Matthew 17:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men,

NIV: When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.

NASB: And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be handed over to men;

CSB: As they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.

NLT: After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, 'The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.

KJV: And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

NKJV: Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men,

Jesus and the disciples are gathering in Galilee. This may refer to their return to Galilee from Caesarea Philippi in the north (Matthew 16:13). It might also mean re-gathering after being separated into two groups, with Peter, James, and John following Jesus to the top of the mountain for the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–2).

This is not the first time that Christ has mentioned His coming death and resurrection. Matthew 16:21 mentions a recent incident where He referred to this impending series of events. This was the moment Peter tried to rebuke Jesus and Jesus rebuked Peter, instead, as if he were Satan (Matthew 16:22–23).

Now, Jesus adds a new detail about what will soon happen to Him. He says that He, "the Son of Man," is about to be delivered into the hands of men. In other words, someone is going to turn Jesus over to the people who will kill Him. It's not clear from this verse if Jesus means that the one doing the delivering will be Judas in his betrayal of Jesus or, perhaps, God the Father in His work of offering Jesus as the sacrifice for sin.

What's clear is that, though the disciples are distressed by Jesus saying this, they still don't understand what He means.

Matthew 17:22–27 begins with Jesus once again predicting His death at the hands of religious enemies in Jerusalem (Matthew 16:21). Collectors of the annual two-drachma temple tax approach Peter and ask if Jesus will pay. Jesus explains to Peter why He is exempt from the tax, but He says that He will pay it to avoid giving offense over the issue. He commands Peter to pay the tax for them both: by catching a fish in which he will find a coin sufficient for the task.

Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain. There, they see Him "transfigured" into a shining, divine form. They also see Christ speaking with Moses and Elijah but are commanded not to speak of this event until later. Jesus heals a demon-afflicted boy after the disciples cannot cast the demon out. Jesus very clearly tells the disciples He will be delivered into the hands of men, killed, and raised on the third day. After explaining why He is exempt from a temple tax, Jesus agrees to pay it and tells Peter to find the money in the mouth of a fish.

Matthew 17 begins with the fulfillment of Jesus' prediction at the end of the previous chapter: that some of those present would not die before seeing Him coming in His kingdom. Jesus casts out a demon, predicts His death, and commands Peter to pay a temple tax with a coin from the mouth of a fish. This leads Matthew back to extensive records of Jesus' teachings, continuing through chapter 20.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.