John Calvin Commentary Matthew 17

And after six days. We must first inquire for what purpose Christ clothed himself with heavenly glory for a short time, and why he did not admit more than three of his disciples to be spectators. Some think that he did so, in order to fortify them against the trial which they were soon to meet with, arising from his death. That does not appear to me to be a probable reason; for why should he have deprived the rest of the same remedy, or rather, why does he expressly forbid them to make known what they had seen until after his resurrection, but because the result of the vision would be later than his death?

I have no doubt whatever that Christ intended to show that he was not dragged unwillingly to death, but that he came forward of his own accord, to offer to the Father the sacrifice of obedience. The disciples were not made aware of this until Christ rose; nor was it even necessary that, at the very moment of his death, they should perceive the divine power of Christ, so as to acknowledge it to be victorious on the cross. But the instruction which they now received was intended to be useful at a future period both to themselves and to us, that no one might take offense at the weakness of Christ, as if it were by force and necessity that he had suffered.⁴⁷⁷ It would manifestly have been quite as easy for Christ to protect his body from death as to clothe it with heavenly glory.

We are thus taught that he was subjected to death, because he wished it to be so; that he was crucified, because he offered himself. That same flesh, which was sacrificed on the cross and lay in the grave, might have been exempted from death and the grave; for it had already partaken of the heavenly glory. We are also taught that, so long as Christ remained in the world, bearing the form of a servant, and so long as his majesty was concealed under the weakness of the flesh, nothing had been taken from him, for it was of his own accord that he emptied himself (Philippians 2:7); but now his resurrection has drawn aside that veil by which his power had been concealed for a time.

Our Lord reckoned it enough to select three witnesses, because that is the number which the Law has laid down for proving anything;

at the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses,
(Deuteronomy 17:6)

The difference as to time ought not to give us uneasiness. Matthew and Mark reckon six entire days, which had elapsed between the events. Luke says that it happened about eight days afterwards, including both the day on which Christ spoke these words, and the day on which he was transfigured. We see then that, under a diversity of expression, there is a perfect agreement as to the meaning.

And, lo, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah. It is asked: Were Moses and Elijah actually present? Or was it only an apparition that was shown to the disciples, as the prophets frequently saw visions of things that were absent? Though the subject allows for arguments on both sides, as we say, yet I think it is more probable that they were actually brought to that place.

There is no absurdity in this supposition, for God has bodies and souls in His hand and can restore the dead to life at His pleasure whenever He sees it is necessary. Moses and Elijah did not then rise on their own account,⁴⁷⁸ but in order to attend to Christ.

It will next be asked: How did the apostles come to know Moses and Elijah, whom they had never seen? The answer is easy. God, who brought them forward, also gave signs and tokens by which they were able to know them. Thus, it was by an extraordinary revelation that they obtained the certain knowledge that they were Moses and Elijah.

But why did these two appear rather than others who equally belonged to the company of the holy fathers? It was intended to demonstrate that Christ alone is the end of the Law and of the Prophets; and that single reason should satisfy us: for it was of the utmost importance to our faith that Christ did not come into our world without a testimony, but with commendations which God had previously bestowed.

I have no objection, however, to the reason commonly given that Elijah was selected, in preference to others, as the representative of all the Prophets; because, although he left nothing in writing, yet after Moses, he was the most distinguished among them, restored the worship of God which had been corrupted, and was unrivaled in his efforts for vindicating the Law and true godliness, which was at that time almost extinct.

And they conversed with Jesus. When they appeared along with Christ and held conversation with Him, this was a declaration of their agreement. The subject on which they conversed is stated by Luke only: they talked of the decease which awaited Christ at Jerusalem. This must not be understood as referring to them as private individuals, but rather to the commission they had previously received.

Although it was now a long time since they had died and finished the course of their calling, yet our Lord intended once more to confirm by their voice what they had taught during their life, in order to inform us that the same salvation, through the sacrifice of Christ, is offered to us in common with the holy fathers.

At the time when the ancient prophets uttered their predictions concerning the death of Christ, He Himself, who was the eternal wisdom of God, was sitting on the invisible throne of His glory. Therefore, it follows that when He was clothed in flesh, He was not liable to death any further than as He submitted to it of His own free will.

Lord, it is good for us to be here. Luke tells us that Peter uttered these words while Moses and Elijah were departing; and from this we infer that he was afraid that, at their departure, that pleasant and delightful display might disappear. We should not be surprised that Peter was so captivated by the beauty of what he saw that he lost sight of everyone else and was content with simply enjoying it, as it is said in the psalm:

In your presence is fullness of joy, (Psalms 16:11).

But his desire was foolish for the following reasons:

1. He did not understand the purpose of the vision.
2. He absurdly placed the servants on the same level as their Lord.
3. He was mistaken in proposing to build fading tabernacles⁴⁷⁹ for men who had already been admitted to the glory of heaven and of the angels.

I have said that he did not understand the purpose of the vision. For while he was hearing from the mouth of Moses and Elijah that the time of Christ’s death was near, he foolishly dreamed that His present appearance, which was temporary, would last forever. What if the kingdom of Christ had been confined in this way to the narrow limits of twenty or thirty feet? Where would have been the redemption of the whole world? Where would have been the imparting of eternal salvation?

It was also highly absurd to think of Moses and Elijah as companions of the Son of God, as if it were not fitting for all to be placed in a lower rank, so that He alone might have the preeminence. And if Peter is satisfied with his present condition, why does he suppose that earthly supports were needed by those persons, when he imagined that their very sight was enough to make him happy?

Therefore, it is justly stated by two of the Evangelists that he did not know what he said; and Mark assigns the reason, that they were afraid; for God did not intend that the apostles should, at that time, derive any benefit from it beyond that of seeing for a moment, as in a bright mirror, the divinity of His Son. Later, He pointed out to them the fruit of the vision and corrected the error of their judgment. What Mark states must therefore mean that Peter was carried away by frenzy and spoke like a man who had lost his senses.

Lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Their eyes were covered by a cloud, to inform them that they were not yet prepared for seeing the brightness of the heavenly glory. For when the Lord gave signs of His presence, He also used coverings to restrain the arrogance of the human mind. So now, intending to teach His disciples a lesson of humility, He withdraws the sight of the heavenly glory from their eyes.

This warning is also addressed to us, that we should not seek to pry into secrets that lie beyond our senses. Instead, everyone should keep within the limits of sobriety, according to the measure of their faith. In short, this cloud should serve as a bridle for us, so that our curiosity does not indulge in excessive license. The disciples, too, were warned that they must return to their former spiritual warfare and therefore must not expect a triumph prematurely.

And, lo, a voice from the cloud. It is noteworthy that the voice of God was heard from the cloud, but neither a body nor a face was seen. Let us therefore remember the warning Moses gives us, that God has no visible shape, lest we deceive ourselves by imagining that He resembled a man (Deuteronomy 4:15).

There were, no doubt, various appearances under which God made Himself known to the holy fathers in ancient times; but in all cases He refrained from using signs that might induce them to make idols for themselves. And certainly, since human minds are too strongly inclined to foolish imaginations, there was no need to add fuel to the fire.⁴⁸⁰

This manifestation of God's glory was remarkable above all others. When He places a cloud between Himself and us, and invites us to Himself by His voice, what madness it is to attempt to represent Him before our eyes with a block of wood or stone! Let us therefore strive to enter by faith alone, and not by our physical eyes, into that inaccessible light in which God dwells. The voice came from the cloud so that the disciples, knowing it came from God, might receive it with due reverence.

This is my beloved Son. I willingly agree with those who think there is an implied contrast between Moses and Elijah and Christ, and that the disciples of God’s own Son are here instructed to seek no other teacher. The word Son is emphatic and raises Him above servants.

Two titles are given to Christ here, which are not only fitting to honor Him but also to aid our faith: a beloved Son, and a Master. The Father calls Him my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, and thus declares Him to be the Mediator, by whom He reconciles the world to Himself.

When He commands us to hear Him, He appoints Him as the supreme and only teacher of His Church. It was His design to distinguish Christ from all others, as we truly and strictly infer from those words that by nature He was God’s only Son. Similarly, we learn that He alone is beloved by the Father, and that He alone is appointed to be our Teacher, so that in Him all authority may dwell.

But it might perhaps be objected: Does God not love angels and men? It is easy to reply that the fatherly love of God, which extends to angels and men, proceeds from Him as its source.

The Son is beloved by the Father, not in such a way that other creatures become objects of His hatred, but so that He communicates to them what belongs to Himself. There is a difference, undoubtedly, between our condition and that of the angels. They were never alienated from God and therefore did not need Him to reconcile them, while we are enemies because of sin, until Christ procures His favor for us.

Still, it is a settled principle that God is gracious to both only insofar as He embraces us in Christ, for even the angels would not be firmly united to God if Christ were not their Head. It may also be observed that since the Father here speaks of Himself as distinct from the Son, there is a distinction of persons, for they are one in essence and alike in glory.

Hear Him. I mentioned a little earlier that these words were intended to draw the Church's attention to Christ as the only Teacher, so that it may depend on His words alone. For, though Christ came to uphold the authority of the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17), He nevertheless holds the highest rank, so that by the brightness of His gospel, He causes the sparks that shone in the Old Testament to disappear. He is the Sun of righteousness, whose arrival brought the full light of day. And this is the reason the Apostle says (Hebrews 1:1) that

God, who at sundry times and in various ways spoke formerly by the Prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by His beloved Son.

In short, Christ is as truly heard today in the Law and in the Prophets as in His Gospel, so that in Him dwells the authority of a Master, which He claims for Himself alone, saying, One is your Master, even Christ (Matthew 23:8).

But His authority is not fully acknowledged unless all human voices are silent before Him. If we are to submit to His doctrine, all that has been invented by humans must be thrown down and destroyed.

He is, no doubt, sending out teachers every day, but their task is to state purely and honestly what they have learned from Him, and not to corrupt the gospel with their own additions. In a word, no one can be regarded as a faithful teacher of the Church unless he is himself a disciple of Christ and brings others to be taught by Him.