Matthew 17
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Matthew chapter 17 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
72 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from 4 Fathers — Saint John Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid, Origen, and Saint Augustine.
Matthew 17
1Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain in private;Καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέρας ἓξ παραλαμβάνει ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὸν Πέτρον καὶ Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναφέρει αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν κατ᾽ ἰδίαν.
2and He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as light.καὶ μετεμορφώθη ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔλαμψε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἐγένοντο λευκὰ ὡς τὸ φῶς.
3And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.καὶ ἰδού, ὤφθησαν αὐτοῖς Μωσῆς καὶ Ἠλίας, μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ συλλαλοῦντες.
4Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You desire, let us make here three tents: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Πέτρος εἶπε τῷ Ἰησοῦ, Κύριε, καλόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς ὧδε εἶναι· εἰ θέλεις, ποιήσωμεν ὧδε τρεῖς σκηνάς, σοὶ μίαν, καὶ Μωσῇ μίαν, καὶ μίαν Ἠλίᾳ.
5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος, ἰδού, νεφέλη φωτεινὴ ἐπεσκίασεν αὐτούς· καὶ ἰδού, φωνὴ ἐκ τῆς νεφέλης, λέγουσα, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα· αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε.
6And when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and they were greatly afraid.καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ μαθηταὶ ἔπεσον ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα.
7But Jesus approached and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.”καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἥψατο αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπεν, Ἐγέρθητε καὶ μὴ φοβεῖσθε.
8And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus alone.ἐπάραντες δὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν, οὐδένα εἶδον, εἰ μὴ τὸν Ἰησοῦν μόνον.
9And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”Καὶ καταβαινόντων αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους, ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, λέγων, Μηδενὶ εἴπητε τὸ ὅραμα, ἕως οὗ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῇ.
10And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες, Τί οὖν οἱ γραμματεῖς λέγουσιν ὅτι Ἠλίαν δεῖ ἐλθεῖν πρῶτον;
11Jesus answered and said to them, “Elijah truly does come first, and shall restore all things.ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ἠλίας μὲν ἔρχεται πρῶτον, καὶ ἀποκαταστήσει πάντα·
12But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they desired. Thus also the Son of Man is about to suffer by them.”λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι Ἠλίας ἤδη ἦλθε, καὶ οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ ἐποίησαν ἐν αὐτῷ ὅσα ἠθέλησαν· οὕτω καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου μέλλει πάσχειν ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν.
13Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.τότε συνῆκαν οἱ μαθηταὶ ὅτι περὶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς.
14And when they came to the crowd, a man approached Him, kneeling down to Him, and saying,Καὶ ἐλθόντων αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν ὄχλον, προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἄνθρωπος γονυπετῶν αὐτὸν
15“Lord, have pity on my son, for he is moonstruck and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.καὶ λέγων, Κύριε, ἐλέησόν μου τὸν υἱόν, ὅτι σεληνιάζεται καὶ κακῶς πάσχει· πολλάκις γὰρ πίπτει εἰς τὸ πῦρ, καὶ πολλάκις εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ.
16So I brought him to Your disciples, but they were not able to heal him.”καὶ προσήνεγκα αὐτὸν τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου, καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν αὐτὸν θεραπεῦσαι.
17Then Jesus answered and said, “O unfaithful and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.”ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη, ἕως πότε ἔσομαι μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετέ μοι αὐτὸν ὧδε.
18And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out from him; and the boy was healed from that very hour.καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸ δαιμόνιον, καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης.
19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”τότε προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ τῷ Ἰησοῦ κατ᾽ ἰδίαν εἶπον, Διὰ τί ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό;
20So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly I say to you, if you have faith like a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘Be moved from here to there,’ and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible for you.ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν ὑμῶν. ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, ἐρεῖτε τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ, Μετάβηθι ἐντεῦθεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ μεταβήσεται· καὶ οὐδὲν ἀδυνατήσει ὑμῖν.
21However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”τοῦτο δὲ τὸ γένος οὐκ ἐκπορεύεται εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ.
22And while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men,Ἀναστρεφομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Μέλλει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων,
23and they will kill Him, and on the third day He shall be raised.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθήσεται. καὶ ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα.
24When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”Ἐλθόντων δὲ αὐτῶν εἰς Καπερναούμ, προσῆλθον οἱ τὰ δίδραχμα λαμβάνοντες τῷ Πέτρῳ καὶ εἶπον, Ὁ διδάσκαλος ὑμῶν οὐ τελεῖ τὰ δίδραχμα;
25He said, “Yes.” And when he entered into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”λέγει, Ναί. καὶ ὅτε εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, προέφθασεν αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, λέγων, Τί σοι δοκεῖ, Σίμων; οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ τίνων λαμβάνουσι τέλη ἢ κῆνσον; ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτῶν, ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων;
26Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free.λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος, Ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων. ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Ἄρα γε ἐλεύθεροί εἰσιν οἱ υἱοί.
27Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, and cast in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a coin. Take that, and give it to them for Me and for yourself.”ἵνα δὲ μὴ σκανδαλίσωμεν αὐτούς, πορευθεὶς εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν βάλε ἄγκιστρον, καὶ τὸν ἀναβαίνοντα πρῶτον ἰχθὺν ἆρον· καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, εὑρήσεις στατῆρα· ἐκεῖνον λαβὼν δὸς αὐτοῖς ἀντὶ ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ.
The Fathers on Matthew 17
Saint John Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid, Origen, and Saint Augustine comment on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Matthew 17:10Saint John ChrysostomNot then from the Scriptures did they know this, but the Scribes used to explain themselves, and this saying was reported abroad amongst the ignorant people; as about Christ also.
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On Matthew 17:10Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid10. And His disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come? The scribes were deceiving the people, saying that Jesus was not the Christ, for if He were, Elijah would first have come. But they did not know that there are two comings of...
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On Matthew 17:8–10Origen“The disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come?” The disciples indeed who went up with Jesus remembered the traditions of the scribes concerning Elijah, that before the advent of Christ, Elijah would come and prepare for Him the souls of those who were going to receive Him. But...
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On Matthew 17:8–10OrigenI have thought it necessary to dwell some time on the examination of the doctrine of transmigration, because of the suspicion of some who suppose that the soul under consideration was the same in Elijah and in John, being called in the former case Elijah, and in the second case John; and that, not apart from God, had...
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On Matthew 17:1Saint AugustineWe must now look into and treat of that vision which the Lord showed on the mount.
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On Matthew 17:1Saint AugustineWe heard when the Holy Gospel was being read of the great vision on the mount, in which Jesus showed Himself to the three disciples, Peter, James, and John.
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On Matthew 17:1Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid1. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother. This does not contradict what Luke says, "And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings" (Lk 9:28). For Luke counts both the first day and the last day on which they ascended the mountain. But...
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On Matthew 17:1–2Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid1-2. And bringeth them up onto a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. He brings them up onto a high mountain, showing that unless a man is raised up high, he does not become worthy of...
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On Matthew 17:9Saint AugustineMatthew proceeds thus: “Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom.
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On Matthew 17:9Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid9. 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. Out of humility He orders them to tell no one, and also, so that those who might hear such things would not later be...
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On Matthew 17:11Saint AugustineMatthew goes on thus: “And His disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
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On Matthew 17:11–13Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid11-13. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elijah truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they desired. Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer at their...
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On Matthew 17:19Saint AugustineOur Lord Jesus Christ reproved unbelief even in His own disciples, as we heard just now when the Gospel was being read.
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On Matthew 17:19–21Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid19-21. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 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;...
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On Matthew 17:18–19Origen“Now when Jesus came into the parts of Cæsarea Philippi, He asked His disciples.” Jesus inquires of the disciples, “Who do men say that I am,” that we may learn from the answer of the Apostles the different conceptions then held among the Jews in regard to our Saviour; and perhaps also that the disciples of Jesus...
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On Matthew 17:18–19OrigenAnd perhaps that which Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” if we say it as Peter, not by flesh and blood revealing it unto us, but by the light from the Father in heaven shining in our heart, we too become as Peter, being pronounced blessed as he was, because that the...
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On Matthew 17:18–19OrigenBut if you suppose that upon that one Peter only the whole church is built by God, what would you say about John the son of thunder or each one of the Apostles? Shall we otherwise dare to say, that against Peter in particular the gates of Hades shall not prevail, but that they shall prevail against the other Apostles...
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On Matthew 17:18–19OrigenBut when we have understood how each of the sins through which there is a way to Hades is a gate of Hades, we shall apprehend that the soul, which has “spot or wrinkle or any such thing,” and because of wickedness is neither holy nor blameless, is neither a rock upon which Christ builds, nor a church, nor part of a...
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On Matthew 17:18–19OrigenIn this place, then, the gates of Hades are spoken of; but in the Psalms the prophet gives thanks saying, “He who lifteth me up from the gates of death that I may declare all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion.” And from this we learn that it is never possible for any one to be fit to declare the praises...
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On Matthew 17:18–19OrigenAnd after this let us see in what sense it is said to Peter, and to every Peter, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” And, in the first place, I think that the saying, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” is spoken in consistency with the words, “The gates of Hades shall not...
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On Matthew 17:18–19Origen“Then enjoined He His disciples that they should tell no man that He was the Christ.” It is written above that Jesus sent forth these twelve saying unto them, “Go not into any way of the Gentiles,” and the other words which are recorded to have been said to them when He sent them to the apostleship. Did He then wish...
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On Matthew 17:18–19OrigenBut now we must first investigate the fact that they were declaring other things about Him as being great and wonderful, but did not yet proclaim that He was the Christ, lest the Saviour may not appear to take away from them the authority to announce that He was the Christ, which He had formerly bestowed upon them....
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On Matthew 17:18–19OrigenAnd likewise he who holds that the fact that He was Christ had been formerly proclaimed by the Apostles when they heard the saying, “What I tell you in the darkness, speak ye in the light, and what ye hear in the ear proclaim on the housetops,” will say, that He wished first to give catechetical instruction as it were...
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On Matthew 17:18–19OrigenBut he who holds that the things spoken to the Twelve refer to the times subsequent to this, and that the Apostles had not as yet announced to their hearers that He was the Christ, will say that He wished the conception of the Christ which was involved in the name of Jesus to be reserved for that preaching which was...
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On Matthew 17:18–20OrigenNow the father of the epileptic—perhaps the angel to whom he had been allotted, if we are to say that every human soul is put in subjection to some angel—prays the Physician of souls for his son that He may heal him who could not be healed from his disorder by the inferior word which was in the disciples. But the dumb...
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On Matthew 17:18–20OrigenLet us now, then, give heed to the very letter of the passage, and first let us inquire, how he who has been cast into darkness and repressed by an impure and deaf and dumb spirit is said to be a “lunatic,” and for what reason the expression to be a “lunatic” derives its name from the great light in heaven which is...
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On Matthew 17:18–20OrigenBut when the Saviour said, “O faithfulness and perverse generation,” He signifies that wickedness, which is contrary to nature, stealthily enters in from perversity, and makes us perverted. But of the whole race of men on earth, I think, being oppressed by reason of their wickedness and His tarrying with them, the...
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On Matthew 17:21Saint AugustineMatthew goes on in the following terms: “And when He was come to the multitude, there came to Him a certain man, kneeling down before Him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son; for he is lunatic, and sore vexed;” and so on,...
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On Matthew 17:21Saint AugustineYesterday the holy Gospel warned us not to neglect the sins of our brethren: “But if thy brother shall sin against thee, rebuke him between him and thee alone.
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On Matthew 17:21–22Origen“And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.” And these things will appear to be of the same effect as those, “that Jesus began to show unto His disciples that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and...
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On Matthew 17:3Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid3. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with Him. What were they talking about? "The ending," says Luke, "which He should accomplish in Jerusalem" (Lk. 9:31), namely, the Cross. Why did Moses and Elijah appear? To show that He is Lord of the law and...
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On Matthew 17:4Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid4. 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 Elijah. Peter, out of great love, did not want Christ to suffer, and so he said, "It is good to stay...
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On Matthew 17:5Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid5. 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. You, Peter, desire tabernacles made with hands, but the Father has formed around them another...
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On Matthew 17:6–8Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid6-8. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. Not able to endure the brightness of the cloud,...
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On Matthew 17:13–15Origen“And when they were come to the multitude, there came to Him a man kneeling to Him and saying, Lord, have mercy upon my son.” Those who are suffering, or the kinsfolk of the sufferers, are along with the multitudes; wherefore, when He has dispensed the things that were beyond the multitudes, He descends to them, so...
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On Matthew 17:13–15OrigenBut since our present object is not to make inquiry about every case, but about the passage before us, let us, adopting a figurative interpretation, consider who we may say the lunatic was, and who was his father who prayed for him, and what is meant by the sufferer falling not constantly but oft-times, sometimes into...
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On Matthew 17:14–15Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid14-15. And when they were come to the multitude, there came to Him a certain man, kneeling down to Him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. That this man is exceedingly...
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On Matthew 17:15–17OrigenAnd He called them, indeed, “an evil generation,” because of the quality arising from evil which had been produced in them, for wickedness is voluntary evil-doing, but “adulterous” because that when the Pharisees and Sadducees left that which is figuratively called man, the word of truth or the law, they were...
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On Matthew 17:15–17Origen“And His disciples came to the other side and forgot to take loaves.” Since the loaves which they had before they came to the other side were no longer useful to the disciples when they came to the other side, for they needed one kind of loaves before they crossed and a different kind when they crossed,—on this...
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On Matthew 17:15–17OrigenThen expounding clearly and representing to them, who were being distracted because of the equivocal meaning of loaf and leaven, in an undisguised fashion, that He was not speaking to them about sensible bread but about the leaven in the teaching, He subjoins, “How is it that ye do not perceive that I spake not you...
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On Matthew 17:15–17OrigenBut we may also learn from this, that in respect of the reasonings only which we reason within ourselves, we are sometimes convicted and reproached as being of little faith. And I think that just as a man commits adultery in his heart only, though not proceeding altogether to the overt act, so he commits in his heart...
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On Matthew 17:15–17OrigenBut I wonder if the disciples thought, before the saying was explained to them by Jesus, that their Teacher and Lord was forbidding them to beware of the sensible leaven of the Pharisees or the Sadducees as impure, and on this account forbidden, lest they might use that leaven because they had not taken loaves. And we...
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On Matthew 17:16–18Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid16-18. And I brought him to Thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I endure you? Bring him hither to Me. And Jesus rebuked him; and the demon departed out of...
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On Matthew 17:22–23Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid22-23. And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: and they shall kill Him, and the third day He shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry. He continually foretells the Passion, so that no one would...
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On Matthew 17:22–24OrigenIt is necessary, therefore, to the proclamation of Jesus as Christ, that He should be proclaimed as crucified; and the proclamation that Jesus was the Christ does not seem to me so defective when any of His other miracles is passed over in silence, as when the fact of His crucifixion is passed over. Wherefore,...
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On Matthew 17:22–24Origen“Then began He to show;” and probably afterwards when they were able to receive it He shewed more clearly, no longer beginning to show as to those who were learning the introduction, but already also advancing in the showing; and if it is reasonable to conceive that Jesus altogether completed what He began, then, some...
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On Matthew 17:22–24Origen“And Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him, saying, God be propitious to Thee. Lord, this shall never be unto thee.” To whom He said, “Get thee behind Me, Satan; thou art a stumbling-block unto Me; for thou mindest not the things of God but the things of men.” Since Jesus had begun to show unto His disciples that He...
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On Matthew 17:22–24OrigenBut you will compare together His saying to Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan,” with that said to the devil (who said to Him, “All these things will I give Thee if Thou wilt fall down and worship me”), “get thee hence,” without the addition, “behind Me;” for to be behind Jesus is a good thing. Wherefore it was said,...
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On Matthew 17:22–24OrigenNext we must inquire how He said to Peter, “Thou art a stumbling-block unto Me,” especially when David says, “Great peace have they that love Thy law, and there is no stumbling-block to them.” For some one will say, if this is said in the prophet, because of the steadfastness of those who have love, and are incapable...
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On Matthew 17:22–24Origen“Then Jesus said to His disciples, If any man wills to follow after Me,” etc. He shows by these words that, to will to come after Jesus and to follow Him, springs from no ordinary manly courage, and that no one who has not denied himself can come after Jesus. And the man denies himself who wipes out by a striking...
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On Matthew 17:22–24OrigenMoreover in regard to the saying, “Let him deny himself,” the following saying of Paul who denied himself seems appropriate, “Yet I live, and yet no longer I but Christ liveth in me;” for the expression, “I live, yet no longer I,” was the voice of one denying himself, as of one who had laid aside his own life and...
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On Matthew 17:22–24Origen“For whosoever would save his own life shall lose it.” The first expression is ambiguous; for it may be understood in one way thus. If any one as being a lover of life, and thinking that the present life is good, tends carefully his own life with a view to living in the flesh, being afraid to die, as through death...
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On Matthew 17:22–24OrigenBut at the same time also observe that at the beginning it is said, “Whosoever wills,” but afterwards, “Whoso shall lose.” If we then wish it to be saved let us lose it to the world, as those who have been crucified with Christ and have for our glorying that which is in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through...
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On Matthew 17:24Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid24. And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received the two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, Doth not your master pay the tax? He saith, Yes. God wished to consecrate to Himself the tribe of Levi in the place of the first-born sons of the Hebrews. The tribe of...
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On Matthew 17:25–26Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid25-26. And when he was come into the house, Jesus spake first to him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own sons, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then indeed are the...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenBut the saying, “What shall a man give in exchange for his own life,” if spoken by way of interrogation, will seem to be able to indicate that an exchange for his own life is given by the man who after his sins has given up his whole substance, that his property may feed the poor, as if he were going by that to obtain...
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On Matthew 17:25–27Origen“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His own Father with His angels.” Now, indeed, the Son of man has not come in His glory; “for we saw Him, and He had no form nor beauty; but His form was dishonoured and defective compared with the sons of men; He was a man in affliction and toil, and acquainted with the...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenBut if you will understand the differences of the Word which by “the foolishness of preaching” is proclaimed to those who believe, and spoken in wisdom to them that are perfect, you will see in what way the Word has the form of a slave to those who are learning the rudiments, so that they say, “We saw Him and He had...
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On Matthew 17:25–27Origen“Verily I say unto you there be some of them that stand here that shall not taste of death.” Some refer these things to the going up—six days after, or, as Luke says, eight days—of the three disciples into the high mountain with Jesus apart; and those who adopt this interpretation say that Peter and the remaining two...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenThe reflections in regard to the passage before us that occur to us at the present time are these: Some were standing where Jesus was, having the footsteps of the soul firmly planted with Jesus, and the standing of their feet was akin to the standing of which Moses said in the passage, “And I stood on the mountain...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenBut we must seek to understand what is meant by “tasting of death.” And He is life who says, “I am the life,” and this life assuredly has been hidden with Christ in God; and. “when Christ our life shall be manifested, then along with Him” shall be manifested those who are worthy of being manifested with Him in glory....
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenBut since some one may think that the promise of the Saviour prescribes a limit of time to their not tasting of death, namely, that they will not taste of death “until” they see the Son of man coming in His own kingdom, but after this will taste of it, let us show that according to the scriptural usage the word...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenBut since here it is written in the three Evangelists, “They shall not taste of death,” but in other writers different things are written concerning death, it may not be out of place to bring forward and examine these passages along with the “taste.” In the Psalms, then, it is said, “What man is he that shall live and...
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On Matthew 17:25–27Origen“Now after six days,” according to Matthew and Mark, “He taketh with him Peter and James and John his brother, and leads them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them.” Now, also, let it be granted, before the exposition that occurs to us in relation to these things, that this took place long...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenBut you will ask if, when He was transfigured before those who were led up by Him into the lofty mountain, He appeared to them in the form of God, in which He formerly was, so that He had to those below the form of a servant, but to those who had followed Him after the six days to the lofty mountain, He had not that...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenAnd not only is He transfigured before such disciples, nor does He only add to the transfiguration the shining of His face as the sun; but further also to those who were led up by Him into the high mountain apart, His garments appear white as the light. But the garments of Jesus are the expressions and letters of the...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenThen, since it will be necessary to expound the passage as given in Mark, “And as He was praying He was transfigured before them,” we must say that perhaps it is possible especially to see the Word transfigured before us if we have done the things aforesaid, and gone up into the mountain, and seen the absolute Word...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenBut let us next see what was the thought of Peter when he answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles,” etc. And on this account these words call for very special examination, because Mark, in his own person, has added, “For he wist not what to answer,” but Luke, “not...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenBut since we have not yet spent our energy in interpreting the things in the place figuratively, but have said these things by way of searching into the mere letter, let us in conformity with these things, consider whether the aforesaid Peter and the sons of thunder who were taken up into the mountain of the dogmas of...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenNext to these come the words, “While He was yet speaking, behold, also, a bright cloud overshadowed them,” etc. Now, I think that God, wishing to dissuade Peter from making three tabernacles, under which so far as it depended on his choice he was going to dwell, shows a tabernacle better, so to speak, and much more...
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On Matthew 17:25–27OrigenBut after these things it is written that, when they heard the voice from the cloud bearing testimony to the Son, the three Apostles, not being able to bear the glory of the voice and power resting upon it, “fell on their face,” and besought God; for they were sore afraid at the supernatural sight, and the things...
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On Matthew 17:27Open Matthew 17 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid27. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a 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. Pay the tax, Christ says,...
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