Mat 17:3 | 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 17:3

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).