Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 17
Fr. Michael Garcia teaches on the Transfiguration and explores the significance of Peter, James, and John's presence, the appearance of Moses and Elijah, and the subsequent divine endorsement from God the Father. In this chapter, we also read about Jesus' prophecies about his own passion, death, and resurrection, the role of faith in performing miracles, and the eventual establishment of the Christian Church.
Notes
- We start from where the last chapter left, with Jesus and his apostles heading south from Caesarea Philippi after Peter acknowledges Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah. They will be traversing the west side of Galilee, where they encounter a large mountain.
- Jesus selects three apostles: Peter, James, and John to accompany him up the mountain, a common place for divine revelations in the Old Testament. On the mountain, Jesus transfigures before them, his face shining like the sun and clothes as white as light. Moses and Elijah, representing the law and the prophets respectively, appear and converse with Jesus. Peter suggests setting up three booths for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, echoing the Feast of Booths from the Old Testament. A bright cloud overshadows them, and a voice, God the Father's, speaks, urging them to listen to Jesus.
- Jesus shares knowledge of his upcoming passion, death, and resurrection, his own "exodus." On their descent, Jesus orders them to keep the vision secret until after his resurrection.
- The disciples query about the scribes' claim of Elijah's arrival before the Messiah. Jesus confirms Elijah's arrival in the form of John the Baptist.
- At the foot of the mountain, a man pleads for Jesus to heal his epileptic son. The disciples' attempts had been futile. Jesus casts out the demon, emphasizing the necessity of faith. Jesus uses the metaphor of moving a mountain with faith as small as a mustard seed to demonstrate the power of faith.
- In Galilee, Jesus foretells his delivery into the hands of men, his death, and his resurrection, causing great distress among the disciples.