The Sabbath-School by William N. Glenn

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 12, 1890

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 16, No. 18.

The Sabbath-School.

By William N. Glenn

Notes on the International Lesson.

THE TRANSFIGURATION.

THE incident which forms the subject of this lesson is said to have come to pass "about an eight days after these sayings." After what sayings? The preceding part of the chapter, after the account of the feeding of the multitude with five loaves, gives two prominent statements of the Lord, upon which other "sayings" are based: (1) "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day." (2) "I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God."

THESE statements are necessary to an understanding of the objects of the "transfiguration." Jesus had been preaching and working miracles nearly three years, and all this time his followers had been anxiously waiting in expectation that he would assume the sovereignty of the world. But after all their bright anticipations, the disciples were told that he whom they hoped would redeem Israel would be "rejected," would be "slain." True, in giving them this information, the Lord had added that he would be "raised the third day," but their faith could not yet grasp that idea.

THE doubt and despondency cast over the disciples by this, to them, discouraging prospect, must be counteracted and their drooping spirits strengthened. What was the first move to accomplish such a purpose?—"He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray." Although greatly fatigued by incessant labor, at the close of the day the patient Lord takes his three most reliable disciples and climbs to some high point on the mountains for undisturbed devotion.

AS Jesus prolonged his prayer into the night, his companions gave way to their weariness and fell asleep. But the prayer of faith brought its reward. The glory of God appeared on the lonely mountain-top, and there appeared two heavenly messengers, who talked with him about the very thing which had so perplexed the disciples, namely, "his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." Now, what a golden opportunity for them to hear the whole problem explained, so that there need be no more doubts! What a rare chance to hear precious thoughts from those who had passed through earthly probation, and had been hundreds of years in heaven, and afterwards to transmit them to others who should need encouragement. But alas! those to whom such an opportunity was presented were asleep.

"THERE talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias." Notice, they were men. They were not "disembodied spirits." Though they had been in heaven so long, they were still men, "who appeared in glory." No more fitting agents could have been sent to sympathize with tired, discouraged humanity.

HERE was the "kingdom of God" which some of the disciples were to see before they should taste death. It was a miniature representation of the kingdom of glory, a representation of the two classes,—the resurrected ones, and the translated ones,—and the Lord himself, their King. The gathering of the hosts that shall comprise the kingdom in its fullness is described in 1 Thess. 4: 16, 17: "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

THE idea that men have immortal spirits inherent within them, that go somewhere else at death, in conscious existence without the body, is emphatically dispelled by this transfiguration scene. Moses died and was buried in a valley in the land of Moab (Deut. 34:6), and in order to take him to heaven the Lord resurrected him. See Jude 9. And when God would take Elijah to heaven he did not separate spirit and body, and leave the man behind; but he translated the man, just as the living righteous will be translated when the dead in Christ shall be raised and changed at the Lord's coming to receive his own unto himself. See John 14:3.

WHEN the sleeping disciples were awakened by the brightness of the glory around them, they were completely bewildered. Had they been awake to hear the conversation between Christ and the experienced visitors from heaven, they would not have made the foolish suggestion about building tabernacles on the mountain for such beings to dwell in. How often since then have sleepy Christians made unwarranted propositions in the interest of doubtful honors to Christ. If all would listen to that voice which said, "This is my beloved Son, hear him," we would hear less about such services to God as he has not required.

THEY "told no man in those days," because the people were not prepared to receive the account of such an event. Matthew says: "Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead." They would then more fully understand the matter themselves, and be better prepared to relate it with its true interpretation; and those who should believe in the resurrection of Christ would receive the instruction regarding the future state which was brought out by the incident of the transfiguration. Peter refers to the event in his second epistle (chap. 1:16-18), and makes it the basis of his argument on the coming of the Lord: "We have not followed cunningly-devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount."