Bible Commentaries
Matthew 17

Verses 21-27

Seeing Christ in Matthew

INTRODUCTORY WORDS

In Matthew we have decided to address ourselves to Christ's relationship to His people. For our introduction we will center our thought on a verse of Scripture found in Matthew 17:27 . Peter had been troubled about the tax money.

1. Let us look at it this way. Christ is with us in the hour of every difficulty. He seemed to be saying to Peter, You need money to pay the taxes, Me and thee for it. This spirit of comradeship in every undertaking is breathed forth throughout the whole Gospel. Christ is with His disciples to back them up, and to provide for them in every time of need.

The very last thing we have in the Gospel of Matthew is the great commission to the disciples to "teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." This commission was preceded by a statement, "All power is given Me in Heaven and in earth"; and it was followed by the other statement, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Once more, the Lord is saying: Me and thee for it.

Should we not rejoice in the fact that He is still with us to enable us, and to supply all of our needs?

2. Let us look at it another way. Everything that Christ has is also ours. He is saying to us; It is FOR Me and for thee. No matter what is His, it is also ours.

As we see Him in birth, He is saying it is for Me and for thee. As we see Him in life, moving among the people every act bears the testimony, for Me and for thee. As we see Him in death; again, He says "For Me and thee." When we pass to the empty tomb, it is vocal with the cry, "For Me and for thee." When we view Him at the Father's right hand, or coming back in the clouds of Heaven, it is all "for Me and for thee."

We can hear the Spirit saying, "All things are yours; whether * * things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's."

3. Let us remember, in all of this there is the indescribable glory of an indissoluble union. We drop the word "for" and now we read, "Me and thee." The little word "and" is a conjunction, and it seems to us to marry the Me, to the thee; and the thee to the Me, and so, we journey together, we two.

We were quickened together, raised up together, and made to sit together in the Heavenly places. The word "together" seems to say, "Each for the other and both for God." It seems to say, Together we will journey from earth to Heaven. Then, we shall dwell together forevermore.

I. TOGETHER WITH CHRIST AND THE CHILDREN (Matthew 18:2-6 )

1. The little child in the midst. Unafraid and unabashed, because Jesus was near, a little one was lifted by the Master's side in the midst of the disciples. As the child stood there, Jesus said: "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." He also said: "Whoso shall receive one such little child in My Name receiveth Me." Then He added: "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."

Thus did Christ show how close the little children were to the great heart of His love. He knew how to take the little ones in His arms and to bless them. When the disciples wanted to send them away, He said: "Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not."

Beloved, if we have the love of God in our heart, we will love the little children. Have the responsibilities of parenthood gripped us? Have we weighed the possibility of love toward our little brothers and sisters?

2. Loving and trusting as little children do. Our Lord not only loved the children, but He said: "Except ye * * become as little children." We must have, then, that same trusting heart if we would like to nestle up close to our Lord.

'E'en as a child, both meek and mild

With simple trust

Believes the Lord, accepts His Word,

So trust we must.

The Apostle John delighted to address the saints as, "Little Children." May we approach our Lord in that same spirit.

II. TOGETHER WITH CHRIST ON THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION (Matthew 17:1-4 )

1. We wonder if we would have had an invitation to go with Christ, to the scene of His transfiguration? The Bible says that He took Peter and James and John and brought them up into an high mountain apart. We wonder if the word "apart" had any connection with the nine whom He left behind. He did not take them with Him. Would He take us? Do we live in His presence? Do we walk with Him and talk with Him? Then we are children of the light and in us there is no darkness.

2. As we sit on the mount with Him we behold His glory. He was transfigured before them and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.

It is wonderful indeed to have fellowship with One who is so full of glory, and whose raiment is so spotlessly white.

3. As we sit with Him we are taken into the secret of the things which concern Him most. On the mountain height there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him. The three disciples had not alone the privilege of seeing the Lord in His glory but they had also the privilege of hearing Him discuss His coming death at Jerusalem.

4. As we sit on the mountain with Him we have fellowship with others. How wonderful it will be to sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven with Abraham and with Isaac and with Jacob, and with the Prophets and seers of old.

We do not marvel that Peter said: "Lord, it is good for us to be here."

III. TOGETHER WITH CHRIST ON THE MOUNT OF BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:1 )

"'And seeing the multitude, He went up into the mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him."

1. Let us sit at Jesus' feet as He teaches us His Word. We read of Mary who chose that better part that should not be taken from her. As we take our place with Mary and with the twelve, we marvel at the gracious words which proceed out of His mouth. We are struck with the wonderful blesseds. Read Matthew 5:3-11 .

These are not all the things which we hear, but these are the words which befall the righteous.

2. Let us sit at Jesus' feet as an exponent of the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus Christ said of the words of Moses, "Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God?" Whatever else we may think of Christ and the Bible, we must acknowledge that He acclaimed the Bible the Word of God. When the Lord met the devil in the wilderness and three insinuating temptations were thrust upon Him, He quickly reached back into the Old Testament Scriptures and pulling out the Sword of the Spirit, He said: "It is written."

3. Let us behold Christ as the Teacher of illustrative truth. He delighted as He taught to appeal to the things of nature which lay around Him. He could say, "Consider the lilies * * how they grow." He could speak of the sower, who went forth to sow his seed. He could tell how He was the Door. He spoke of the sun and of Himself as the light of the world. Everything to Him seemed ablaze with implied truth.

IV. TOGETHER WITH CHRIST AS HE FED THE MULTITUDE (Matthew 14:15 )

As we slip out for a moment into the desert, we behold a great multitude flocking around the Lord. He was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick. As the shades of evening fell the twelve urged the Master saying, "This is a desert place, * * send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals." But Jesus said unto them: "They need not depart; give ye them to eat."

We are about to learn some wonderful things relative to our Lord.

1. His heart of compassion toward the hungry. It was for this very thing that Christ came from Heaven above. Not because He saw men physically hungry, but because He saw them without the Bread of Life. Therefore, He gave His own flesh that they might have the Bread of Life. In this respect our Lord is still saying unto us, "Give ye them to eat."

2. His method of supplying their need. He took the. five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to Heaven He blessed and brake and gave the loaves to His disciples. There was another time that Christ took the loaf and blessed and brake. It was the time when He said in the upper room: "This is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me."

We wonder, somehow, as Christ broke the bread in the desert if He did not have this later scene in mind.

3. The bounty. After the multitude had eaten and were filled they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full, and they that had eaten were about five thousand men beside the women and children. There was another time just after Pentecost when we read of five thousand who had been filled filled with joy and peace in eternal life. Was there anything left over that day in the desert? Yea, there were twelve baskets full. Was there anything left over after the days of the early Church? Yes, there is a bountiful and unlimited supply of grace still here.

There are still hungry multitudes. Let us give them to eat.

V. TOGETHER WITH CHRIST AS HE YEARNED OVER JERUSALEM (Matthew 23:37 )

We are now asking you to journey with us to one of those climactic scenes in the life of our Lord.

1. We stand in the midst of the curse. The Lord Jesus Christ had uttered his strongest anathemas and His woes against the scribes and the Pharisees. In Christ's mind, they stood as the leaders of a rebellious people. As we read these words they seem, on the surface, to be full of indignation and wrath, of tribulation and anguish. They do not merely seem so to be, but they are what they seem. The Lord Jesus is Judge, and as Judge He is faithful and true.

2. We stand in the midst of a compassionate Judge. After Christ had said: "All these things shall come upon this generation," it was then that His heart of compassion gave way, as He cried out, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathered her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."

In those words we fathom the inner throbbings of the Son of God. We can understand now why it was that He wept over Jerusalem as He was entering it during the Passion week.

We wonder if He still weeps. The Prophet Daniel prayed with his face toward Jerusalem. Does Jesus not pray at this moment in the glory with His face toward the holy but downtrodden city?

VI. TOGETHER WITH CHRIST AT THE EMPTY TOMB (Matthew 28:9 )

1. Journeying with the women to the grave of Christ. It was in the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week that the women started to the sepulcher. As they journeyed along, there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from Heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. The keepers of the tomb became as dead men, as the angel with a countenance like lightning, and with his raiment white as snow, burst upon them.

As the women approached, the angel said unto them, "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come see the place where the Lord lay."

We stand with the women looking in at the empty tomb and our hearts are beating with a startled joy. The One who was dead is alive again.

2. The command of the angel to the women. He said, "Go quickly, and tell." Somehow or other that command lies heavily on our heart. We must fly with the message of the Risen Christ. We must tell it the world around. Christ lives.

Yes, the stone as they came was gone that day,

For an angel had rolled it back, they say,

And the Lord Himself had slipped away,

The tomb could not hold Him there

The resurrection was the great joy note of the early Church. It was the resurrection of Christ that placed God's seal and approbation upon the Cross of Christ.

3. The meeting with the Lord Himself. As the women went to tell His disciples, "Behold, Jesus met them, saying, All Hail." The words, All Hail, mean, All Joy. We could not stand together with Christ in any place that could bring to us a greater joy.

VII. TOGETHER WITH CHRIST IN HIS LAST GREAT COMMAND (Matthew 28:19-20 )

The disciples met the Lord by appointment. When they saw Him they worshiped Him, but some doubted. Then Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, "Go * *, and teach all nations."

1. The plan of evangelization. We have seen a painting of Alexander studying the plan of march before he went forth to battle. We can almost see our Lord with the chart lying before Him. It is a chart, with a world lying in darkness. To the disciples, Christ gives His marching orders saying: Go; go teach; go teach all nations; go teach them baptizing; go, teach, baptizing, and "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Thus did the Lord outline the task which He committed unto the disciples, and which is now committed unto us. God grant that we may not prove truant to the plan.

2. The promise of help. The Lord Jesus Christ has not sent us out unpanoplied for preaching. He has said, "All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore." The word "therefore" links every ambassador to the power which lies behind the command. Christ also said: "I am with you." What need we fear. The One with all power has not only commanded us to go, but He journeys with us in the way. He is with us as He was with them because He said: "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

Time flieth; I will fly

Lest some one droop and die

Undone by sin and strife,

Ere comes the Word of life.

As the end of the age draws nigh and our upgoing comes on apace, let us bestir ourselves to our utmost activity for souls.

AN ILLUSTRATION

If we lose Christ from our vision and break communion with Him, we have lost all. More than anything else, the Church and the individual need the presence and the power of Christ. One morning, as the students of an old artist filed into his studio, one of their number cried out in tones of great joy, "The master has come! The master has come!" And when they asked him how he knew, he replied, "Look at that picture: I tell you no one but the master could do a thing like that." The old artist had gone away for a time, and had left his students to work alone as best they could. In the soul of one of them there had been formed a noble picture, and even before the master went away he had been trying to produce it on the canvas. He had done the best he could, but the picture was imperfect, and he knew it.

One evening, saddened by his failure, weary and disappointed, he retired to his lodgings. That night the old artist had unexpectedly returned, and before going to his sleep, he passed through the studio to see what his pupils had been doing while he was away. He saw the painting upon which the young artist had wrought. He, too, knew that it was imperfect, but he knew also just wherein the imperfection lay; taking the brush, he supplied with a few strokes what was lacking, and then passed on. In the morning the students came back, each one to his work. The young painter paused a moment in wonder before his easel and then the glad shout fell from his lips, "The master has come! The master has come!" "No one but the master could do that."

The presence and power of the Master is what we need. * * Without Him our best is weakness and futility; but if we are only willing and ready He will come, and where we have failed He will succeed and in His power we can do all things." From Illustrations From Art.