His lament in Matthew 17:17, how long am I to be with you?
reminds us of Isaiah 46:4: that God will continue to carry and bear the people until the very end. Jesus’ words also echo the Wisdom of God (Proverbs 1:22): eternally present with the Father (Proverbs 8:22–31), incarnated to bring salvation and God-given life (Proverbs 8:35–36), but rejected by his own people (Proverbs 1:24–25, Proverbs 1:29–30), and then again disappearing (Proverbs 1:28, see also Matthew 23:37–39). Jesus’ lament especially contrasts the transfiguration on the top of the mount with the illness, demon-oppression, and ignorance at its foot.
Jesus’ lament echoes Deuteronomy 32:1–52, in his being faced with Israel’s unbelief at the foot of the mountain, as Moses was. He also shows that he is the Son of God, for he adopts Yahweh’s own complaint, showing his authority over the people, and thus is due all honour. The Lord himself is coming to his people in Jesus.
Jesus’s words show that his work among the people is not due to their merit. Although this people continues to disappoint God, he still labours among them until he has brought deliverance, showing how Jesus’ presence in this faithless, twisted generation, motivated by love for them, aims at their salvation.
The lamentation of Jesus in Matthew 17:17, how long am I to be with you?
reminds us on the one hand of Isaiah 46:4, where God tells the people that he will continue to carry and bear the people until the very end. On the other hand these words of Jesus also echo the Wisdom of God (Proverbs 1:22) who had been eternally present with the Father (Proverbs 8:22–31), and was incarnated on earth to bring salvation and God-given life (Proverbs 8:35–36), but who would be rejected by his own people (Proverbs 1:24–25, Proverbs 1:29–30), and who will thereafter again disappear (Proverbs 1:28, see also Matthew 23:37–39). This lamentation on the part of Jesus bears witness to the difference between heaven and earth, amplified by the contrast between the transfiguration on the top of the mount and the illness, demon-oppression, and ignorance at its foot.1
Jesus’ lamentation alludes to Deuteronomy 32:1–52, where he makes it clear that he is now being confronted by Israel’s unbelief and their unwillingness at the foot of the mountain, just as Moses. He also demonstrates that he is the Son of God, for he adopts the complaint of Yahweh himself, showing that he has the power of disposition over the people, and he is due all honour. It is the Lord himself who comes to his people when Jesus of Nazareth descends down the mountain.2
These words of Jesus clearly show that he is not active among the people because they somehow merited being blessed by his presence. Jesus is not motivated by optimism about humanity—quite the opposite. Even though this generation, as Israel, the people, are weary and continually disappoint God, he nonetheless comes down to them and remains labouring among them until he has realized the goal of God’s deliverance. It thereby becomes evident that Jesus’ presence among the people, motivated by his own love for them, is purposefully directed toward the salvation of this faithless and twisted generation.3
17 Race incrédule et perverse, répondit Jésus, jusqu'à quand serai-je avec vous? jusqu'à quand vous supporterai-je? Amenez-le-moi ici.