And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them,
The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
All Commentaries on Matthew 17:22 Go To Matthew 17
John Chrysostom
AD 407
In case they say “Why do we delay here so long?” again he tells them about his Passion. Hearing of it, they did not even want to see Jerusalem …. Peter had been rebuked, those around Moses and Elijah had spoken with him and had called the thing glory, and … the Father had spoken from above; after so many miracles had taken place and the resurrection was close by (for he said that he would not long remain in death but would rise on the third day)—not even thus could they endure it. But “they were distressed,” and not simply “distressed” but “greatly distressed.” This happened because they did not yet recognize the power of what he said. But Mark and Luke imply it; the former saying that “they did not understand the saying and they were afraid to ask”; the latter saying that “it was concealed from them that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.” Yet if they did not know it, why were they distressed? Because they were not totally ignorant. They knew that he would die, having heard it continually. But as yet they did not know clearly what kind of death this was to be, or that there would be a speedy release from it, or that it would work innumerable blessings, or what this resurrection might be. They did not know it, and so they were distressed, for they greatly adored their Master. The Gospel of Matthew, Homily
