Big Idea: Jesus, now revealed as the suffering Messiah, continues his kingdom ministry of healing, while his disciples demonstrate their “little faith” by their inability to heal as he does.

Understanding the Text

Matthew’s emphasis in the account of the healing in 17:14–20 is on the disciples’ inability to heal (17:19–20) in spite of the authority given them by Jesus to do so (see 10:1, 8). Their inability is tied to their little faith (17:20), already attributed to the disciples at 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8. Matthew continues the story by including Jesus’ second prediction of his coming death and resurrection (17:22–23; see also 16:21; 20:17–19), followed by the story of Jesus and the temple tax. The latter account highlights the freedom of the children in the kingdom of God (17:26), whi…