Matthew 17
1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
2 And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.
He did this to show His flesh won't be left behind, seeing that the unbelievers couldn't say, He didn't go anywhere.
3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him.
I believe these two will be the two witnesses of Rev. 11. Moses being one and Elijah the other. Malachi 4:4-5 4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
Peter missed the whole reason he was there. It was so he would remember the transfigured body of Christ after the resurrection.
5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
The day is fast approaching us all were everyone will do this same thing. YES! Even you who don't believe in nothing but yourselves.
7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
They looked up at Christ and it was over, it had past.
9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
10 And His disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
We are about to find out.
11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
He will be one of two that will "restore all things" = bring the full Truth of The Word, right before The Lords return on the 7th trump.
12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
If people received Him the first time, John the Baptist would have been Elias, and there would be no second Advent and when Elias came the first time no one knew him.
13 Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist.
14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to Him a certain man, kneeling down to Him, and saying,
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
"Lunatick" Greek = "moon struck" and many are of the darkness, where Christians are of the light. This person is saying their child is of the devil.
16 And I brought him to Thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to Me.
They couldn't help this child because they just refused the power given to them through Christ. Christ will show them once more.
18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
You can't mix doubt with faith, it won't work. Believe and His will be done in His time.
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
"This kind" are those that are not what they should be. They are the worldly and satan worshipers. If it isn't of God, it's of the devil, so if you don't follow Christ, you're following satan.......period!
22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
Into the hands of evil. God has placed events for a purpose. We, alive today have been placed here for a purpose. Are you wasting yours?
23 And they shall kill Him, and the third day He shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
They are sorry, but still have no real idea of the sacrifice or meaning.
24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your Master pay tribute?
A tribute is paid with monetary value of Rome, the "didrachma", = to 1/2 of a "shekel". It's like a sales tax, paid on goods and services. A "tribute" = a form of income tax, paid on the value of people.
25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
Who do these "kings of the earth" collect their taxes from, their own children, or the strangers of the land? Christ's payment is His life and He is The true King.
26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
Christ is asking, do I have to pay because I am The King and do you have to pay because you are a child of The King.
27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for Me and thee.
The sea is of course the peoples of the world. Work as you should and then give as you should in tax, because the world won't understand Christ IS King †