Jesus and the disciples leave this area and again discusses his death with the disciples. He said that he will be betrayed and killed, but will rise from the dead on the third day. However, the disciples did not understand what he meant, nor did they ask.
This appears to be the second time within a few days that Jesus is discussing his death. The prior time was with Elijah and Moses at the transfiguration. It would seem that Jesus is approaching his own death. They still are in Galilee, but perhaps the next Passover in Jerusalem is when it will happen. This would explain why it is on his mind and that he needs to explain it to the disciples ahead of time.
In Matthew 17, the text discusses an anecdote in which Jesus instructs Simon Peter to catch a fish. There will be a coin in the fish's mouth with which Simon Peter will pay the temple tax. This is a standalone anecdote and it is interesting that Jesus instructs Simon Peter to do something that he did professionally to get the money. Also, Jesus does not dispute the authority or legitimacy of the temple tax, in sharp contrast to the practice of the money changers.
In Mark 9 and Luke 9, there is no interlude about the fish in money. Rather, Jesus mentions his own death, then the disciples start asking who is greatest. On one hand, this might an understandable question given that Jesus had recently taken James, John, and Simon Peter alone up the mountain (but the others did not know what had happened). Likewise, the demon exorcism had shown that the inability of the other disciples to do certain things. Similarly, Jesus had made the comment about Simon Peter to receive the keys of heaven.
However, the proximity to Jesus discussing his own betrayal and death leaves one to wonder at their own self-centeredness. This is made prominent in Mark and Luke which has the anecdotes in textual proximity.
Jesus responds by saying that greatness is linked to being a servant. One must be last and be a servant of all. Jesus then took a child aside and states that anyone who welcomes children welcomes Jesus and the one who sent him.
Jesus never chastises them for asking who is greatest. Rather, Jesus gives a standard of greatness that they probably were not expecting.
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