(MATTHEW. 17:24-27.)
AT 17:24-27{This chapter, when the connection is, clearly seen, is of profoundand touching interest. The transfiguration, spoken of in the earlier part of the chapter, was a turning-point in the life and ministry of the blessed Lord.
After the character of those who were suited 'to the kingdom had been unfolded, the divinity of His Person 'and character of His ministry are brought before us., His disciples are then sent out with the ministry of the kingdom to the Jews, at least: the poor of His flock, in His lifetime, and then till He came as Son of man. Then we have the record of the rejection of John the Baptist's ministry, and that of His own, as come in grace r and standing on the edge, so to speak, of the world,, He is 'witness that no dealings of. God could reach where His grace found, like Noah's dove, no place there for the sole of her foot; and declares that the world has been tried, and He could find no entrance for divine goodness, and they must come to Him if they would know the' Father, and have rest (for the Son revealed Him in grace), and learn of Him as the Man meek and lowly of heart, and find rest to their souls in a world where evil ruled, and no rest could be found, as He knew.
In chapter 12., the Jews, as a nation, are finally rejected, under Satan's power as a people in the last days, and the Lord disowns association with them according to the flesh; relationship with Him was by the word He preached. He leaves the house, goes to the seaside, not, any longer seeking fruit in His vineyard, which bore none but bad-sowing that from which fruit was to come. The kingdom of heaven in its mystery, with an, absent king, takes the place of Messiah upon earth.
In chapter 14., we have the whole scene ripening historically John the Baptist is actually put to death, and the sovereign grace of Christ continues while the coming scene is opened. He satisfies, according to Psa. 132, the " poor with bread," but there, I believe, according to the Messiah order. Then he dismisses the mass of Israel, and sends His disciples off, and goes up on high (a priest on high), and the disciples are tossed on the sea. Peter goes on the sea to meet Him: as soon as He is entered into the ship the wind ceases, and He is gladly received where once He had been rejected.
In chapter 15., the hollow and false religion of the. Pharisees is rejected; while fully owning Israel's privileges; and sovereign grace goes out to awaken and meet faith in the rejected race of thee Gentiles—according to Jewish standing, the accursed race. He was a Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, but God would not be Himself if only the God of the Jews; and the Gentiles were to glorify God for His mercy. We have then the five thousand fed, the same general principle; only now, I believe, the sovereign patience of God.
In chapter 16., the church, as built by Himself, takes the place of Jewish Messiahship, and chapter 17., the kingdom in glory. Thus we have the kingdom, as it is at present; the church, as built by Christ; and the heavenly glory of the kingdom, taking the place of the earthly Messiah. This is the point I desired to reach, which, indeed, characterizes all that follows—the revelation
.of the heavenly glory on earth, what will be in the world to come, and was now revealed to establish the faith of the disciples; though the Father's house is yet a better portion. It is found in the description of this scene in Luke 9, where they enter into the cloud from which the Father's voice came. For the scene itself see 2 Peter 1:16-1916For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: (2 Peter 1:16‑19) (reading “the word of prophecy confirmed"). I have gone through the previous chapters because they lead up to the rejection of the Jews, and the new character in which Christ's Person and work were to be displayed. Here (chap. 16:20), they are forbidden to say to any one that He was the Christ. We find the same injunction in Luke 9:2121And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; (Luke 9:21): that ministry was over. Here He fells them the Son of man must suffer and rise again. The Son of man was about to come in the glory of His Father with His angels. So Luke 9:22-2722Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. 23And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. 27But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:22‑27).
In a word, the suffering Son of man and the glory that should follow, take the place of Messiah on earth, now disowned there, and even forbidden to be any more preached. Thus the beginning of Psa. 2, was now before him, bringing about in another way the purposes there spoken of, and Psa. 8, in part accomplished as spoken of in Heb. 2 But the old things of Messiah on earth were over, redemption was about to be accomplished, and the new things of a glorified man introduced. In Matt. 17:22,2322And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: 23And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry. (Matthew 17:22‑23), this rejection is pressed on the, disciples, and then comes, the blessed and touching way in which He shown them their association with Himself, as Son. of God, in the new place into which He is introducing His people.
The tribute here spoken of is not tribute to the civil power; but the didrachma which every grown-up Jew paid for the temple service, and which they had voluntarily imposed upon them selves in Ezra's time—a tribute to Jehovah. The question which the collectors put to Peter was really whether his Master was a good Jew according to the, earthly system now passing away. Peter, with the zeal so often there, yet in ignorance, at once answers " Yes." The Lord then shows divine knowledge of what had been passing by anticipating Peter, to introduce, in touching grace the new place He was giving to Peter and those with, him. " Of whom," says, the Lord, "do the kings of the, earth take custom or tribute, of their, own children, or of strangers? " Peter replies "of strangers." " Then," says the Lord, " are the children free." We are the children, I and you, of the great King of the temple, and as such, free from the tribute. " Notwithstanding,, lest we should offend them "—bringing in Peter, as one of the children of the great King with Himself free, but not, willing to offend; and then shows, not, divine knowledge, but, divine power over creation. '''Go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a, stater [two didrachmas]; that take, and give unto them for Me and thee; " showing now is divine power over creation, making the fish bring just what was wanted. And then again He Puts Peter with Himself in the place, of sonship by the overwhelming, but unspeakably gracious Words, " Give unto them for Me and thee,"
Do our hearts echo these words, moved to their foundations? If Christ said " Me and thee” to us, how should we feel it? Yet He does say it. It is when a rejected Messiah; His Person and the effect of His work too (but the expression of HiS boundless grace in it) come forth to; give us our place in the purposes of God, but as His heart de lights to see it and make us see it too. Oh! for the Son of God to say to such an one as me, " Me and thee." I know it is the effect of redemption, but of a redemption He has accomplished, and a redemption which gives us a place 'where He shall See of the travail of His soul and be satisfied—in seeing us in a blessing which only His heart; which answers to the Father's counsels could have thought of for But what a comment of Christ’s heart On the ways of God unfolded in the 'foregoing chapter! Thinking first of us to apply it.