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We have seen in the last three lessons the "highs" and the "lows" of a great man called Peter. We saw Peter, led of the Spirit, declare the true identity of Jesus Then we saw him, led of Satan, becoming a "stumbling block" to the mission of Jesus. In this lesson, just 6 days later (Luke says 8 days), Peter, along with James is allowed to view the "transfiguration" of Jesus. Also they were allowed to see the resurrected bodies of Moses and Elijah. Surly this was a "mountain top" experience.
The three accounts are similar. Matthew explains who the second Elijah was, John the Baptist. Mark and Luke do not. Luke tells something of what Jesus talked about with Moses and Elijah. Matthew and Mark do not. Luke simply states that Jesus spoke of His death which was to be accomplished at Jerusalem. For the purpose of this study, we will use the account in Matthew.
For the most part, Christ' life here on earth was a humble and abased life of suffering and affliction. There were, however, glimpses of His Glory at His birth and baptism. This story relates the greatest of those glimpses of His Glory, prior to His resurrection.
Notice the circumstances of His transfiguration. The word transfiguration simply means, "a supernatural experience". Notice it happen some 6 or 8 days after His efforts to tell His Disciples about the cross. Notice also, that it took place on top of a high mountain. This mountain is not identified here but tradition says it was Mt. Hermon, not far from Caesarea Philippi.
Why did Jesus choose a mountain? Well the mountain was away from the multitudes, quite high and difficult to climb. It was snow capped during the winter season. And again let us remind ourselves that Jesus never did anything unless it was a learning or teaching experience for the Disciples.
The lesson here was to teach the necessity of separating ourselves from the world to maintain a close communion with God. Jesus always retired, lifted up His eyes and sought after heavenly things. The mountain was symbolic of this.
Notice who He took with Him. Peter, James and John, sometimes called the "inner circle". Why three? There is an old saying, one witness is just one persons word. Two witnesses will almost always disagree. Three witnesses will collaborate, each supporting the other. Thus Jesus chose three Disciples.
Now lets look and try to understand what happened up there on the mountain. Matthew says that He was "transfigured" before them. They had a "super natural" experience. Notice the characteristics of His appearance. His body remained recognizable, it did not turn into a Spirit, but it did reflect the Glory of a "resurrected body". His face shown as the sun, meaning, according to the Greek, it was clear, bright and glorious. His cloths were white as light, similar to the face of Moses when he came down from Mt. Sinai.
Now lets look at His Heavenly Companions. They were Moses and Elijah. Why Moses and Elijah? What did these two men represent? Moses represented the Law. Elijah represented the Prophets. Jesus represented God's Grace. All three bore record of this on earth.
Now, this appearance bares many questions.
We know from this event that the answer to number 2 and 4 is yes. How else would the three disciples know that the two men that they saw were Moses and Elijah? Both had lived hundreds of years before.
What did Jesus talk about with the two men? Only Luke gives us a clue. He spoke to them of the same things that He had spoken to the Disciples a short time before, His trial, His death and His resurrection. Did the Disciples hear what transpired between Jesus and Moses and Elijah? We are not told here in these accounts but Matthew Henry, in describing the benefits that the 3 Disciples received, says, They saw them, they heard them, they knew who they were, and though they were confused, they had great pleasure and satisfaction."
Notice Peter speaks for the three, "Lord, it is good for us to be here." "Let us build three tabernacles." The question is, why did Peter want to build three tabernacles? They actually wanted to build three dwellings. They did not want to leave the mountaintop. People, who are experiencing a spiritual renewal, do not want to go home. I have heard that people who have experienced an "out of body" experience, never want to return to their bodies. They desired to stay there indefinitely. But as usual, they were not thinking to well. What need did Moses and Elijah has for a dwelling? Jesus had just admonished Peter for trying to keep Him from His appointed date in Jerusalem. The Son of Man had nor did He need a place to lay His head. But Peter did learn something from the last time, this time He submitted the proposal to the wisdom of Jesus and Luke says that Jesus knew that Peter did not know what he was saying so Jesus, considering his frame, simply ignored it.
While they stood there on the mountain, several things took place. The first was a testimony from God concerning His Son, Jesus. There appeared a "cloud", many times used as a visible symbol of God's presence, and out of the cloud the voice of God declared, "This is my beloved Son, hear ye Him." The same voice that spoke at His baptism. Was there any significance in the timing, saying this immediately after the Disciples had seen Moses and Elijah? Yes there was. Remember these Disciples were Jews and they had been listening to Moses and the Prophets for centuries. Now they must listen to Jesus.
Notice how the Disciples reacted when they heard the voice of God. "They fell on their faces", certainly out of reverence and fear. What did Jesus do then? "He touched them, and said, Arise and do not be afraid." Oh, the joy, the healing, the peace of the touch of the Master's hand. We do not know what they expected to see when they arose and opened their eyes, it simply says, "They opened their eyes and saw only Jesus." The cloud had gone, Moses had gone and Elijah had gone.
On closing this beautiful story, we read how Jesus talked to them as they came down the mountain. The Disciples must have had many questions. Jesus anticipating them began to instruct them. He first charged them not to tell anyone of what they had just seen. "Tell no one about this until after the resurrection." Obviously the Disciples were confused, but they were trying to understand. Still mulling over the events of the last few weeks including the one they had just seen, along with the news of His death and resurrection, coupled with the pronouncement from God that Jesus was His son, therefore the Messiah, they could not justify all of this with what the Scribes had always said. They said that Elijah would come first before the Messiah. They asked Jesus if this was so and Jesus said, yes, and then He explained. Elijah had returned in the form of John the Baptist. His mission was to prepare the way for the Messiah, preach repentance and spiritual renewal. The Jewish leaders had killed John because they did not understand his mission. What they had done to John they would do to Jesus.
We do not know or understand how Elijah returned in the form of John the Baptist. Matthew Henry believes that the mission of Elijah in the 9th. century BC., that of preparing the way of the Lord, was taken up by John the Baptist in the 1st. century AD. Thus John became a form of Elijah but the leaders of Israel were so busy criticizing the scripture that they did not recognize it when it was fulfilled. Whatever the reason for our lack of understanding, it did not apply to the Disciples for Matthew says the Disciples understood what he had said to them about John the Baptist.
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