LESSON 3.—APRIL 17. JESUS TRANSFIGURED.
(2) "AND after six days Jesus taketh with Him Peter, and James, and John, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves: and He was transfigured before them; (3) and His garments became glistering, exceeding white, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them. (4) And there appeared unto them Elijah with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. (5) And Peter answereth and saith to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. (6) For he knew not what to answer; for they became sore afraid. (7) And there came a cloud overshadowing them: and there came a voice out of the cloud, This is My beloved Son; hear ye Him. (8) And suddenly looking round about, they saw no one any more, save Jesus only with themselves. (9) "And as they were coming down from the mountain, He charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, save when the Son of Man should have risen again from the dead. (10) And they kept the saying, questioning among themselves what the rising again from the dead should mean. (11) And they asked Him, saying, How is it that the scribes say that Elijah must first come? (12) And He said unto them, Elijah indeed cometh first, and restoreth all things: and how is it written of the Son of Man, that He should suffer many things and be set at naught? (13) But I say unto you, that Elijah is come, and they have also done unto him whatsoever they would, even as it is written of him." Golden Text.—"A voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son; hear Him." Verse 7. (1) What three disciples did Jesus take with Him for a walk on a mountain side? What occurred as He was praying with them? Verse 2. Note 1. (2) What is said of His appearance? Verse 3. Note 2. (3) Who else appeared at the same time? What were they doing? Verse 4. Note 3. (4) What did Peter say to Jesus? Verse 5. (5) Why did he make such a proposition? Verse 6. Note 4. (6) What other strange phenomenon then appeared? What came from the cloud? What did the voice say? Verse 7. Note 5. (7) Soon afterward how were the disciples again surprised? Verse 8. Note 6. (8) As they were returning down the mountain, what charge did Jesus give the three disciples? Verse 9. Note 7. (9) Did the disciples heed the Master's charge? What question greatly perplexed them? Verse 10. Note 8. (10) What inquiry did the disciples make in regard to Elijah? Verse 11. (11) How did Jesus answer this question? What did He add concerning Himself? Verse 12. Note 9. (12) What further reference did He make to Elijah? Verse 13. Note 10. 1. Six days after the occurrences noted in the last lesson, Peter, James, and John were several times favored with special privileges. This was not because Jesus was partial in His favors, but because these three seemed to grasp the lessons of the Gospel more readily than the others, and were therefore better prepared for advancement. These three were taken into the room where the daughter of Jairus was healed, and later they were chosen to be with Him in His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. The apostle Paul also recognized them as "pillars." Gal. 2:9. Luke (ch. 9:28, 29) says that Jesus went up into the mountain to pray, and that as He prayed the transfiguration took place. 2. Not only was His raiment as "white as the light," but "His face did shine as the sun." Matt. 17:2. Thus it was indicated that the divinity within shone through the veil of humanity to unite with the glory from above. Compare Acts 9:3 and Rev. 1:16. 3. Moses had been resurrected by the Lord (Jude 9), and Elijah had been translated without seeing death (1 Kings 2:11). Moses had been a type of Christ (Acts 3:22; John 1:45), and Elijah a type of the forerunner of the Lord (Mal. 4:5, 6; Luke 1:13, 17). Luke says Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus about His death. This visitation in response to the earnest nocturnal prayer of Christ on the lonely mountain was evidently for His encouragement, and to give Him renewed strength for the approaching ordeal. 4. This remark of Peter's was altogether out of place; we might say, impertinent. But Peter was wont to deem it incumbent upon him to say something on nearly all occasions. And there are other "Peters" who are prone to think it will not do to allow any occasion to pass without a word from them, even if it be irrelevant. Too often such speakers, like Peter of old, do not know what to say. 5. A cloud of angels, the token of the presence of God, whose voice was heard from the midst. "Hear Him."—This exhortation from the Father Himself is to us who study this lesson to-day, as well as to the disciples of old. We are to get our instruction direct from His Word. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. 6. When they heard the voice, the disciples "fell on their faces" (Matt. 17:6, 7), and did not dare to look up any more till Jesus touched them and told them to arise. During the time they were hiding their faces, the heavenly visitors had departed. 7. There was good reason for the Lord's not wanting the disciples to tell at that time what they had seen. They did not sufficiently understand the event to tell it intelligently. At first they were asleep, then so bewildered that they did not know what to say, and at last they were too much afraid to even look on the scene. Under such circumstances they could not well comprehend the situation. Besides this, the people would not be likely to believe their story. But in his after ministry Peter made a good practical use of this transfiguration scene, which is also written for our benefit. See 1 Peter 1:16-18. 8. The questioning as to what the rising from the dead should mean, was evidence that the disciples had not believed, and therefore had not comprehended, His former lesson on that subject. Mark 8:31-33. This was another reason why they were not prepared to make known the strange fact of the transfiguration; for there was Moses, who had been resurrected. 10. The "Elijah" that had come was John the Baptist. See Matt. 11:7-10. No greater than he ever had been born of woman. Verse 11. He verily came "in the spirit and power of Elijah," as the angel of the Lord had said. Luke 1:17. And as it had been done to the Lord's special messenger, so it would be done to the Lord Himself.