Mat 17:1-8 | KingComments | STEP | The Lord Jesus takes Peter, James and John up a high mountain. These three disciples are the “some” of the previous verse ( ) to whom He said that they “will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom”. In the scene that follows, they get a taste of what it will be like when the Son of Man comes into His kingdom. This event is introduced with the words “six days later”. Six days is the period of man’s ordinary working hours on earth ( ). When the period of man’s activity is over, the seventh day, the day of rest, comes. The Sabbath, the seventh day, is a picture of the peace of the kingdom of peace. The transfiguration on the mountain gives an impression of this and these disciples are allowed to experience it. The Lord Jesus is the radiant center of that kingdom. All attention is directed to Him. In the presence of the three disciples He is transformed. The Man Who is outwardly indistinguishable from other people, Who for the natural eye has no “[stately] form or majesty” ( ), receives another, impressive, glorious appearance. His face shines like the sun. The sun is the picture of the highest dominion and has dominion over the day ( ). He shall shine like this in the kingdom of peace, over which He shall rise as the Sun of righteousness ( ). Then what Zacharias, the father of John the baptist, prophesies when he speaks of “the Sunrise from on high” which will direct the feet of his people on the way of peace will become fully reality ( ). His garments turning white as the light indicates that all the works of His rule throughout His reign will be perfectly clean and immaculate. He shall exercise this right in a completely transparent manner. Peter understood all that later. He writes in his second letter that he and the other two disciples have “made known … the power and coming of our Lord Jesus” as “eyewitnesses of His majesty”. He also writes about how they have experienced that the Lord Jesus received from God the Father “honor and glory” when “such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My beloved Son with Whom I am well-pleased’”. All this happened when they were “with Him on the holy mountain” ( ). While they are with Him on the mountain, Moses and Elijah appear to them. They do not appear to the Lord Jesus, for they have never been hidden from Him. They are always before Him. Moses and Elijah represent the two pillars on which the Jewish system rests. Moses is the founder of the people in connection with the law. Elijah is the restorer of the relationship between God and the people in connection with the law. The disciples have no problem recognizing them. We see here also that in the resurrection the distinction between persons is maintained, although the earthly relations are over. Both men speak to the Lord Jesus. From the Gospel according to Luke we know that they speak with Him about the path He must tread to get to the kingdom of peace, of which they enjoy a foretaste here ( ).

‏ Matthew 17:1-8

The Transfiguration on the Mountain

The Lord Jesus takes Peter, James and John up a high mountain. These three disciples are the “some” of the previous verse (Mt 16:28) to whom He said that they “will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom”. In the scene that follows, they get a taste of what it will be like when the Son of Man comes into His kingdom.

This event is introduced with the words “six days later”. Six days is the period of man’s ordinary working hours on earth (Exo 20:9). When the period of man’s activity is over, the seventh day, the day of rest, comes. The Sabbath, the seventh day, is a picture of the peace of the kingdom of peace. The transfiguration on the mountain gives an impression of this and these disciples are allowed to experience it. The Lord Jesus is the radiant center of that kingdom. All attention is directed to Him.

In the presence of the three disciples He is transformed. The Man Who is outwardly indistinguishable from other people, Who for the natural eye has no “[stately] form or majesty” (Isa 53:2), receives another, impressive, glorious appearance. His face shines like the sun. The sun is the picture of the highest dominion and has dominion over the day (Gen 1:16). He shall shine like this in the kingdom of peace, over which He shall rise as the Sun of righteousness (Mal 4:2).

Then what Zacharias, the father of John the baptist, prophesies when he speaks of “the Sunrise from on high” which will direct the feet of his people on the way of peace will become fully reality (Lk 1:78-79). His garments turning white as the light indicates that all the works of His rule throughout His reign will be perfectly clean and immaculate. He shall exercise this right in a completely transparent manner.

Peter understood all that later. He writes in his second letter that he and the other two disciples have “made known … the power and coming of our Lord Jesus” as “eyewitnesses of His majesty”. He also writes about how they have experienced that the Lord Jesus received from God the Father “honor and glory” when “such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My beloved Son with Whom I am well-pleased’”. All this happened when they were “with Him on the holy mountain” (2Pet 1:16-18).

While they are with Him on the mountain, Moses and Elijah appear to them. They do not appear to the Lord Jesus, for they have never been hidden from Him. They are always before Him. Moses and Elijah represent the two pillars on which the Jewish system rests. Moses is the founder of the people in connection with the law. Elijah is the restorer of the relationship between God and the people in connection with the law. The disciples have no problem recognizing them. We see here also that in the resurrection the distinction between persons is maintained, although the earthly relations are over.

Both men speak to the Lord Jesus. From the Gospel according to Luke we know that they speak with Him about the path He must tread to get to the kingdom of peace, of which they enjoy a foretaste here (Lk 9:31).

The Father’s Testimony

Peter does not yet understand much of the glory of the Lord Jesus here. In his enthusiasm he proposes to make three tents for the three persons he esteems very highly. In doing so, he falls far short of the glory of Christ. He mentions the Lord first, but he places Him on an equal footing with Moses and Elijah. He sees all three of them as people through whom God has spoken, without realizing that the Lord Jesus is the God of Moses and Elijah.

Peter also places himself too highly by talking about the fact that it is good that “we” are here. However understandable it may be that he wants to hold on to this scene, his words also indicate that he thinks only of himself and not of the other disciples. Above all, it indicates that he has no eye for the work that the Lord Jesus had yet to accomplish. The Lord has spoken about this, but Peter does not pay attention to it.

Then there is the voice of the Father who puts an end to all Peter’s misunderstandings. The Father testifies that Christ is His beloved Son and that He has found pleasure in Him. God is also pleased with people who do His will. However, people always fall short. The Son is the Person in Whom He has been well pleased for all time. The Son is the complete expression of the Father. In everything He does and says, He answers fully to Who the Father is. Therefore He is the Only One Who should be listened to. The only reason to listen to Moses and Elijah when they speak is that they pass on the Son’s words.

The voice of the Father comes from the “bright cloud” that overshadows them. The bright cloud is the same that was always present above the tabernacle. It is the cloud of the glory of God, also called Shekinah by the rabbis, the symbol of God’s dwelling place. Grace can place Moses and Elijah in the same glory as that of the Son of God and connect them to Him. If the ignorant man, in his ignorance, wants to place these three persons next to each other as if they have in themselves the same right to the heart of the believer, it is necessary that the Father stands up immediately for the rights of His Son.

No One Except Jesus Himself Alone

When the three disciples hear the voice of the Father who expresses the pleasure in His Son, they fall on their faces. However, this happens more out of fear than for worship. They are still too attached to the earthly glory to appreciate the heavenly glory. Then the Lord comes to them. He who is used to this voice encourages them, as He always did when He was on earth, and says: “Do not be afraid.” He Who is the pleasure of the Father is with them. So why would they be afraid?

When the disciples lift up their eyes again, Moses and Elijah are gone. They see no one else “except Jesus Himself alone”. That is the purpose God has with our lives as well. He wants to take all support from and appreciation for people away from us, that we may be satisfied with the Son alone. The honor to which His Son is entitled cannot be shared with others. Christ is entitled to our undivided admiration and service. We must pray that God will give us an undivided heart (Psa 86:11).