. (See Smith's Bible Dictionary.) Dr. Moffat translates "tribute money" as the "Temple Tax".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?
So the collectors of the Temple tax asked Peter if Christ paid the tribute, to which Peter replied, "Yes"! Now when Peter enters into the house where Jesus is, Christ is going to "prevent" him (or better translated "precede" him), which simply means that before Peter even gets a chance to tell Christ what happened, He who already knows what happened is going to ask him a relevant question to give him, and therefore us, give some spiritual insight that we might "see Him" more clearly.
If you think of "come into the house" as "Entering into the House of the Lord, i.e. into the King's own House", you will better understand the analogy Christ is making. Also, the custom and tribute Christ is using in this analogy is not the Temple tax itself, but rather that which a king would take up. "Custom" would be like a toll, or duty, such as a sales tax, while "tribute" would be taxation levied upon the populous. Nevertheless, the analogy is fitting for the teaching Christ is giving to us. And remember that the true temple of the Lord is the body of Christ.[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?
So the somewhat rhetorical question Christ asked Peter, to which the answer is obvious, is "Do kings tax their own kids or those strangers who reside outside their house, i.e. the general population?"
That makes sense! The king and the king's children who are members of his own family are free from taxation. So what's the point? The point is that the King of kings and the children of the kingdom (His disciples) are standing right there. Do you "see" that? In fact, they are the temple... but those without "eyes to see" His power and glory would never be able to understand that. So here is what Christ instructs Peter, whose name means rock, to do so as not to offend (cause to stumble) those without understanding.[26] Peter saith unto Him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
The miracle performed to pay the temple tax is self explanatory as well as visually graphic and stimulating. I mean, you can just see Peter going to the sea and casting a hook and reeling in a fish and opening its mouth and "voila", a double didrachma suddenly appears, which is enough money to pay the temple tribute for two people! Hopefully however, you do not "see" this as akin to the "goose that lays the golden egg"! You "see", there is much more to this than meets the eye... to those who have spiritual eyes to see. For again, this has to do with the duty or tribute to the temple![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.
Remember back in chapter four when Christ told Peter that He would make him a "fisher of men"! Matthew 4:19 "And He saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." What did He mean by that? He simply meant that He would make Peter one who would go forth and bring people to Christ, i.e. convert people to Christianity which a "fish (ichthus, Jesus)" is symbolic of! (See also John 21:1-14). Of course "the sea" is symbolic of the people of the world (Rev. 17:15, Rev. 13:1), even that sea of people up from which the one world beast system (the NWO) rises. So Christ told Peter that when he goes and casts a hook (which is used to catch a single fish unlike a "net cast") and takes up (reels in) the first fish that comes up to him, and "opens his mouth" (that he may speak, as in is no longer dumb), then he will have fully paid tribute to the temple for the both of them! In fact, he will have even added to the temple, the many membered body of Christ, from the "sea"! And that "duty or tribute paid to the temple" which even builds up the temple, is a far greater miracle than a fish spitting up a fifty-cent piece!
Do you have eyes to see His glory and majesty and ears to hear His voice? If so, you are blessed indeed!
In our next study, we are going to discover who is "the greatest" in the kingdom of heaven, i.e. the family of God! The answer may surprise you!
... to be continued.
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