Matthew 17:8

8 And [when they] lifted up their eyes they saw no one except him--Jesus alone.

Matthew 17:8 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 17:8

And when they had lift up their eyes
And "looked round about", as Mark says, to see whether the same objects still continued, as Moses and Elias; and the bright cloud:

they saw no man;
neither Moses nor Elias, who were both gone: signifying, that though the law and the prophets were till this time, they were now finished and completed, and the Mosaic economy was to be no more; as these men appeared no more after, nor will they till the second coming of Christ. And Mark has it, "they saw no man any more"; that is, these men any more, neither then, nor afterwards, "save Jesus only". Mark adds, "with themselves"; in the same form as before his transfiguration. Christ is the only Mediator, Saviour, and Redeemer; the only Prophet, Priest, and King; and who only is to be, and can be beheld as such; and who does, and will abide with his people; and helps, comforts, and saves them, when none else can. Luke observes, that "when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone"; which was so ordered, that it might be a clear case, that this voice was only concerning Christ, and not either Moses or Elias.

Matthew 17:8 In-Context

6 And [when] the disciples heard [this], they fell down on their faces and were extremely frightened.
7 And Jesus came and touched them [and] said, "Get up and do not be afraid."
8 And [when they] lifted up their eyes they saw no one except him--Jesus alone.
9 And [as] they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them saying, "Tell no one the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead."
10 And the disciples asked him, saying, "Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("lifted up") which is understood as temporal
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.