The Gospel According to St. Matthew

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- Chapter 17 -

(Mark 9:1–13; Luke 9:28–36; 2 Peter 1:16–21)

And after six days, Jesus took Peter and James and his brother John, and he led them onto a lofty mountain separately.

And he was transfigured before them. And his face shined brightly like the sun. And his garments were made white like snow.

And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, speaking with him.

And Peter responded by saying to Jesus: “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you are willing, let us make three tabernacles here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

And while he was still speaking, behold, a shining cloud overshadowed them. And behold, there was a voice from the cloud, saying: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

And the disciples, hearing this, fell prone on their face, and they were very afraid.

And Jesus drew near and touched them. And he said to them, “Rise up and do not be afraid.”

And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.

And as they were descending from the mountain, Jesus instructed them, saying, “Tell no one about the vision, until the Son of man has risen from the dead.”

And his disciples questioned him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that it is necessary for Elijah to arrive first?”

But in response, he said to them: “Elijah, indeed, shall arrive and restore all things.

But I say to you, that Elijah has already arrived, and they did not recognize him, but they did whatever they wanted to him. So also shall the Son of man suffer from them.”

Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

The Boy with a Demon

(Mark 9:14–29; Luke 9:37–42)

And when he had arrived at the multitude, a man approached him, falling to his knees before him, saying: “Lord, take pity on my son, for he is an epileptic, and he suffers harm. For he frequently falls into fire, and often also into water.(a)

And I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to cure him.”

Then Jesus responded by saying: “What an unbelieving and perverse generation! How long shall I be with you? How long shall I endure you? Bring him here to me.”

And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.

Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why were we unable to cast him out?”

The Power of Faith

(Luke 17:5–10)

Jesus said to them: “Because of your unbelief. Amen I say to you, certainly, if you will have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it shall move. And nothing will be impossible for you.(b)

But this kind is not cast out, except through prayer and fasting.”

The Second Prediction of the Passion

(Mark 9:30–32; Luke 9:43–45)

And when they were conversing together in Galilee, Jesus said to them: “The Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

And they will kill him, but he will rise again on the third day.” And they were extremely saddened.

And when they had arrived at Capernaum, those who collected the half shekel approached Peter, and they said to him, “Doesn’t your Teacher pay the half shekel?”(c)

The Temple Tax

He said, “Yes.” And when he had entered into the house, Jesus went before him, saying: “How does it seem to you, Simon? The kings of the earth, from whom do they receive tribute or the census tax: from their own sons or from foreigners?”

And he said, “From foreigners.” Jesus said to him: “Then the sons are free.

But so that we may not become an obstacle to them: go to the sea, and cast in a hook, and take the first fish that is brought up, and when you have opened its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take it and give it to them, for me and for you.”

Footnotes

(a)17:14 The word ‘lunaticus’ refers to any type of problem with the brain or mind, from mental illness even to epilepsy.(Conte)

(b)17:19 As a grain of mustard seed:That is, a perfect faith; which in its properties, and its fruits, resembles the grain of mustard seed, in the parable, chap. 13. 31.(Challoner)

(c)17:23 The didrachmas:A didrachma was half a sicle, or half a stater; that is, about 15d. English: which was a tax laid upon every head for the service of the temple.(Challoner)

(Mark 9:1–13; Luke 9:28–36; 2 Peter 1:16–21)

After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves.

He was changed

(a)

before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.

Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.

Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid.

Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.”

Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things;

but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them.”

Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer.

The Boy with a Demon

(Mark 9:14–29; Luke 9:37–42)

When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying,

“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water.

So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.”

Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.

The Power of Faith

(Luke 17:5–10)

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?”

He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

The Second Prediction of the Passion

(Mark 9:30–32; Luke 9:43–45)

But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.” (b)

While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men,

and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up.” They were exceedingly sorry.

The Temple Tax

When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins(c) came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the didrachma?”

He said, “Yes.” When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?”

Peter said to him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt.

But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. (d) Take that, and give it to them for me and you.”

Footnotes

(a)17:2 or, transfigured

(b)17:21 NU omits verse 21.

(c)17:24 A didrachma is a Greek silver coin worth 2 drachmas, about as much as 2 Roman denarii, or about 2 days’ wages. It was commonly used to pay the half-shekel temple tax, because 2 drachmas were worth one half shekel of silver. A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.

(d)17:27 A stater is a silver coin equivalent to four Attic or two Alexandrian drachmas, or a Jewish shekel: just exactly enough to cover the half-shekel temple tax for two people. A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, usually in the form of a silver coin.