Both Moses and Elijah played key roles in God"s plan for Israel. Moses established the (Mosaic) covenant under which Israel proceeded to live, and Elijah led the people back to that covenant and God after their worst apostasy. Both experienced a vision of God"s glory on a mountain. Both experienced rejection by Israel ( Acts 7:35; Acts 7:37; 1 Kings 19:1-9; cf. Matthew 17:12). Moses was the greatest figure associated with the law, and Elijah was arguably the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. The disciples would later learn that Jesus was greater than either of these great men ( Matthew 17:5; Matthew 17:8). However now the disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. [source][source][source]
"The abiding validity of the Law and the Prophets as "fulfilled" by Christ (Mt. Matthew 17:17) is symbolized by the harmonious converse which He holds with their representatives, Moses and Elijah." [1][source]
Context Summary
Matthew 17:1-8 - Jesus Shows Divine Glory
Moses' face shone after having absorbed the divine glory, as some diamonds burn with sunlight after being carried into a dark room. Stephen's face shone because for a moment he had seen the Son of man. But the face of our Lord shone, not from without but from within. The shekinah of His heart was for the most part hidden, but here it burst through the frail veil of flesh, John 1:14.
The Apostle uses the same word when he says, "Be ye transfigured," Romans 12:2. He does not mean that for a brief moment we should see and reflect our Lord's face. He wants us to enshrine Him in our hearts, and then to rid ourselves of all hindering veils, so that the light of the knowledge of the glory of God may make even the common garb of daily drudgery beautiful.
This was the great climax of our Lord's earthly life, when He definitely turned away from the glory that was set before Him, to endure the Cross for our redemption. [source]
Chapter Summary: Matthew 17
1The transfiguration of Jesus 14He heals the boy with a demon, 22foretells his own passion, 24and pays tribute
Greek Commentary for Matthew 17:3
There appeared [ωπτη] Singular aorist passive verb with Moses (to be understood also with Elijah), but the participle συνλαλουντες sunlalountes is plural agreeing with both. “Sufficient objectivity is guaranteed by the vision being enjoyed by all three” (Bruce). The Jewish apocalypses reveal popular expectations that Moses and Elijah would reappear. Both had mystery connected with their deaths. One represented law, the other prophecy, while Jesus represented the gospel (grace). They spoke of his decease (Luke 9:31), the cross, the theme uppermost in the mind of Christ and which the disciples did not comprehend. Jesus needed comfort and he gets it from fellowship with Moses and Elijah. [source]
Luke 2:33Were marvelling [ην ταυμαζοντες] The masculine gender includes the feminine when both are referred to. But ην ēn is singular, not ησαν ēsan the normal imperfect plural in this periphrastic imperfect. This is due to the wide space between copula and participle. The copula ην ēn agrees in number with ο πατηρ ho patēr while the participle coming last agrees with both ο πατερ και η μητηρ ho pater kai hē mētēr (cf. Matthew 17:3; Matthew 22:40). If one wonders why they marvelled at Simeon‘s words after what they had heard from Gabriel, Elisabeth, and the Shepherds, he should bear in mind that every parent is astonished and pleased at the fine things others see in the child. It is a mark of unusual insight for others to see so much that is obvious to the parent. Simeon‘s prophecy had gone beyond the angel‘s outline and it was surprising that he should know anything about the child‘s destiny. [source]
1 Timothy 3:16Seen of angels [ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις] Better, appeared unto or showed himself to, as Matthew 17:3; Luke 1:11; Acts 7:2; Hebrews 9:28. The same verb is used of the appearance of the risen Christ to different persons or parties (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). The reference of the words cannot be determined with certainty. They seem to imply some great, majestic occasion, rather than the angelic manifestations during Jesus' earthly life. Besides, on these occasions, the angels appeared to him, not he to them. The reference is probably to his appearance in the heavenly world after his ascension, when the glorified Christ, having been triumphantly vindicated in his messianic work and trial, presented himself to the heavenly hosts. Comp. Philemon 2:10; Ephesians 3:10, and, in the latter passage, note the connection with; “the mystery,” 1 Timothy 3:9. [source]
What do the individual words in Matthew 17:3 mean?
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Μωσεύς
Sense: the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion.
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἠλίας
Sense: a prophet born at Thisbe, the unflinching champion of the theocracy in the reigns of the idolatrous kings Ahab and Ahaziah.
Greek Commentary for Matthew 17:3
Singular aorist passive verb with Moses (to be understood also with Elijah), but the participle συνλαλουντες sunlalountes is plural agreeing with both. “Sufficient objectivity is guaranteed by the vision being enjoyed by all three” (Bruce). The Jewish apocalypses reveal popular expectations that Moses and Elijah would reappear. Both had mystery connected with their deaths. One represented law, the other prophecy, while Jesus represented the gospel (grace). They spoke of his decease (Luke 9:31), the cross, the theme uppermost in the mind of Christ and which the disciples did not comprehend. Jesus needed comfort and he gets it from fellowship with Moses and Elijah. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 17:3
The word most commonly used in the New Testament of seeing visions. See Matthew 17:3; Mark 9:4; Luke 1:11; Luke 22:43; Acts 2:17; Acts 7:35. The kindred noun ὀπτασία , wherever it occurs in the New Testament, means a vision. See Luke 1:2; Luke 24:23, etc. [source]
The masculine gender includes the feminine when both are referred to. But ην ēn is singular, not ησαν ēsan the normal imperfect plural in this periphrastic imperfect. This is due to the wide space between copula and participle. The copula ην ēn agrees in number with ο πατηρ ho patēr while the participle coming last agrees with both ο πατερ και η μητηρ ho pater kai hē mētēr (cf. Matthew 17:3; Matthew 22:40). If one wonders why they marvelled at Simeon‘s words after what they had heard from Gabriel, Elisabeth, and the Shepherds, he should bear in mind that every parent is astonished and pleased at the fine things others see in the child. It is a mark of unusual insight for others to see so much that is obvious to the parent. Simeon‘s prophecy had gone beyond the angel‘s outline and it was surprising that he should know anything about the child‘s destiny. [source]
Better, appeared unto or showed himself to, as Matthew 17:3; Luke 1:11; Acts 7:2; Hebrews 9:28. The same verb is used of the appearance of the risen Christ to different persons or parties (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). The reference of the words cannot be determined with certainty. They seem to imply some great, majestic occasion, rather than the angelic manifestations during Jesus' earthly life. Besides, on these occasions, the angels appeared to him, not he to them. The reference is probably to his appearance in the heavenly world after his ascension, when the glorified Christ, having been triumphantly vindicated in his messianic work and trial, presented himself to the heavenly hosts. Comp. Philemon 2:10; Ephesians 3:10, and, in the latter passage, note the connection with; “the mystery,” 1 Timothy 3:9. [source]