THE TRANSFIGURATION

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 31, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 13.

THE TRANSFIGURATION

Lesson III.—Sunday, April 17, 1898.

THE TRANSFIGURATION.

NOTE.—The time of this lesson is six days later than that of last week, and the lesson itself shows the fulfilment of the promise made in the last verse of that lesson: “There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom.” With this lesson compare the parallel accounts found in Mark 9:2–29 and Luke 9:28–42. The section includes the transfiguration and the events which immediately follow. Peter makes direct reference to this event in 2 Peter 1:16–18. The mountain upon which the transfiguration occurred is thought by some to have been Mount Hermon, but tradition dating from before the fourth century places it on Mount Tabor, in Galilee.

Lesson Scripture, Matt. 17:1–9, R. V.

1 “And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart; and He was transfigured before them; and His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as the light. 3 And behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with Him. 4 And Peter answered, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here; if Thou wilt, I will make here three tabernacles: one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. 5 While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8 And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, save Jesus only. 9 “And as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen from the dead.”

Golden Text: “We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” John 1:14.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) How long a time after the events of last week’s lesson does the event of to-day’s lesson occur? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) Whom did Jesus take with Him up into the mount? Same verse. (3) What occurred while they were in the mountain? Verse 2. (4) What change did the three disciples note in His appearance? Same verse. Note 2. (5) Whom did the disciples see by the Saviour’s side? Verse 3. Note 3. (6) What remark did Peter make to the Saviour? Verse 4. (7) What act did he desire to perform? Same verse. (8) For whom would he build these tabernacles? Same verse. (9) While Peter was speaking, what occurred? Verse 5. (10) What did they hear? Same verse. (11) What did the voice say? Same verse. Note 4. (12) When the disciples heard this voice, what did they do? Verse 6. (13) How did it affect them? Same verse. (14) How did the Saviour comfort them? Verse 7. (15) When they looked up, whom only did they see? Verse 8. Note 5. (16) As they came down from the mountain, what charge did Jesus give them? Verse 9.

NOTES.

1. And after six days.—The portion of time here mentioned is not definite; it is an approximate statement, as will be seen by reference to Luke 9:28, where it is spoken of as being “about an eight days after.”

2. He was transfigured before them.—“The word rendered transfigured implies not merely a change of outward form, but a real, essential change.”—Peloubet. “A foreshadowing or prophecy of His true form—His distinctive character—comes out in His transfiguration;” “a revelation of Deity breaking out in that glorified face.”—Vincent. Here was manifest some of the glory which He had with the Father before the world was, and of the glory with which He will be clothed when He comes to reward His faithful followers. The evangelists seem to be unable to find words to describe the exceeding brightness of the glory which enshrouded and radiated from the Saviour. Mark speaks of the Saviour’s raiment as “shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.” Luke speaks of His raiment as being “white and glistering;” while Matthew puts it “white as the light.”

3. Moses and Elijah talking with Him.—Here, in Moses, Elijah, and the disciples, were represented the law, the prophets, and the Gospel; but at the same time Christ Himself was the representative of the whole three. In Moses, Elijah, and the Saviour was represented, as stated in a note in last week’s lesson, the kingdom of Christ—Moses representing those who will be raised from the dead, and Elijah representing those who will have been translated without seeing death. Here was the King and a representative of each class of His subjects. Here, then, was the fulfilment of the promise made in Matt. 16:28. The subject of their conversation is reported by Luke (chapter 9:30, 31).

4. This is My beloved Son.—Three times during Christ’s work on earth this voice testified to His Messiahship and work: at His baptism (Matt. 3:17); at His transfiguration; and while He was at the threshold of His passion (John 12:28).

5. They saw no one.—Moses and Elijah had been received up into the cloud which had overshadowed them at the first, and taken to heaven. The glory with which Christ and the two heavenly visitors were enshrouded was to represent the glory which would accompany Christ when He comes to earth to reward His followers. Christ Himself, in foretelling that event, says: “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matt. 24:27. It will be this glory that will destroy the wicked at the second coming of Christ. 2 Thess. 2:8.