The Meaning of Matthew 17:7 Explained

Matthew 17:7

KJV: And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

YLT: and Jesus having come near, touched them, and said, 'Rise, be not afraid,'

Darby: And Jesus coming to them touched them, and said, Rise up, and be not terrified.

ASV: And Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  Jesus  came  and touched  them,  and  said,  Arise,  and  be  not  afraid. 

What does Matthew 17:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 17:1-8 - Jesus Shows Divine Glory
Moses' face shone after having absorbed the divine glory, as some diamonds burn with sunlight after being carried into a dark room. Stephen's face shone because for a moment he had seen the Son of man. But the face of our Lord shone, not from without but from within. The shekinah of His heart was for the most part hidden, but here it burst through the frail veil of flesh, John 1:14.
The Apostle uses the same word when he says, "Be ye transfigured," Romans 12:2. He does not mean that for a brief moment we should see and reflect our Lord's face. He wants us to enshrine Him in our hearts, and then to rid ourselves of all hindering veils, so that the light of the knowledge of the glory of God may make even the common garb of daily drudgery beautiful.
This was the great climax of our Lord's earthly life, when He definitely turned away from the glory that was set before Him, to endure the Cross for our redemption. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 17

1  The transfiguration of Jesus
14  He heals the boy with a demon,
22  foretells his own passion,
24  and pays tribute

Greek Commentary for Matthew 17:7

And touched them [και απσαμενος αυτων]
Tenderness in their time of fear. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 17:7 mean?

And having come to [them] - Jesus having touched them He said Rise up not be afraid
Καὶ προσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς ἁψάμενος αὐτῶν εἶπεν Ἐγέρθητε μὴ φοβεῖσθε

προσῆλθεν  having  come  to  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: προσέρχομαι  
Sense: to come to, approach.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
ἁψάμενος  having  touched 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἅπτω  
Sense: to fasten one’s self to, adhere to, cling to.
εἶπεν  He  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Ἐγέρθητε  Rise  up 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Passive, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἐγείρω  
Sense: to arouse, cause to rise.
φοβεῖσθε  be  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Middle or Passive, 2nd Person Plural
Root: φοβέομαι 
Sense: to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away).