Chapter Seventeen
Glimpses of Heaven
1. And after six days Jesus takes Peter, and James, and John his brother, and brings them up into a high mountain by themselves,
2. And was transformed before them; and His face shone as the sun, and His garments became white as the light.
After six days
In the preceding episodes, Jesus has been teaching His disciples about the necessity of temptation, and preparing them for it. Jesus Himself will have to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things before He will be raised up again. Similarly, we also must go through temptations so that our lower nature may be humbled and our higher nature “raised up.”
These are the struggles that give us the opportunity to call upon the Lord and rely on His truth so that we might lay aside our selfish concerns, false notions, and egocentric ambitions. If we are successful, our faith in the Lord and our desire to live according to His teachings are strengthened. In the process, even more truths are instilled, along with an even greater desire to live according to what is taught in the Word. 1
In this regard, it should be noted that this next episode begins with the phrase, “After six days.” As it is written, “After six days, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John his brother, and brings them up into a high mountain by themselves” (Matthew 17:1). Throughout the Word, the number six refers to a time of temptation, during which time we do spiritual work. This time of spiritual combat against evil and falsity is necessarily followed by a time of spiritual rest. 1
For example, it is written in the Hebrew scriptures that after “six days,” the Lord rested from all His work (see Genesis 1:3; 2:1-3). It is also written that a servant must serve for “six years,” but is to be set free in the seventh year (see Exodus 21:2), that the land is to be cultivated for “six years,” but in the seventh year, the land should be allowed to rest (see Leviticus 25:3-5), and, perhaps, most powerfully in the Ten Commandments where it is said, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:9). 3
At the end of the previous episode, Jesus said, “There are some standing here who shall not taste of death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Matthew 16:28). For the disciples, the term “kingdom” refers to a natural kingdom with golden thrones, imperial status, and political power. Jesus, however, is referring to a spiritual kingdom that is governed by divine truth and filled with divine love. In a spiritual kingdom, the power of divine love operates through the form of divine truth to rule over lower desires and selfish thoughts. This is the kingdom of heaven.
While the effort to reach that kingdom can be arduous, as represented by six days of struggle, there are mountain-top states along the way. This is a picture of what can take place within us whenever we are temporarily removed from selfish concerns and vain imaginings. At such times, the Lord can open our spiritual eyes so that we can see with spiritual sight. This is when we “see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
In this next episode, which takes place “after six days,” Jesus will give His disciples a glimpse of that kingdom. It begins as Jesus and His disciples leave Caesarea Phillipi, which is situated at the foot of Mount Hermon. Taking Peter, James, and John to a place high up on the mountain, Jesus reveals His divinity in a way that He has not yet done for anyone. As it is written, “Jesus took them up on a high mountain by themselves, and was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:1-2). 4
Peter, who most recently declared that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, represents our faith in Jesus. James, who was either one of the twelve disciples, or a follower by the same name, would later say, “Be doers of the Word, not just hearers” (James 2:17). The name “James,” therefore, is associated with loving intentions. And John, the brother of James, represents the good works that flow from loving intentions — that is, useful service. Whenever these qualities are activated in us, we catch a glimpse of heaven, and what it might mean to be a citizen of that kingdom. 5
Whenever we strive to remain faithful to the Lord, we are developing the quality associated with the name “Peter.” Whenever we strive to be well-intentioned toward others, we are developing the quality associated with the name “James.” And whenever we strive to perform loving and useful service, out of faith and from a charitable intention, we are developing the quality associated with the name “John.” In the language and imagery of sacred scripture, this kind of striving is pictured as Peter, James, and John ascending the mountain with Jesus. These are the spiritual struggles that everyone undergoes on the “six days” of their regeneration. On the seventh day, there is rest.
As Peter, James, and John ascend the mountain, they come to a place where they are alone with Jesus. As we have just mentioned, these three disciples represent the three leading principles of spiritual life, that is, faith, charity, and the works of charity. Since all three of these principles constitute the primary elements of our heavenly character, they are described as being temporarily separated from lower influences. They are in a high mountain location, alone with Jesus. This is another way of describing a Sabbath state. As it is written, Jesus brought them up on a high mountain “by themselves.” 6
These mountain-top states are a necessary part of our regeneration. During these times of spiritual rest, the Lord opens our spiritual sight so that we might see and experience heavenly things. Just as temptation is necessary for regeneration, so are times of rest, renewal, and new insights. This spiritual reality is represented by Peter, James, and John who are now brought into an elevated spiritual state. In revealing to them something of His inner divinity, Jesus is preparing them for the eventual temptations they will endure. All of this takes place after six days, when these three disciples are in a Sabbath state.
When Jesus transforms Himself before them, it is written that “His face shone like the sun.” This is an image of God’s love which shines forth like the sun of heaven. At the same time, it is written that “His clothes became as white as light.” Even as the flame of natural fire produces the bright glow of natural light, the fire of God’s love produces the brilliant light of divine truth.
In His mercy, God has clothed His love in the form of divine truth. Otherwise, we could not endure the blazing heat of His love. Therefore, divine love comes to us “clothed” in divine truth, accommodated to our ability to receive and understand. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “O Lord, my God, you are very great. You are clothed with splendor and majesty. You cover yourself with light as with a garment” (Psalms 104:1-2). 7
It is at moments like this, when we catch glimpses of God’s love shining through His Word, that any doubts about the holiness of the Word and the divinity of the Lord are overcome. The truth shines forth in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy when he said, “In that day, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven times brighter, as the light of seven days” (Isaiah 30:26). 8
Moses and Elijah
3. And behold, there was seen by them Moses and Elijah, speaking with Him.
4. And Peter answering said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if Thou willest, let us make here three tabernacles: one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5. While he was yet speaking, behold, an illuminated cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.”
6. And the disciples, hearing, fell on their face, and feared exceedingly.
7. And Jesus coming touched them, and said, “Arise, and be not afraid.”
8. And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus only.
While they were in their mountain-top state, Peter, James, and John were given a glimpse of Jesus’ divine nature. It will also be important for them to know that Jesus is intimately connected to the Hebrew scriptures. We read therefore that “Moses and Elijah were seen along with Jesus, talking with Him” (Matthew 17:3). This is a picture of the Law (represented by Moses), the Prophets (represented by Elijah), and the Gospels (represented by Jesus), all together as the complete Word of God.
This picture of the complete Word of God, consisting of the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospels, is essential for our regeneration. In our temptation combats we need more than pleasant and delightful memories. We need more than glimpses of heaven. We also need the living truth of the Word active in our minds — the law of Moses, the words of the Prophets, and the teachings of Jesus. And we need to see essential agreement among these teachings; we need to see them “speaking together.”
Peter, amazed by this wonderful vision, expresses his desire to enshrine this memory in his heart. “Lord,” he says, “It is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here; one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17:4). But even while Peter is still speaking, a response comes from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him” (Matthew 17:5).
In effect, the voice from heaven connects Jesus with Moses and the Prophets. From this point onward, it would not just be about the Law and the Prophets. It would also be about the Gospels. It would be about seeing the Law and the Prophets through Jesus’ eyes, and hearing them through Jesus’ ears. As the voice from heaven says, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him.”
The seamless connection of every episode — even every sentence — becomes especially clear in moments like this. Our spiritual rebirth may begin with seeing some truth shining from the Word. This is what it means to see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. But our spiritual rebirth does not stop there. It’s not just about seeing the truth; it’s also about hearing the truth. “Hear Him” says the voice.
The sense of hearing surpasses the sense of sight in that what is heard goes beyond what is seen. If we say to someone, “I hear you,” it means that we not only understand the meaning of the words, but that we also feel the affection within the words. Similarly, in our study of sacred scripture, hearing the Word of the Lord is not just about listening. It’s also about having an inner perception of the truth, and at the same time, a worshipful desire to obey what has been heard. Accordingly, when the disciples hear this voice from heaven, they fall on their faces and are “greatly afraid” (Matthew 17:7). 9
True adoration and sincere worship are from a state of profound humility. It is the awe one feels in the presence of divinity. In states like this we experience something akin to reverential fear — the sense of how great God is, and how humbling it feels to be in His presence. It is in this state of humility that we can be touched by the warmth and light of heaven. Therefore, we read, “Jesus came and touched them and said, ‘Arise, do not be afraid.’ And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only” (Matthew 17:7-8). 10
When the disciples lifted up their eyes and saw no one but Jesus, it represents seeing the Word from a higher understanding. This is the recognition that the whole of the Law and the Prophets is fulfilled in the words and life of Jesus. Jesus becomes the way in which we understand the sacred truths contained within the Hebrew scriptures. Even more than this, the words and life of Jesus give us a new understanding of divine truth infilled with divine love. Therefore, it is written that, “They saw no one but Jesus only.” 11
Coming Down From the Mountain
9. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one, until the Son of Man rise again from the dead.”
When Peter, James, and John lifted up their eyes and saw Jesus only, it was the culmination of their mountain-top experience. This transformational moment, in which they were given a glimpse of Jesus’ divinity and heard a voice from heaven saying, “Hear Him,” would sustain them through the spiritual combats they were soon to undergo. It was now time to come down from the mountain and take on the normal routines of daily life.
The case is similar in our own lives. From time to time, God allows us to experience “mountaintop states” in which we catch a glimpse of how wonderfully He has been working in our lives. Perhaps some truth from the Word shines forth with great glory, and we feel uplifted and inspired. Or maybe, in a moment of reflection, we are given an insight which brings together a number of questions that have been on our mind. We feel elevated, and lifted to new heights.
But we cannot remain there. We need to take these new insights with us as we descend the mountain, and resume our lives in the world. While Peter wants to remain on the mountain and build a tabernacle there, the reality is that the true tabernacle must be built in our mind and in our heart, and remain with us wherever we go. According to the prophet Isaiah, this inner tabernacle “will never be taken down, nor shall one of its stakes ever be removed, nor any of its cords be broken” (Isaiah 33:20).
The goal, then, is to come down from the mountain without losing our inspiration. The mountaintop vision should become an integral part of us as we reach out in useful service to others. This is, of course, what Jesus has in mind for His disciples, but He cautions them about the importance of keeping this experience confidential — at least, for the time being. Therefore, as they come down from the mountain, Jesus says to them, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead” (Matthew 17:9).
This is not the first time that Jesus has told His disciples to be quiet about their knowledge of His divinity. Just after Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus commanded the disciples to tell no one about it (see Matthew 16:20). And here He says something similar. He says, “Tell the vision to no one.”
Peter’s confession of faith at Caesarea Philippi and the experience on the mountaintop are important moments in the gradual revelation of Jesus’ divinity. But the disciples have not yet experienced what Jesus calls “the sign of the prophet Jonah,” that is, a spiritual resurrection in their own hearts. Neither have they experienced “the Son of man rising from the dead.” This does not just refer to Jesus’ physical resurrection. More deeply, it refers to some truth that Jesus has taught them rising up within them to give them new life.
Therefore, while they have witnessed amazing miracles and seen great visions, this is not the testimony Jesus is seeking. The only testimony He seeks from them — and from all who follow Him — is the testimony which comes from a humble and grateful heart after the struggles of temptation. Whenever this happens, a confession that comes from faith is miraculously transformed into a testimony that comes from life.
A practical application
In the previous chapter, Peter confessed his faith by saying to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And now, in this chapter, Peter’s confession of faith is confirmed by a living experience. For Peter, it is an unforgettable moment of religious awe that takes place high on a mountain. In that moment, Peter sees Jesus’ face shining as the sun; he sees Jesus’ clothes becoming as white as light; and he sees Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus. As a result, Peter says, “It’s good for us to be here.” While Peter is speaking, a voice from heaven says, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased. Hear Him.” There can be moments like this in each of our lives as well — moments that are so charged with religious meaning that we can say with Peter, “It’s good for us to be here.” In these mountain-top moments, we, too, can catch a glimpse of Jesus’ inner divinity, especially while we are reading the Word. Beyond the mere words on the page, we feel God’s love shining forth as the sun as He speaks to us through the glistening pages of His Word. As a practical application, then, be aware that the Word of God contains in its innermost recesses God’s love for you. Read with that in mind, striving not only to understand God’s Word, but also to feel His love. Then, as you go through your day, stay open to how that reading will continue to influence you and the decisions you make. Subtly and quietly, it will help you to walk in ways that are less selfish and more loving. As you allow yourself to be guided by this invisible, holy influence, you will be experiencing the prophecy given through Isaiah in the Hebrew scriptures: “Your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21). 12
The Faith that Moves Mountains
10. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come?”
11. And Jesus answering said to them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and shall restore all things.
12. But I say unto you that Elijah has already come, and they did not know him, but have done unto him whatever they willed; so also the Son of Man is about to suffer by them”.
13. Then understood the disciples that He spoke to them concerning John the Baptist.
14. And when they had come to the crowd, there came to Him a man kneeling before Him, and saying,
15. “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic, and suffers badly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.
16. And I brought him to Thy disciples, and they could not cure him.”
17. And Jesus answering said, “O faithless and perverse generation, till when shall I be with you? Till when shall I bear with you? Bring him hither to Me.”
18. And Jesus rebuked him; and the demon came out of him; and the boy was cured from that [very] hour.
19. Then the disciples, coming to Jesus by themselves, said, “Why could not we cast him out?”
20. And Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for amen I say to you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, ‘Pass on from here to there’; and it shall pass on; and nothing shall be impossible to you.
21. But this kind goes not out, except by prayer and fasting.”
Having just seen Elijah and Moses conversing with Jesus, the disciples are naturally curious about the prophecies concerning Elijah’s return. As it is written in the closing words of the Hebrew scriptures, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to the fathers” (Malachi 4:5-6).
These words are usually translated “the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers.” While this is an encouraging sentiment, promising hope for the restoration of family values, the spiritual meaning is much deeper. In the original Hebrew, the word that has been translated as “children” is actually bā·nîm [בָּנִ֔ים] which means “sons.” Spiritually seen, the return of Elijah promises a reunion between the goodness within the literal truth of the Word and the truths that are expressed at the literal level. This reunion of goodness and truth is what is meant, more deeply, by turning the heart of the fathers (goodness) to the sons (truths), and the heart of the sons to the fathers. 13
In other words, the return of the prophet Elijah would initiate the process through which a right understanding of God’s Word would begin. Gradually, goodness would be reunited with truth, and truth would be reunited with goodness. The Word of God, mistreated, misinterpreted, and misunderstood for so long, would no longer be twisted and distorted for selfish gain. Instead, it would be read as intended, as the fullest expression of God’s love — a love that shines forth with all the wisdom necessary for finding happiness on earth and in heaven. In the language of sacred scripture, this is what is meant by turning the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to the fathers.
Unaware of this level of spiritual reality, the disciples simply know that Elijah has been prophesied to precede the coming of the Messiah. Therefore, they say to Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” (Matthew 17:10). In response, Jesus says, “Elijah indeed comes first, and must restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has already come, and they did not know him, but did to him whatever they wanted. So also, the Son of Man is about to suffer by them” (Matthew 17:11-12).
Once again, Jesus is responding to their literal question with an answer that contains a much deeper message. By saying that “Elijah has already come, but they did not know him,” Jesus is speaking about the literal sense of the Word. It had come, and had been given to humanity, but they did not understand it because they did not want to believe it. In fact, they used it, and twisted it in ways that justified their selfish and immoral behavior. In the same way, John the Baptist, who taught the letter of the Word, was imprisoned, murdered, and beheaded by those who refused to believe his message. As Jesus says, “They did to him whatever they wanted.”
It was then that the disciples understood that Jesus was speaking about John the Baptist who had, indeed, preceded Jesus. Perhaps they remembered how John the Baptist had prepared the way for Jesus by preaching a baptism for the remission of sins. It was John the Baptist who said, “I indeed baptize you with water, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11). All of this may have come to their remembrance as they began to understand that John the Baptist had come, representing the same spirit as Elijah the prophet. As it is written, “Then the disciples understood that [Jesus] was speaking to them about John the Baptist.” 14
Healing a demon-possessed boy
No matter how high we might rise into elevated thought, we must bring that inspiration and insight into our everyday life. No matter how high we have risen, we must return to the world of application and service. And so, as Jesus and His three disciples return from their mountaintop experience, they are confronted with a challenge. While they were gone, a man had approached the other disciples and asked them to heal his son. The disciples, however, had been unsuccessful.
Therefore, the distraught father approaches Jesus and says, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and suffers badly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water. And I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him” (Matthew 17:16). Upon hearing the father’s plea on behalf of his son, Jesus says, “O faithless and perverse generation. How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?” (Matthew 17:17). Jesus then cures the boy instantly. As it is written, “And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the boy was cured from that very hour” (Matthew 17:18).
When the disciples fail to cast out the demon, Jesus calls them “a faithless and perverse generation.” Even though the disciples have been with Jesus for at least two years, listening to His teaching and witnessing His power, they cannot cast out the demon because of their lack of faith. When Jesus says, “How long shall I be with you?” and “How long shall I bear with you?” they do not understand.
Speaking privately with Jesus, they ask: “Why could we not cast him out?” And Jesus answers, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).
It should be mentioned that in sacred scripture, mountains symbolize the highest states of life — states of love and charity. And in the supreme sense, mountains signify God who is the origin of every exalted state. However, mountains can also represent states of arrogant self-love when we have confidence in self rather than faith in God. This is the mountain that must be removed. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be brought low” (Isaiah 40:4). 15
Faith in Jesus and in His Word differs from every other kind of teaching. Jesus’ words are not just words on the page, or clever platitudes, or repetitive affirmations. They are divine truths that contain all the power of divine love. This is the only power that can move mountains of inordinate pride, arrogance, and superiority.
When we call upon Jesus, with even the smallest amount of faith, we are acknowledging our need for His presence and power. We are, so to speak, saying, “Lord, help me through this.” This is the faith that moves mountains, even though it may be as tiny as a mustard seed. It is the faith that we have no power at all from ourselves, and that all power is from the Lord alone. 16
Jesus then explains how this faith can be developed. Referring to the demons that had been possessing the boy, Jesus says, “This kind only goes out by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21). By “prayer” Jesus is referring to our willingness to continually turn to the Lord, especially to the truths contained in His Word. This is the spiritual food that will sustain us through the most challenging times — times when we are tempted to throw ourselves into the flames of some selfish desire or drown ourselves in the waters of some false belief.
During these times of spiritual combat, we must continue to fast. That is, we must continue to refuse to accept the evil desires that would inflame us or the false beliefs that would engulf us. We simply refuse to take these in, turning to the Lord for the power to do so. This is the kind of prayer and fasting that casts out demons. This is the faith that moves mountains. 17
A practical application
The healing of the demon-possessed boy took place in an instant. Jesus simply rebuked the demon, and the demon left the boy. It is important to understand that Jesus can do something similar in each of our lives, but we must do our part. That’s why Jesus says, “This kind only comes out by prayer and fasting.” In other words, the struggle to overcome mountains of inordinate pride and selfishness requires both faith in God, represented by the word “prayer,” and intense struggles to shun evil, represented by the word “fasting.” As a practical application, then, when a challenge arises, keep prayer and fasting in mind. First, turn to the Lord for support, praying for His guidance and strength. As you do so, allow Him to bring scripture to mind. Then, enter the combat with faith that the Lord can remove this mountain, whatever it may be. A deeply entrenched resentment might seem to be immovable, but it is not. A deeply engrained character flaw might seem to be unshakeable, but it is not. A deeply rooted addiction might seem permanent, but it is not. The Lord can remove these mountains, but you must do your part. Not only must you have faith in the Lord, but you must also shun evils as sins against Him. That is, you must “fast.” Just as you would avoid consuming a toxic food or drink, you are to shun any tendency to indulge a selfish passion or trust a false thought. This, of course, requires effort. As Jesus says, “This kind only goes out by prayer and fasting.”
A Coin in the Mouth of a Fish
22. And while they were occupied in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men;
23. And they shall kill Him; and on the third day He shall be raised up.” And they sorrowed greatly.
24. And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received the didrachma came to Peter, and said, “Does not your Teacher pay the didrachma?”
25. He says, “Yes.” And when he had come into the house, Jesus came before him, saying, “What thinkest thou, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tribute or duty? From their own sons, or from strangers?”
26. Peter says to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus declares to him, “Therefore the sons are free.
27. But lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the fish that first comes up, and when thou hast opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater; that take, and give unto them for Me and thee.”
As the next episode begins, Jesus repeats His prediction that “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men. And they shall kill Him; and on the third day He shall be raised up” (Matthew 17:23). This is the same message that Jesus gave just before the transfiguration when He told His disciples that He must “go to Jerusalem, suffer many things, be killed, and be raised again on the third day” (Matthew 16:21).
These timely reminders are given to let the disciples know that spiritual life is not just about mountain-top states. It also includes times when their faith will be challenged. In keeping with this principle, this next episode involves a challenge about paying the temple tax. It begins when the tax collectors confront Peter with a question about whether or not Jesus contributes to the temple. “Does not your Teacher pay the temple tax?” (Matthew 17:24), they ask. This annual tax, which was a half-shekel of silver, was required of all Israelites for the support and maintenance of the temple in Jerusalem. In response to this challenge, Peter simply says, “Yes.”
Since Jesus and His disciples were under the constant criticism of the temple authorities, the question of whether Jesus should pay the temple tax, or refuse to do so, is an important one. Paying that tax could be taken as an endorsement of their policies and practices, perhaps even an admission that He is not the Messiah. On the other hand, His refusal to pay the tax could cause a disturbance that would not help to advance His ministry.
When Peter enters the house, Jesus says to him, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tribute or duty? From their own sons, or from strangers?” (Matthew 17:25). In those days, the people of conquered nations had to pay tribute to those who conquered them. The children of Israel would have been well aware of this, as they had undergone a long history of being conquered by other nations, treated as strangers, and forced to pay taxes. At first, it was the captivity in Egypt; afterwards, it was captivity in Babylon; and even now they were in subjection to Roman rule. Therefore, when Jesus asks Peter, “From whom do the kings of the earth take tribute or duty? From their own sons or from strangers?” Peter is quick to answer, “From strangers” (Matthew 17:26). 18
In His question, Jesus speaks about “the kings of the earth” to distinguish them from the true King whose kingdom is the kingdom of heaven. In that heavenly kingdom, there are no strangers because everyone there is a child of God. And, as children of God they know nothing of compulsory taxes or unwilling labor. Instead, everything that is done there is done freely because it is done out of love. Therefore, Jesus says, “The sons are free” (Matthew 17:26).
This, of course, is how it is in heaven. But what about earth? In this regard, the question still remains: Will Jesus pay the temple tax or won’t He? In fact, He will, but He will do so in a way that will teach another spiritual lesson. This time it will be a lesson about how the cares and concerns of everyday life must be subordinated to more interior spiritual principles.
Additionally, it’s important to keep in mind that the sons of Israel, who were supposed to represent the children of God, were often dominated and ruled over by nations that represented evils and falsities of every kind. This represents how the higher nature of every person can be led into spiritual captivity whenever it succumbs to and complies with the demands of its lower nature. 19
It is a law of divine order that higher principles must rule over lower principles, and that the promptings of the spirit must rule over the demands of the flesh. The love of self and the love of possessing the things of the world must always be subordinated to the higher loves — love to the Lord and love to the neighbor. When properly subordinated, the lower loves can serve a heavenly use. But when the lower loves are inverted and placed above loving the Lord and the neighbor, they lead downward to a selfish, hellish existence. 20
Because of this principle, it would not be right for Jesus, who represents what is higher, and Peter, who represents faith in what is higher, to pay the temple tax, especially to an organization that is unwilling to receive the new truth that Jesus is bringing. At the same time, Jesus does not want to create an unnecessary disturbance — at least, not at this point. As Jesus said when He gave the Sermon on the Mount, “Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).
Therefore, Jesus says to Peter, “Nevertheless, lest we should offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the fish that first comes up, and when you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater. Take it and give it to them for Me and for you” (Matthew 17:27).
In obedience to Jesus’ instruction, Peter goes to the sea, casts a hook, and catches a fish. Miraculously, out of the sea containing thousands of fish, the first fish he catches has a coin in its mouth. Moreover, the coin is a “stater” — exactly the amount needed to pay the temple tax for both Jesus and Peter.
The Greek word, which is here translated as a “stater,” is also translated as “a piece of money,” “a four-drachma coin,” “a large silver coin,” and “a shekel.” The actual Greek is statēra [στατῆρα], and refers to a silver coin equivalent in value to one shekel. Since the annual temple tax was one half of a shekel, the coin that Peter finds would be exactly enough to pay the temple tax for two people.
This miracle is a further manifestation of Jesus’ divinity. How could He have known that a coin would be in the mouth of a fish, and that the value of the coin would be exactly enough to pay the temple tax for both Him and for Peter? And, at a more interior level, how could He have had the wisdom to provide an incident that perfectly answers the difficult question about paying the temple tax? After all, Jesus is not paying the tax Himself, nor is Peter. Rather, the tax is paid indirectly, through the fish that Peter catches. 21
A further wonder is contained within the details of the fishing incident. This includes going fishing in the sea, the hook used to catch the fish, opening the mouth of the fish, and the silver coin that is extracted from the fish’s mouth. Whenever we go to the Word and search for some truth, we are “going fishing.” The “hook” that we use is our sincere desire to be enlightened so that we might discover some truth that will help us lead better lives. The “fish” that we catch is a literal teaching from the Word; and the “silver coin” that we extract from the fish’s mouth when we open it is the more interior truth contained within that literal teaching. This more interior truth shines forth, like bright silver, with a direct application to our lives. 22
From the mountain to the sea
While this chapter begins on the mountaintop where Jesus reveals Himself to the disciples in His transfigured glory, it moves on to an exhibition of Jesus’ power when He casts out a demon, and ends by the sea where He predicts that a silver coin will be found in the mouth of a fish.
In all of this, however, we should keep in mind that the most general teaching of this entire sequence of episodes begins with the transfiguration on the mountaintop. No matter how high we rise in our understanding of spiritual truth, those insights must be brought down into practical life. 23
In this chapter, then, Jesus reveals His omnipresence (on the mountain and by the sea), His omnipotence (casting out a demon), and His omniscience (predicting that a coin would be found in a fish’s mouth). These three episodes, taken in order, testify that the Lord is everywhere, from the glory on the mountaintop to the bottom of the sea, filling the universe with His love and wisdom, while providing for each of us at every moment. 24
A practical application
The miracle of the coin found in the fish’s mouth demonstrates how the Lord provides for us in miraculous, unexpected ways. This does not mean, however, that the Lord will miraculously relieve us of our financial obligations, or absolve us from our civic responsibilities. But it does mean that the Lord can provide the truth we need to help us deal with our circumstances, no matter how difficult things might seem. This becomes clear when we understand that a fish in the water corresponds to a literal truth from the Word, and a silver coin in the mouth of the fish corresponds to the deeper, spiritual meaning of that literal truth. As a practical application, then, keep trusting that the Lord, in His omnipresence and omniscience will miraculously guide you to the truth you need, and that His omnipotence will give you the power to put that truth into your life. As you read His Word, look for the silver coin in the mouth of the fish, asking yourself, “What is this story, episode, or passage telling me about my inner world?” “What quality is it asking me to develop?” “How is it helping me to see this situation more clearly?” And, finally, “How can this story. episode, or passage guide me to choose the kindest thoughts, the truest words, and the most useful actions?” As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Psalms 119:105).
Fusnotat:
1. Arcana Coelestia 6663: “Most spirits who come from the world and have lived the life of the Lord’s commandments, before they can be uplifted into heaven and joined to societies there, are infested by the evils and falsities pertaining to them, to the end that those evils and falsities may be removed. This is because there are impurities which they have contracted in the life of the body that in no way agree with heaven…. The purpose of this is that they who are infested may seem to themselves to be in freedom, and thus to fight against the evils and falsities as if of themselves, yet with the acknowledgment, if not at the time, yet afterward, that all the power of resisting was from the Lord. While this is being done, not only are the truths and goods strengthened which had been implanted before, but more are instilled. This is the result of every spiritual combat in which the combatant is victorious.”
Arcana Coelestia 8888:2-3: “The combat which precedes, and prepares for the heavenly marriage [of goodness and truth] refers to spiritual combat or temptation; for before people enter into the heavenly marriage, that is, before they are regenerated, they are in combat against the evils and falsities in themselves. This is because these evils and falsities must first be removed before truth and good from the Lord can be received. These evils and falsities are removed by means of the truths of faith. By means of these truths people not only learn what good is, but are also led to good. This state is the first state of people who are being regenerated, and is called the state which precedes, and prepares for the heavenly marriage. But when people are in good and are led by the Lord through good, they are then in the heavenly marriage, thus in heaven, for the heavenly marriage is heaven. The former state is what is signified by the ‘six days’ which precede the seventh, and the latter state by the ‘seventh day….’ Therefore, the kingdom of the Lord in the heavens is called a perpetual Sabbath, thus a perpetual rest and peace, where there is no longer ‘six days of labor.’”
3. Arcana Coelestia 737: “As regards the number ‘six’ in particular, that it signifies combat, is evident from the first chapter of Genesis, where the six days are described in which people are regenerated, before they can become celestial, and in which there is continual combat, but on the seventh day, there is rest. It is for this reason that there are six days of labor and the seventh is the Sabbath, which signifies rest. And hence it is that a Hebrew servant served six years, and the seventh year was free (Exodus 21:2; Deuteronomy 15:12; Jeremiah 34:14); also that six years they sowed the land and gathered in the fruits thereof, but the seventh year omitted to sow it (Exodus 23:10-12), and dealt in like manner with the vineyard (Leviticus 25:3, 4).” See also, Arcana Coelestia 8494: “The word ‘rest’ signifies a state of peace when there is no temptation … such as there was on the days of the Sabbath…. But the six preceding days represented the combat and labor, consequently the temptations, which precede a state of peace; for after temptations comes a state of peace, and then there is the conjunction of good and truth.”
4. Heaven and Hell 119: “The Lord was seen by the disciples when they were withdrawn from the body and were in the light of heaven.” See also Arcana Coelestia 1530: “He so appeared to them because their interior sight was opened.”
5. Apocalypse Explained 820:2: “The twelve apostles, like the twelve tribes of Israel, represented the church in respect to all things of it, thus in respect to truths and goods, since all things of the church have reference to these, the same as to faith and love; for truths are of faith, and goods are of love. In general, Peter, James, and John, represented faith, charity, and the works of charity; and this is why these three followed the Lord more than the others…. From this it follows that when they were together, they represented these [principles] as one, because without charity, there is no true faith, and without works charity has no existence.”
6. Apocalypse Explained 9: “The names of the twelve sons of Jacob, or the twelve tribes, signify all the goods and truths of the church taken together. Similarly, the names of the twelve disciples of the Lord.” See also Arcana Coelestia 2135:2: “Peter, James, and John represent, as they do wherever else they are mentioned in the gospels, faith, charity, and good flowing from charity. Their presence alone on that occasion [the Transfiguration] meant that no others are able to see the glory of the Lord which is present in His Word than those with whom faith, its partner charity, and good flowing from charity are present. All others do indeed have the ability to see. Nevertheless, they do not see because they do not believe.” See also Arcana Coelestia 7038:3: “It is said that the Lord loved John more than the rest; but this was not for his own sake, but because he represented the exercises of charity, that is, uses.”
7. Apocalypse Explained 64[2]: “The Lord took Peter, James, and John … ‘into a high mountain,’ because ‘mountain’ signifies heaven; ‘His face did shine as the sun,’ because ‘face’ signifies the interiors, and it did shine as the sun because His interiors were divine, for the ‘sun’ signifies divine love.” See also Arcana Coelestia 4677:3: “Divine good is in the Lord, but divine truth proceeds from Him, and is what is represented in the Word by ‘garments.’ So also, when the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, the divine good appeared as the sun, and the divine truth was presented as clothing which appeared as the light.”
8. Apocalypse Explained 257:6: “The words, ‘The light of the sun’ signify divine truth from divine good. That ‘this light shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days,’ signifies that divine truth in heaven shall be without any falsity, thus altogether and fully pure.” See also Heaven and Hell 119: “In the Word, the Lord in respect to love is likened to the sun, and in respect to faith He is likened to the moon. This is why the sun signifies love … and the moon signifies faith…. That the Lord is seen as a sun in heaven is evident also from His transfiguration before Peter, James, and John, where it is written that ‘His face did shine as the sun.’ This was how the Lord was seen by those disciples when they were withdrawn from the body, and were in the light of heaven.”
9. Apocalypse Explained 14: “The things that enter by the sense of sight, enter into the understanding, and enlighten it … but the things that enter by the sense of hearing, enter into the understanding and at the same time into the will…. That the things which enter by hearing, enter directly by the understanding into the will, may be further illustrated from the instruction of the angels of the celestial kingdom, who are the wisest; these receive all their wisdom by hearing and not by sight; for whatever they hear of divine things, they receive in the will from veneration and love, and make a part of their life.”
10. Arcana Coelestia 3719: “In the internal sense ‘fear’ signifies what is sacred … [It is a state of] veneration and reverence, or reverential fear.”
11. Arcana Coelestia 3839:4: “Divine love, that is, love coming from the divine, has holiness within it, and so therefore do the subjects within the Word.” See also Arcana Coelestia 10635: “Every church member who leads a good life acknowledges the divine within the Word. The reason they do so is that a holy influence from heaven enters them when they read the Word.” See also True Christian Religion 26: “The angels asked me to pass on this statement from them: ‘Anyone who does not seek help from the absolute God of heaven and earth cannot come into heaven, because heaven is heaven from the one only God. The absolute God is Jesus Christ, who is the Lord Jehovah, Creator from eternity, Redeemer in time, and Regenerator to eternity. He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit combined. This is the gospel that needs to be preached.’”
12. Apocalypse Explained 825:3: “When people shun evils because they are opposed to the Word, and thence opposed to God … they are daily taught by the Lord what they must do and what they must say, also what they must preach or what they must write. For when evils are removed, they are continually under the Lord’s guidance and in enlightenment. Yet they are not led and taught immediately by any dictate, or by any perceptible inspiration, but by an influx into their spiritual delight, from which they have perception according to the truths of which their understanding consists. When they act from this influx, they appear to be acting as if from themselves, and yet they acknowledge in heart that it is from the Lord. All the angels are in such a state; and all infants in heaven are led by that way to heaven.”
13. Arcana Coelestia 3703: “In Malachi, it is written, ‘Lo, I am sending you Elijah the prophet…. And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to the fathers….’ In this passage, ‘fathers’ and ‘sons’ do not refer to [literal] fathers and sons, but rather to the goods and truths of the church that the Lord is going to restore.”
14. Arcana Coelestia 9372:7: “The Word was represented by John the Baptist as it had been by Elijah. This is meant by the statement that he is the Elijah who is to come…. The words, ‘Elijah has come, and they did not acknowledge him but did to him whatever they wished’ means that the Word indeed taught them that the Lord was going to come, but that they were nevertheless unwilling to have a right understanding of this. Instead, they interpreted it as support for their own desire to rule and in so doing eliminated what is divine within it. The fact that much the same would happen to truth divine is meant by the words, ‘In the same way, too, will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.’ The phrase, ‘Son of Man’ signifies the Lord in respect to truth divine.”
15. Arcana Coelestia 795: “Among the earliest people, ‘mountains’ symbolized the Lord …. This is because mountains were the loftiest parts of the earth. Consequently ‘mountains’ meant heavenly qualities such as love and charity which they also called ‘the most high’…. In the contrary sense, people who think too highly of themselves [elati animo sunt] are called ‘mountains’ in the Word, and so ‘a mountain’ also means self-love.” See also Arcana Coelestia 8455:1-2: “Peace has in it confidence in the Lord, that He directs all things, and provides all things, and that He leads to a good end. When people are in this faith, they are in peace, for they then fear nothing, and no solicitude about things to come disquiets them. People come into this state in proportion as they come into love to the Lord. All evil, especially self-confidence, takes away this state of peace.”
16. Apocalypse Explained 405: “The Lord spoke those things to the disciples when they supposed that they could do miracles from their own faith, thus from themselves, when notwithstanding such things are only done by faith derived from the Lord, and thus by the Lord.” See also Arcana Coelestia 2273: “People are not saved on account of temptations if they place anything of merit in them; for if they do this, it is from the love of self, in that they congratulate themselves on that account, and believe that they have merited heaven more than others. At the same time, they are thinking of their own preeminence over others, and despise others in comparison with themselves. All of this is contrary to mutual love, and therefore to heavenly blessedness. The temptations in which people overcome are attended with a belief that all others are more worthy than they are, and that they are more like those in hell than those in heaven.”
17. Apocalypse Explained 730:41: “The Lord was tempted throughout His whole life even to the last, when He endured direful anguish of heart in Gethsemane and afterwards the dreadful passion of the cross; for by means of the temptations admitted into the human that He had from the mother, the Lord subjugated all the hells, and at the same time glorified His Human. All these temptations of the Lord are signified by the temptations in the wilderness forty days and forty nights…. The ‘beasts’ with which the Lord is said to have been, signify the infernal societies; and ‘fasting’ signifies such affliction as there is in the combats of temptation.” See also Arcana Coelestia 6206: “All evil flows in from hell, and all good through heaven from the Lord.”
18. Arcana Coelestia 6394: “By ‘giving tribute’ or ‘tax’ is meant those who serve, and therefore it is said that ‘strangers should give, and sons should be free,’ for strangers were servants.’” See also Arcana Coelestia 8964: “Those imbued with the good of charity and the complementary truth of faith … are intrinsically free, because they are imbued with good. This is because those who are led by the Lord through good are free.” See also Arcana Coelestia 2870: “That which is in keeping with love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor, consequently with the love of what is good and true, is true freedom. This is the freedom that exists in heaven.” See also Arcana Coelestia 5660:3: “Those who have received a heavenly self [i.e., a new will] enjoy true freedom. This is because being led by the Lord constitutes freedom since one is then led within the sphere of good, from good, and to good. From this it becomes clear that they enjoy bliss and happiness, for nothing exists to disturb them — no self-love at all, and consequently no enmity, hatred, or vengeance at all; nor any love of the world at all, consequently no deceitfulness, fear, or unease at all.”
19. Arcana Coelestia 10217:3-4: “By the ‘sons of Israel’ is signified spiritual truths and goods, which are the truths and goods of the church and of heaven…. By the ‘sons of Israel’ and the ‘seed of Abraham’ was not meant their posterity, but rather spiritual goods and truths which are innumerable, and also, for the most part, unutterable.” See also Apocalypse Explained 175:12: “To be led captive among all nations is to be possessed by evils of every kind.”
20. Arcana Coelestia 5161: “When people are being regenerated lower things are subordinated and subjected to higher things, and exterior things are subordinated and subjected to interior things. When this takes place, the exterior things then become servants, and interior things are masters. Such is the signification of ‘servants’ in the Word.” See also Arcana Coelestia 8743: “Before regeneration, the external or natural commands, and the internal or spiritual serves. After regeneration, the internal or spiritual commands, and the external or natural serves. This inversion cannot possibly exist except through regeneration by the Lord.” See also Arcana Coelestia 9798: “In proportion as the internal has been opened to the Lord, and the external subordinated to it, in the same proportion people are in the fire of heaven; thus, in the same proportion they are in the will of good. The fire of heaven is the divine love that proceeds from the Lord; to be kindled by this fire is to will good.”
21. Arcana Coelestia 1551: “The earliest people compared the goods and truths in people to metals; the inmost or the celestial goods, which are of love to the Lord, to gold; and the truths which are from these, to silver.” See also Arcana Coelestia 5374: “In the spiritual sense ‘silver’ is truth, and ‘gold’ is good.” See also Arcana Coelestia 5658:2: “That ‘silver’ signifies truth was very well known in ancient times…. They called those times the silver ages when there was no longer innocence, but still a kind of wholeness that consisted not in doing good from good, but in doing truth from truth; and they gave the name of copper and iron to the ages which are yet lower.”
22. Heaven and Hell 528: “To receive the life of heaven a person must needs live in the world and engage in the duties and employments there, and by means of a moral and civil life receive the spiritual life. In no other way can the spiritual life be formed with a person, or a person’s spirit prepared for heaven; for to live an internal life and not at the same time an external life is like dwelling in a house that has no foundation, that gradually sinks or becomes cracked and rent asunder, or totters till it falls.”
23. True Christian Religion 63: “Since God fills all things throughout the universe, He is omnipresent…. Because of this omnipresence He perceives all things, and by His omniscience He provides all things, and by His omnipotence He effects all things. From this it is clear that omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence make one, or that one implies the others. Therefore, they cannot be separated.” See also Arcana Coelestia 5122:3: “The Lord knows all things, and every single thing, and provides for them every moment. If He were to pause even for an instant, all the progressions would be disturbed; for what is prior looks to what follows in a continuous series and produces a series of consequences to eternity. Therefore, it is plain that the divine foresight and providence are in everything, even the very least; and that unless this were so, or if they were only universal, the human race would perish.”
