Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 17

The “six days” probably indicates the time it took to travel from Caesarea Philippi (16:13) to the high mountains (17:1); that is, the Transfiguration took place within a few days of the prediction that Jesus must go to Jerusalem and be killed. The two passages must therefore be read together. On the identity of the mountain, see comments on Mk 9:2; Lk 9:28. Those Jesus “took with him” were Peter, James, and John, the inner circle of the Twelve.

Moses’ face shone because it reflected something of God’s glory (Exodus 34:29– 30). But Jesus himself was “transfigured” (GK 3565), a word that suggests a change of inmost nature that may be outwardly visible (as here) or quite invisible (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18). That Jesus was transfigured “before them” implies that it was largely for their sakes. As they would come to realize, they were being privileged to glimpse something of his preincarnate glory (17:5) and anticipate his coming exaltation (2 Peter 1:16–18; Revelation 1:16). Their confession of Jesus as Messiah and his insistence that he would be a suffering Messiah (16:13–21; 17:9) were confirmed. Therefore they had reason to hope that they would yet see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom (16:28).

On the significance of the appearance of Moses and Elijah, see comments on Mk 9:4; Lk 9:30-31. While both Moses and Elijah experienced God’s glory (Exodus 31:18; 1 Kings 19:8–13), the glory here is Jesus’ personal glory, for it is he who is transfigured and who radiates the glory of the Deity.

Peter, sensing something of the greatness of what he, James, and John are seeing, suggests building three “tabernacles” (“shelters”; GK 5008). While the word looks back to the tabernacle in the wilderness, the forerunner of the temple, the idea of building “tabernacles” also reflects the Feast of Tabernacles, when Jews built shelters for themselves and lived in them for seven days (cf. Leviticus 23:42–43). That feast had eschatological overtones. So Peter may have been saying that in gratitude for witnessing Jesus’ transfiguration and recognizing the imminent dawn of the Messianic Age, he would build three “tabernacles”—one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.

The rebuke that follows is administered solely because what Peter blurted out compromised Jesus’ uniqueness. Jesus was transfigured; they must bear witness concerning him (see also comments on Mk 9:5).

The “cloud” (GK 3749) signifies the presence of God, as it did in the OT (Exodus 13:21–22; Exodus 40:34–38): it was also associated with the future (Isaiah 4:5; Ezekiel 30:3; Zephaniah 1:15). Jesus is now succeeding Moses as the coming prophet (Dt. 18:15, 18) and is the messianic King whose kingdom is dawning. What the Voice from the cloud says is largely a repetition of 3:17, an apparent mingling of Ps 2:7 and Isa 42:1, stressing that Jesus is both Son and Suffering Servant. This is the high point of the story.

The additional words “Listen to him”—an allusion to Dt 18:15—confirm Jesus is the Prophet like Moses (cf. Acts 3:22–23; 7:37). Jesus is not another prophet of Moses’ stature but the eschatological Prophet patterned on Moses as a type. Jesus so far outstrips him that when Moses is put next to him, people must “listen” to Jesus. The climax of biblical revelation is Jesus, the Son and Servant God loves and with whom God is well pleased.