Chapter 17
Verses 1- 13 Read the Bible verses.
Jesus, Peter, James and John went up on a mountain.
On the mountain top a special thing happened.
Jesus’ face began to shine like the sun. His clothes were shinning white.
Moses and Elijah came down from heaven and were there and talked with Jesus.
Peter said, “This is wonderful! Let me build 3 holy places, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
As Peter was talking, a cloud covered over them and they all heard God’s voice from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!”
The disciples were so afraid that they fell with their faces to the ground.
Jesus touched them and told them to get up and not be afraid. When the disciples looked up –only Jesus was there.
As they came back down the mountain, Jesus told them not to tell anyone what they saw. Jesus said to wait until after he had died and risen again.
The disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the Jewish church leaders say that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?”
The disciples believed that Jesus was the Messiah.
Jesus said, “It is true Elijah must come first to prepare the way for me. He did come but the people did not know that it was Elijah and they were mean and hateful to him. Soon they will kill me, too.”
The disciples understood that Jesus was talking about John the Baptist. John was like Elijah. He dressed like Elijah. He lived a simple life in the wilderness. He came to preach to the people and tell them to repent because the Messiah was coming. John was a kind of Elijah.
Chapter 17 Verses 14-21 Read the Bible verses.
When they got down to the bottom of the mountain, there was a man and a boy and a group of people watching.
The boy was controlled by an evil spirit that made him do things to hurt himself. The father wanted the disciples to make the evil spirit leave.
The disciples had tried, but the spirit would not leave.
Jesus made the evil spirit leave.
The disciples wanted to know why they couldn’t make the spirit leave. Jesus said it was because the disciples did not have enough faith.
Chapter 17 Verses 22-23 Read the Bible verses.
Jesus tried to prepare the disciples for his death. He told them he would rise from the dead in 3 days.
Chapter 17 Verses 24- 27 Read the Bible verses.
The temple tax was paid by every Jewish man. It was started in the Old Testament. It was a “redemption” tax.
Jesus did not need to be redeemed like other Jewish men. He was about to become the Redeemer. He should not have to pay the tax.
Jesus did not want to upset the Jewish leaders, so he was willing to pay the tax. He told Peter to go fishing, and when he got the first fish–open its mouth and he would find a coin in it. He was to pay the tax with the money—for Peter and Jesus.
This was another example of Jesus doing a miracle. It shows too that Jesus is interested in the small things of our lives.