Matthew 17
Jesus told the disciples that when He would go to Jerusalem, He would be put to death. The disciples loved Jesus, and believed He had come to be the great King, so they did not believe He could die, and Peter said,
“This shall not be done unto Thee.” It was wrong not to believe Jesus’ words, and afterward Peter learned that Christ must first suffer for His peoples’ sins before He could rule in power and glory.
Jesus told them that He would rise from death, but they seemed not to notice those words. Then He told them that some of them should soon see His glory (Matt. 16:21-2821From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. 24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 28Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. (Matthew 16:21‑28)). A few days after, that promise came true, Jesus took three of the disciples up on a high mountain with Him, and they saw the wonderful sight of the Lord Jesus, with the glory of Heaven shining about 1Him; His appeance was changed and His clothing was “white as light.”
Two prophets, Moses and Elias (Elijah), who had lived on earth long before, appeared on the mountain, and talked with Jesus. Peter had heard much of those prophets and wanted to honor them, and said three temples should be made on the mountain, one for Jesus, one for Moses, one for Elias.
While Peter was speaking, a bright cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud spoke these words,
“This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him.”
The three disciples were afraid of the Voice, and fell down with their faces on the ground, until Jesus touched them and told them to rise, and not to fear. When they looked up, the two prophets were not there.
Moses and Elias had been faithful prophets and servants to God. But Peter and the others learned that day that God’s Son was far greater than the prophets, and that He was the One God wanted honored.
Jesus told the men not to tell what they had seen on the mountain until after He should be risen from the grave; perhaps that was because He knew those who did not see the glory would not then believe them.
It must have been some years later that Peter wrote of the wonderful sight of Christ’s glory which He saw that day. He said he and the other apostles were not speaking fables (what was untrue) when they told the people of the glory of the Lord Jesus. Because they had seen the honor given to Him by God the Father, and heard the voice saying,
“This is My beloved Son.”
Those men did not doubt that the Lord Jesus is to come with glory, as was wrien by the prophets, and as He told them: but the time for His coming was not told.
ML 07/11/1943