The Transfiguration
17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.Listen to him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.
There is so much more to this passage than I've ever thought. I really appreciated John MacArthur's sermon (actually, he was 3 sermons on this passage, but I just listened to the last one).
He points out several incredibly interesting things.....
Jesus' transfiguration is a lifting of the veil of humanity, allowing Peter, James and John a glimpse of the shining, glorious, radiant, dazzling light - the Shekinah of God. This was very obviously an incredible testimony to His deity. Followed by the testimony of the saints - Moses and Elijah, talking about (according to Luke) His death. And then, incredibly and terrifyingly, God speaks confirming the Sonship and deity of Christ and that He is following the plan exactly as prescribed, and commands the disciples to listen to Him. And the disciples are terrified.
Why are people so afraid in the presence of God? What scares them so much? Well, you see, God is infinitely holy and men are hopelessly sinful....And sinners in the presence of an infinitely holy God always feel like they need to hide. That's just how it is.
The transfiguration takes place during the week long Festival of Booths (which explains Peter's thought process). The Festival of Tabernacles/Booths was to commemorate the deliverance of the people of Israel from Egypt and into the promised land - and during the 40 years of wandering in between, they lived in tents or booths. And the Festival of Booths (or Tabernacles) is the only week long festival that will be present in the Kingdom. The Passover will be celebrated, the communion table remembered, and the Festival of Booths - because it is a picture of redemption, of leading us out of the bondage of sin and into the promise. Isn't that beautiful?
MacArthur describes the tapestry of this scene and it's pretty amazing. Christ is the centre of this picture and He will be the centre of the Second Coming, in glory and power, as seen here.
Secondly, Zechariah 14:4 says that when He comes His feet will touch the Mount of Olives. And this preview happens on a mountain, just as the reality will.
Thirdly, when Christ returns He will return with His saints and to His saints. Moses represents the dead believers, and Elijah (because he was taken up into heaven and did not experience death) represents believers who will be alive at the Second Coming of Jesus.
What a beautiful preview of the Second Coming!
V11-13 are slightly confusing, but MacArthur maintains that Jesus meant both that one like Elijah had already come (in John the Baptist) and that one like Elijah would come again, before the actual Second Coming.
Tomorrow's scripture focus: Matthew 17:14-21
1 comment:
Wow, that is very cool! Great info!
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