This Is My Son

Matthew 17:1-23

Key Verse 17:5

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

Read verses 1-4. What had happened six days earlier? Who did Jesus bring up the mountain with him? What did the disciples see on the mountain? What did Peter suggest when he saw these things? What does this show about him?

*Six days earlier, Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, but he also opposed Jesus when Jesus talked about his coming suffering and death. Jesus also taught that those who follow him must take up their cross.

*Peter, James, and John -- Jesus focused on these three disciples as leaders.

*They saw Jesus transfigured, and they also saw Elijah and Moses talking to Jesus.

*He suggested that they build shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.

*Perhaps Peter wanted to stay there and enjoy glory forever.

Read verses 5-8. What did the disciples hear? Why might the disciples have needed to hear this message directly from the Father? How did they respond when they heard the voice?

*They heard a voice from heaven, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

*Perhaps they were having trouble listening to Jesus, and God told them why they should listen to him. It doesn't matter what the message is, but who the messenger is.

*They fell face down, terrified.

Read verses 9-13. What instruction did Jesus give them as they went down the mountain? What were the disciples confused about? How did Jesus help them to understand?

*He instructed them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after he was raised from the dead.

*They were confused because the teachers of the law said that Elijah must come first. Probably, they meant that Elijah must come before the Christ (Malachi 4:5). The prophesy said that Elijah would come and restore all things (the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers). They expected that the Christ would come after "Elijah" and establish his kingdom. So, it was hard to understand what Jesus meant when he said that the Christ would die.

*Jesus explains that Elijah did come, but at the same time he was persecuted and killed. This shows that their expectations and understanding about the coming of the Christ was incomplete.

Read verses 14-18. What problem did Jesus find at the bottom of the mountain? What was Jesus' response to this situation? What do we learn from Jesus through this event?

*The disciples could not drive an evil spirit from a boy.

*Jesus lamented the wickedness and unbelief of this "generation." Then he healed the boy.

*Jesus has authority over the spiritual world. Jesus also is grieved by unbelief and wickedness that results in spiritual oppression.

Read verses 19-21. What question did the disciples bring to Jesus? What was his answer? What does this teach us about faith?

*They asked why they could not drive out the evil spirit. 

*Jesus said, "Because you have so little faith." Jesus wanted them to have faith that could move mountains, but they could not even drive out an evil spirit.

*It does not require a lot of faith to do the work of God--but it takes genuine faith. Just "trying" to do something is not enough--we must do it by faith.

Read verses 22-23. What message did Jesus give his disciples? How did they respond?

*Jesus told them of his suffering, death, and resurrection. 

*They were filled with grief. They never expected that this would happen. They also didn't think much about the resurrection part.