Matthew 17:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He frequently informs them of the impending suffering, so they do not mistakenly believe that He endures it involuntarily, and to help them prepare and remain untroubled by the unforeseen occurrence when it arrives.

He led the first apostles to the mountain and unveiled the glory with which He would illuminate the world in His appointed time. Upon descending from the mountain, He freed a man from a malevolent and tormenting spirit. It was essential that He endure a redemptive suffering for us and bear the ignorance of the Jewish people. Understandably, the disciples were troubled by the situation, pondering among themselves, "How can it be that He who has raised so many from death by divine power, who commanded the winds and spirits, and who vanquished Satan with a mere word, is now being ensnared by those who crave His demise? Have we been misled into believing Him to be God?" To reveal the entirety of the future to them, He discloses the mystery of suffering.

Following the miraculous acts He had carried out, Jesus departed from that location, as recorded by the Evangelist Mark, and traveled with His disciples throughout Galilee. While in Galilee, He predicted to His disciples the betrayal by Judas, along with His impending suffering and death, so that this revelation would not catch them off guard (Mark 9:31). Understanding that this announcement deeply sadded them, He also spoke of His resurrection on the third day to help ease their troubled hearts.

As they were in Galilee, St. Matthew notes that while the crowd was amazed by Jesus' actions, He took the opportunity to remind His disciples of His impending sufferings. Jesus said to them, "Do not be swayed by the admiration expressed by the crowds for My miracles. This very people will abandon Me. Allow these words to bolster your faith in My divine identity, but do not assume that I will exploit their affection to proclaim Myself as the Messiah, the victor they anticipate. Hear clearly the words: 'The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men.'"

The Lord, upon stepping away from the gathering of individuals, continued His path in relative obscurity. He devoted more time to His disciples and periodically reminded them that the Son of Man would be handed over to mankind, would suffer death, and on the third day following His death, would rise again. Yet, the disciples remained perplexed by this prophecy. Although they were disheartened by the grim predictions they heard, they hesitated to inquire of Him about their meaning and the necessity behind them.

Following the occurrences on the Mount of Transfiguration and at its base, Jesus Christ, as recorded by Mark, went through Galilee and wished to keep this journey unknown to others. Thus, His passage through Galilee was veiled in secrecy. The reasoning behind Christ's desire to travel discreetly in Galilee at this point is revealed in Mark 9:31; He needed to devote His attention entirely to His disciples, preparing them for the trials of His impending sufferings and death. It is clear from subsequent Gospel narratives (Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 9:51) that this journey marked the last before His move to Judea. Here, the Lord once again (Mark 8:31-32) foretells His impending suffering to His disciples. Luke ties this prediction to the profound impact that Jesus’ miracles had on the crowd.

Arrival at Capernaum It has been previously noted that after teaching on the bread of life, Jesus sought solitude away from the crowds, desiring to be alone with His disciples. As He made His way to Capernaum, Jesus traveled through Galilee, wanting to remain unnoticed. The apostles were reluctant to accept that the genuine Messiah, destined to redeem the Jewish people, could face suffering and death; this notion conflicted with their expectations of the Messiah. Thus, the prospect of Jesus’ death could momentarily weaken their faith in Him until His resurrection. Consequently, during their last private moments together, Christ repeatedly emphasized that He was destined to die according to His Father's plan, but He would also rise again on the third day.

"In Galilee": refer to the commentary on Matthew 2:22. - "He shall be delivered," etc.: this echoes what was communicated to them following the transfiguration (Matt. 16:21). The Lord recognized that the disciples particularly required an awareness of the impending nature of His suffering, death, and resurrection (see note on Matthew 16:21). Consequently, He reiterates these truths to reinforce them in their hearts and minds.

From the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus Christ made His way toward Capernaum, intentionally keeping His presence a secret as He traveled through Galilee. Along the journey, He reiterated to His disciples the foreboding events that awaited Him in Jerusalem. This was done so that they would not perceive His suffering as forced, allowing them to mentally prepare for the suffering ahead and not to be taken by surprise when it occurred.