The Teachings of Jesus

Sermon Sixty-Eight

Matthew 17:1-13

by

Jim Bordwine, ThD

Introduction

This passage is referred to as “the transfiguration.” This designation comes from the fact that the Savior appears in a form that is extraordinary compared to how He was seen during His time on earth. This episode is even more unusual because it is an exception to a dominant theme in the Lord’s experience, which is His humility. In theology, the experience of God becoming a Man is referred to as His state of humiliation. It means that He endured that which God does not have to endure because of His greatness and glory.

For example, Jesus was born of a woman in a very lowly circumstance—hardly fitting, we would say, for the Son of God. As He remained on this earth, Jesus hungered and grew weary—again, these are not issues God would ever know had He not come in our flesh. In addition, there are many occasions where Jesus is insulted and mistreated. As God, He would never be subjected to such things. As the God-Man, however, Jesus accepted such treatment because it was part of His experience of coming into this world to rescue us.

Of course, Christ’s power and authority are often displayed when He commands demons or performs miracles. But even then, His glory is obscured. So there were many ready to admit Jesus had unusual power and might be, therefore, a prophet of God. Very few, however, concluded that He was, in fact, God in the flesh. That truth was rarely revealed. The passage we are about to read is one of those incidents during which the divine glory of the Savior is revealed—to a degree and only briefly.

The Text

Matthew 17:1 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. 7 And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” 8 And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” 10 And His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; 12 but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

The Teaching

One of the curious aspects of this incident has to do with the question of which disciples were present. Peter, John, and John’s brother James are the only disciples included. There has been much speculation concerning why these three and not the others were permitted to witness this incredible event. There is, however, no definitive answer to that question. Peter is the disciple who, after some refinement, shows himself to be a leader in the early Church. John is the disciple who was closest to the Savior. And James is destined to be the first of the disciples to seal his testimony with his own blood. These are three prominent figures without question, but that doesn’t necessarily explain why Jesus took them with Him on this occasion. The truth is, we just don’t know for sure why these three were given this privilege among all the disciples. As I will illustrate later, however, we have evidence that this event was never forgotten by the disciples and had a significant impact on them.

Matthew introduces this story with a time marker. Six days after the last incident in which Jesus spoke to the disciples about the essential character of self-denial, He leads the three disciples just mentioned “up on a high mountain.” (v. 1) Matthew specifies that they were alone at that point. Then, he records, “[Jesus] was transfigured before them . . .” (v. 2a) I’ll pause here to explain that the word translated “transfigured” (metamorphoo) normally means “to change into another form.” It may also be used in reference to a change in appearance, rather than a change in substance. This is probably the way it should be understood in this passage. Jesus doesn’t change into something else—another “substance,” that is; He does, however, undergo a change in His appearance.

The change in appearance is caused when an aspect of the Lord’s divinity is made manifest. Specially, Matthew describes it when he adds that the Savior’s face “shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.” (v. 2b) You can tell that Matthew is pressing the limitations of language to describe the appearance of Jesus—a face shining like the sun and garments the most brilliant white imaginable. He attempts to convey to the reader an image we can only imagine.

Such a display in Scripture is uniquely related to heavenly beings, God in particular. We understand, of course, that intense brightness symbolizes the purity of God—His absolute holiness, the absence of any imperfection whatsoever, a state of being unlike any other in the universe. This is what is manifested before Peter, John, and James for a period of time. This was something they had never witnessed before. Although they saw Jesus do many miraculous things, they had not seen His glory revealed. So here they are, out on this high mountain, gazing on the Savior in a state that particularly identified Him as God.

All this would be sufficient to make an incredible impact on these three disciples. But Matthew adds that “Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with [Jesus].” (v. 3) This statement raises another question or two. For example, how did the disciples know these figures were Moses and Elijah? We assume Matthew got his information from sources close to the actual event. And, does this story imply that in heaven, we retain the appearance we had when we left this earth? Our curiosity is peaked, to be sure, but there are no answers given for these questions. There is much about this incident that remains a mystery.

We might also ask: Why Moses and Elijah? This question does have a satisfying answer. Most likely, we have here the two figures who most obviously represented the Law and the Prophets. This is a phrase sometimes used to designate the entire Old Testament revelation. At one point, Jesus says that the Law and the Prophets spoke of Him (cf. Luke 24:44). He also proclaimed that He had come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (cf. Matt. 5:17). And when Phillip found his brother Nathaniel to tell him about Jesus, he said “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:45) The meeting of these three figures, therefore, suggests the continuity of the Scriptures from old to new; it also implies the unity of Biblical revelation; Jesus came to fulfill, not replace, what God previously made known to man.

I want to say one more thing before we continue. Although Matthew doesn’t tell us what Moses, Elijah, and Jesus were talking about, Luke’s parallel account does: “[they] were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:31) The Lord’s “departure” was the ordeal He soon would face, which would include His crucifixion and, I would guess, His resurrection. It’s fascinating to speculate about this conversation. Why did they meet to talk about events about to unfold in Jerusalem? Was it a means of encouraging Jesus in His resolve, something like the ministry of the angels later in the Garden of Gethsame when He is nearly overcome with the dread of the cross? Once again we must confess we just don’t know.

As we might expect, Peter has something to say about this: “Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (v. 4) In this case, Peter’s words are not offensive, as is sometimes the case. He is attempting to react properly to this situation. There are two things I want to point out for you. First, take note of Peter’s assessment: “Lord, it is good for us to be here . . .” The word “good” in this phrase is not exactly the same in meaning as our English word “good.” When we say something is “good,” we mean it is acceptable or satisfying. The term used by Peter, however, speaks of the worth of an event or thing. Sometimes, therefore, this word is translated “beautiful” or “excellent” or “precious.”

I think Peter is saying that his presence at this transfiguration is truly a blessing to him and the other two disciples. He recognizes something of spiritual significance in what he sees. This was an event that would fortify his faith and further solidify his calling. Peter concludes that while he may have a lot of questions that have not been answered, what he sees and what he does comprehend represent a wonderful blessing for him and his companions.

The second thing I want to call attention to is Peter’s proposal for three tabernacles. Some commentators criticize Peter for this suggestion. They say he wanted to prolong this moment and avoid what was to come. I don’t doubt he wanted to prolong the moment, but I’m not convinced this is tied directly to his fear of what awaits them in Jerusalem. Remember that the disciples are still, even at this late date, confused about the events unfolding. I think, therefore, that Peter is reacting innocently, although in Luke’s account, it is stated the Peter didn’t realize what he was asking. This probably means that Peter didn’t realize that Moses and Elijah were not there to stay or even have a prolonged visit. They had no need of tabernacles or other shelter.

Matthew writes further that while Peter was still speaking, another incredible thing occurred. A bright cloud overshadowed the party and a voice was heard: “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” (v. 5) Even as the disciples are processing what they have seen, they hear a voice coming from above. The voice was accompanied by another remarkable element, which was a “bright cloud” hanging above them. Interestingly, the word translated “overshadowed” can also have the meaning of surround or envelope, meaning the disciples might have found themselves wrapped in the cloud, as it were, as opposed to having it overhead only.

Notice that Matthew says it was a “bright cloud,” meaning that the same brilliant light that was seen around Jesus is now seen in the cloud. We realize that this happens because God is in the cloud, so to speak. He doesn’t reveal Himself, but announces His presence with the appearance of this brightly shining cloud from which the voice comes: “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”

At the time of the Lord’s baptism by John the Baptist, almost the exact same words were spoken. Therefore, at the beginning of the Savior’s public ministry and here near the end, God the Father testifies regarding the identity of Jesus. This is a comforting and encouraging fact to those who received Jesus as the Son of God, that is, as who He claimed to be. But for those who harassed Him, sought to discredit Him, accused Him of having lost His mind, and claimed He was in league with the devil, this testimony from the Father represents their own damnation. Jesus was the Son of God, He was God in the flesh having come to save us from our sin. For the sinner then to look upon Jesus and despise Him, mistreat Him, and accuse Him of lying was a most disgusting transgression. All that Jesus claimed and all He did is verified at this moment when the voice is heard from the cloud.

Sometime later, Peter recorded these words:

2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”— 18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

One of Peter’s emphases as his second letter opens is the certainty of God’s revelation concerning Christ and the gospel. He tells his readers that what he was teaching them was not the result of some “cleverly devised tales,” but was, in fact, the result of his own personal contact with the Savior while He was upon the earth. He declares that he and the other disciples were “eyewitnesses of [Christ’s] majesty.” He means they spent time with Jesus; they saw His miracles. And even beyond that aspect of his personal testimony, Peter adds that he and the others heard with their own ears the testimony of God the Father when they were with the Savior on the mountain—an obvious reference to our present story.

Peter is making the case that he is not passing down a story he heard, but is testifying to what he actually experienced himself. The concept of eyewitness testimony is a significant one in the Bible. It is a means of establishing believability. Those reading Peter’s epistle would have appreciated the implications of these words. To have someone teach you according to what he has been taught is one thing, but to have someone teach you who actually witnessed the events about which he speaks is far more effective.

We’ve all read exciting stories in our lives. Some writers are quite gifted when it comes to creating a mental context for a story. But, by far, the most convincing story-telling comes from the one who actually lived it. That is the case here. Peter was one of only three men who were present on that day on the mountain when God Himself made a declaration concerning Jesus. His word was trustworthy, therefore. As I stated previously, what Peter saw on the mountain left a significant impact on him—so much so that he recalled that incident later when he found himself instructing other believers about the certainty of the gospel.

Getting back to our text, we can imagine that hearing the voice of God would have a definite impact on any person. When God spoke and told the three disciples with Jesus “this is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased,” they were struck, no doubt, by the unexpected nature of this encounter, and they certainly never forgot it. There could be no doubt about the identity of Jesus. God’s statement regarding His Son includes assurance that Jesus was on this earth to do His Father’s will and, as a result, the Father reveals His pleasure with His Son.

And then a strong word of command is given to the disciples: “Listen to Him.” A simple phrase, perhaps, but a lifetime’s worth of application is to be found in those three words. When the Father said “Listen to Him,” He’s referring to the One just designated as His own Son. “Listen to My Son,” God commands. This means that the Father has sent One into this world with information we need to hear. Whatever the Son says, the Father instructs, you are to listen to it, believe it, and follow it. With this command from the Father, we are safe to conclude that there could be no more secure pathway in all the world than to live according to the words of Jesus. He is the one source God has given us by which we may know Him and have fellowship with Him.

Let me add one observation here: Anyone who suggests that there is no alternative to living in this world with much uncertainty and frequent doubt as if we have no way of knowing how life is to be pursued happily and prosperously is simply wrong! God has provided us with a perfect source of knowledge and a flawless Guide—and that is Jesus Christ. That is why God the Father says, “Listen to Him.” He can reveal all that is necessary for us to live in peace; He can tell us how to find forgiveness for our sins; He can teach us regarding how to structure our lives so that they truly count for God’s honor.

The sound of God’s voice from the cloud was too much for the disciples: “When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified.” (v. 6) Understandably, the disciples have this reaction to what they have seen and heard. I’ve noted before when looking at other texts that being in God’s presence is a frightening concept. It is not an occasion that sets one at perfect ease so that one can relax. On the contrary, as Biblical stories sometimes illustrate, the presence of God is of such purity, such gravity, and so foreign to what we know in this world, that it results in extreme fright.

In this case, Matthew says the disciples fell to the ground and were terrified. No threat has been made against them; not a single thing has happened to make them think they might be harmed. It was the purity of God that caused them, as creatures, to experience this panic. They chose the ground and probably would have gone under the ground if possible. Adam behaved in a similar fashion after he sinned and God came looking for him in the Garden; brave Gideon had such an experience when he encountered the angel of the LORD; Isaiah, as we all know, expected death when he had a vision of God in His holy dwelling place; Daniel experienced such holy fear as he had a vision; and the list could go on. As creatures, without the help of God, we cannot even be in His presence without being undone.

The disciples, still face down, hear the Savior say “Get up, and do not be afraid” as He touches them (v. 7). They were now alone with Jesus and Matthew records not a word from them (v. 8). As they made their way down the mountain, Jesus gave them a command: “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” (v. 9) Here again we have an example of the Lord’s awareness of what He is going to face in Jerusalem. He knows He is going to die, but He also knows that He is gong to rise from the dead. That will signal His triumph over the powers of darkness and His success in delivering His people from the wrath to come. Then, the Savior says in essence, “speak all you desire about what you have witnessed. That will be the time for you to testify regarding what you have heard and seen.”

The disciples did have questions. They now feel free to ask one: “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” (v. 10) This question sounds a bit odd. It seems that the disciples are puzzled about the sequence of events. They had been taught that the Messiah would come after Elijah reappeared. This was the common Jewish expectation. Now Jesus is talking about ending His ministry and dying in Jerusalem. They had probably already wondered about the fact that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, yet Elijah had not arrived. But now Jesus is talking about His death which would certainly conclude His ministry. If He is, indeed, the Messiah, where is Elijah? If Jesus is the Savior, as He claimed to be, the disciples are puzzled because the Savior wasn’t supposed to appear until Elijah returned to the earth. The scribes, the authorities of Scripture, said to look for Elijah first, then the Messiah.

The extremely simple solution is the one provided by Jesus: “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” (v. 12) Jesus, of course, is referring to the ministry of John the Baptist. The prediction of Elijah’s return was fulfilled in John the Baptist. And, as Jesus said, the Jews mistreated him instead of listening to him. The same will happen to Me, the Savior states. Now the disciples understood (v. 13). One like Elijah was to come and had, in fact, already come and died. Now their Master would encounter the same hateful reaction from the Jews.

Application

When God gave His testimony concerning Jesus, He added that short phrase, “Listen to Him!” What do you think He meant? Couldn’t the disciples already here Jesus when He spoke? Yes, of course they could hear Him. They had been with Him for a while and had heard Him speak and teach and pray dozens of times. But God says to them: “Listen to Him!” It’s as if the disciples were listening, but not listening. And that is exactly what is going on. In the Hebrew mind, to listen involved more than simply hearing the sounds made by someone’s voice. To hear implied contemplation of what was spoken. To truly hear, a man would respond with compliance. A worship demonstrated he really heard Moses or heard God speak when he obeyed the words and when he made attempts to conform himself to those words. This means that in the Hebrew mind, to hear is to obey.

If we ask now, what point was God making when He told the disciples to listen to His beloved Son, the answer is that He was exhorting them to obey His Son. They had, of course, heard much from Jesus, as I noted, but they had not conformed to His teaching as completely as they should; nor were they distinguishing themselves by consistent obedience to the principles taught by the Savior. So that is what God meant by the command. He is telling the disciples to act on what Jesus says, to bring their thinking and conduct into line with what the Savior taught. And this exhortation comes because, as implied, the disciples were not yet known for their humble and thankful practice of what Jesus taught.

Put yourself in the place of the disciples for a moment. If God were to come and speak to you and repeat His approval of His Son and then add, “Listen to Him!”, what would that mean to you? Would you respond, “Wait a minute, I do listen to Jesus. I am a Christian. I believe He is my Savior.” Well, weren’t the disciples listening to Jesus, in terms of hearing His words? And didn’t the disciples believe Jesus was the Savior? (Remember that Peter recently made the confession that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.) And yet, God commanded those men: “Listen to Him!”, as if something was lacking in their response to Christ. And we know what was lacking; what was missing was their absolute trust in Him and absolute commitment to Him. The events in Jerusalem will soon show the weaknesses in the loyalty of the disciples. They were not truly listening to Jesus; they were not yet fully dedicated to knowing and doing His will. Doubt and spiritual laziness remained and those elements will soon be revealed when the Savior is taken into custody.

Do you suppose, therefore, that if God did say to you, “Listen to Him!”, there would a reason to say it? Is it possible that, like these disciples, you are hearing Jesus, but not truly listening to Him? Remember that Hebrew concept of hearing—to hear is to obey. To truly hear involves more that distinguishing sounds on the ear drum. To hear is to obey. To hear God meant obedience to God. His word was heard when His people lived by His word. This concept has not changed. It’s not just in the Old Testament that we find this principle. Throughout Scripture, a distinction is made between hearing and truly listening.

Consider the state of your life. Consider where you are right now. The character of your life reveals whether you are hearing Christ only or truly listening to Him in the Biblical sense. If you were to assess yourself honestly, would you find areas where you have heard the Lord’s words, but have not put them into practice? Are there aspects of your walk with the Savior that reveal your failure to implement what you’ve heard from Him and in His word—anything in your marriage, anything in your relationship to your family, anything in the use of your time and resource, anything in the goals you’ve set for yourself? Is there anything in your life that betrays your claim of being a follower of Christ? Would God have any reason to look at you, in your present state, and command: “Listen to Him!”?

Let’s pray…

Communion hymn

Conclusion

The Lord’s Supper is a weekly reminder that we are, in fact, commanded to listen to the Savior, meaning that we are reminded every week that we have a duty to fulfill and that duty is to know what pleases Christ and live according to what we know. This is a life-long process. Throughout all our days, we are learning how to listen to Christ with greater success and with greater discernment. This sacrament declares to us that this is our obligation because of what Jesus did for us. We belong to Him and we are, therefore, called to live for Him. He is, of course, ready to assist us—patiently, lovingly, and gently assist us to break sinful habits and develop righteous practices.

If necessary, then, call upon the Savior now and ask for His aid. Confess to Him your desire to hear Him in the truest sense of the term.

We read of the establishment of this sacrament in Matt. 26:

28 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.”