Jesus Transfigured with Moses and ElijahBible World
17:7Matthew 17:7
And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
On the mount of transfiguration the Father's voice from the bright cloud struck the disciples to the ground in terror, and Jesus came to them where they lay, touched and lifted them and told them in His familiar voice to get up and stop being afraid, so that when they looked up the dazzling glory and Moses and Elijah were gone and they were alone with Him. His reassuring touch fulfills His promise that some would see the kingdom of God come with power, for the scene shows Christ clothed in heaven's glory and proclaimed by the Father as the Son to be heard and obeyed. In that miniature kingdom Moses stands for those who will be raised from the dead at Christ's coming and Elijah for those who will be living and changed to immortality without dying. The words and the glory were given to anchor faith so the disciples would not lose confidence through the humiliation, suffering and crucifixion soon to come, and to prove that His death belongs to God's plan and is necessary for His glory and for humanity's share in it. The same comfort that lifted Jesus Himself from agonizing prayer to Godlike majesty for His betrayal and cross sends those made radiant by beholding Him down from the mount to set souls free through faith, prayer and self-sacrificing love.
Mountaintop Words and Setting
Jesus came to the three disciples Peter, James and John on a high mountain apart, where He was transfigured before them with His face shining as the sun and His raiment white as light. His divinity, veiled by humanity, shone forth there in glorious brightness as the Majesty of heaven and King of glory. The glory came in answer to lowly agonizing prayer on the damp ground, when heaven was opened and the gates of the City of God were thrown wide and holy radiance enshrouded Him, lifting Him from prostration to stand in God-like majesty, taking soul-agony from His face and leaving serene shining light, and changing His coarse soiled garments to white glittering like the noon-day sun. The sleeping disciples awoke to a flood of glory filling the mount, dazzled by unearthly brilliancy and fearful and amazed at their Master's radiant face and shining garments.
Moses and Elijah appeared in glory talking with Him about completing His mission and His coming sufferings and death at Jerusalem. They were sent to bring heaven's glory to the Son and to comfort Him. They were chosen because as men they had lived and knew human sorrow and suffering and earthly trial, and could sympathize with Jesus and minister to Him, and were fittest of all around God's throne for that companionship. Moses had been honored by God, had talked with Him face to face amid Sinai thunder and lightnings, and had stood in Christ's place leading Israel. Elijah had served as prophet to Israel representing Christ, and did not see death but was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire.
A bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud came the Father's voice declaring This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him. At the majesty of Jesus and the overshadowing cloud and the voice, the disciples were overcome with fear and astonishment, falling on their faces sore afraid. They were smitten to the ground in terror at the overwhelming glory of God's presence, not daring to look up. After they fell facedown in fear at the voice, Jesus approached them.
He came to where they lay, touched them and lifted and raised them up. In His familiar, cheering voice He told them to rise and not be afraid, and His touch and word dispelled their terror. When they looked up the heavenly glory had passed, Moses and Elijah had disappeared, the divine radiance too bright for human eyes was gone, and they saw Jesus only, alone with them.
Kingdom in Miniature Revealed
The words were spoken in the transfiguration, which fulfilled the promise that some followers would see the kingdom come with power. In that scene the kingdom of Christ was shown in miniature, with Jesus clothed in heaven's glory and proclaimed by the Father as the Son of God. Within that miniature kingdom Moses represented those who will be raised from the dead at Christ's second coming. Elijah represented those who will then be living and be changed from mortal to immortal and translated to heaven without dying.
The vision was a glimpse of the future glory of the Saviour given to Peter, James, and John. The Father's command from the cloud to hear Him means it is for the eternal interest of every son and daughter of Adam to give attention. Christ stands pre-eminent above every teacher and authority in the world, and every word He utters is to be obeyed as law and as life. Studying His life and walking in His footsteps reveals the character of the Father to the world.
The heavenly voice together with the homage paid to Jesus by Moses and Elijah gave strong proof that Jesus is the promised Messiah and truly divine. That manifestation was meant to remove the disciples' doubts and to strengthen them so that sorrow and disappointment at His suffering, humiliation, and crucifixion would not destroy their confidence. It showed that His death belonged to God's plan of redemption. His death was necessary for His glory, for the Father's glory, and for the human race's sharing in that glory.
Strength for Trial and Service
The reassurance on the mount was given to strengthen the three disciples to endure test and trial of faith, so that sorrow and disappointment at the coming suffering and death, humiliation and crucifixion, would not destroy their confidence. The heavenly voice and the homage paid by Moses and Elijah confirmed His divinity and showed His death belonged to God's plan and was necessary for His glory, the Father's glory, and the human race sharing in that glory. The visible sign of His divinity helped them understand His mission, and they later remembered this voice and glory when His trial made them doubt and fear.
The same glory also strengthened Jesus Himself before betrayal, crucifixion, and sufferings, answering His lowly agonizing prayer on the damp ground for strength and for His disciples. Heaven was opened and the gates of the City of God thrown wide, and holy radiance enshrouded Him, lifted Him from prostration to stand in God-like majesty, took soul-agony from His face leaving serene shining light, and changed His coarse soiled garments to white glittering like the noon-day sun. The Father sent Moses and Elijah in glory to bring heaven's glory to the Son and comfort Him by talking of completing His mission and His coming sufferings at Jerusalem, chosen because as men who knew human sorrow and suffering they could sympathize and minister to Him, Moses having talked with God face to face amid Sinai thunder and lightnings and having stood in Christ's place leading Israel, and Elijah having served as prophet to Israel and having been taken to heaven without seeing death in a chariot of fire. Its glory also applies to God's faithful people, who will be strengthened by the latter rain for their final time of trouble.
Peter, James, and John received the vision to bear testimony of what they had seen so the faith of the other disciples would also be strengthened. James was one of Christ's chief witnesses after His death, and John was one of the three disciples permitted to witness Christ's glory on the mountain. The glory they saw on the mountain came to mind again when they witnessed heavenly glory in the garden, and that remembered scene helped reassure them that God had taken Jesus into His care and that an angel was present to protect Him, so they no longer feared for Him when they saw Him in distress.
The contrast between heavenly glory on the mountain and descent to meet the suffering boy shows the Divine One stooping from the Father's glory to save the lost, and represents the disciples' mission not to remain only with Jesus in moments of spiritual illumination but to work among people enslaved by Satan. Their time with Jesus and encounter with His glory prepared them for service before going out on their mission, and the mountaintop encounter is joined to a call to serve demon-possessed people in the valley through faith and prayer. To those who have stood with Christ on the mount, beholding His beauty and becoming radiant in the presence of His glory with the glory of the Lord risen upon the spirit, the word Arise is sent commissioning them to shine and to go down to the plain where souls enslaved by Satan wait for the word of faith and prayer to set them free, for he who stands nearest to Christ is he who has drunk most deeply of the spirit of His self-sacrificing love that moves the disciple as it moved the Lord to live and labor and sacrifice even unto death for the saving of humanity. Ascending the mount images the demanding spiritual calling to strength, endurance, toil, self-sacrifice, knowledge, and love.
On the mount of transfiguration the Father's voice from the bright cloud struck the disciples to the ground in terror, and Jesus came to them where they lay, touched and lifted them and told them in His familiar voice to get up and stop being afraid, so that when they looked up the dazzling glory and Moses and Elijah were gone and they were alone with Him. His reassuring touch fulfills His promise that some would see the kingdom of God come with power, for the scene shows Christ clothed in heaven's glory and proclaimed by the Father as the Son to be heard and obeyed. In that miniature kingdom Moses stands for those who will be raised from the dead at Christ's coming and Elijah for those who will be living and changed to immortality without dying. The words and the glory were given to anchor faith so the disciples would not lose confidence through the humiliation, suffering and crucifixion soon to come, and to prove that His death belongs to God's plan and is necessary for His glory and for humanity's share in it. The same comfort that lifted Jesus Himself from agonizing prayer to Godlike majesty for His betrayal and cross sends those made radiant by beholding Him down from the mount to set souls free through faith, prayer and self-sacrificing love.
Mountaintop Words and Setting
Jesus came to the three disciples Peter, James and John on a high mountain apart, where He was transfigured before them with His face shining as the sun and His raiment white as light. His divinity, veiled by humanity, shone forth there in glorious brightness as the Majesty of heaven and King of glory. The glory came in answer to lowly agonizing prayer on the damp ground, when heaven was opened and the gates of the City of God were thrown wide and holy radiance enshrouded Him, lifting Him from prostration to stand in God-like majesty, taking soul-agony from His face and leaving serene shining light, and changing His coarse soiled garments to white glittering like the noon-day sun. The sleeping disciples awoke to a flood of glory filling the mount, dazzled by unearthly brilliancy and fearful and amazed at their Master's radiant face and shining garments.
Moses and Elijah appeared in glory talking with Him about completing His mission and His coming sufferings and death at Jerusalem. They were sent to bring heaven's glory to the Son and to comfort Him. They were chosen because as men they had lived and knew human sorrow and suffering and earthly trial, and could sympathize with Jesus and minister to Him, and were fittest of all around God's throne for that companionship. Moses had been honored by God, had talked with Him face to face amid Sinai thunder and lightnings, and had stood in Christ's place leading Israel. Elijah had served as prophet to Israel representing Christ, and did not see death but was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire.
A bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud came the Father's voice declaring This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him. At the majesty of Jesus and the overshadowing cloud and the voice, the disciples were overcome with fear and astonishment, falling on their faces sore afraid. They were smitten to the ground in terror at the overwhelming glory of God's presence, not daring to look up. After they fell facedown in fear at the voice, Jesus approached them.
He came to where they lay, touched them and lifted and raised them up. In His familiar, cheering voice He told them to rise and not be afraid, and His touch and word dispelled their terror. When they looked up the heavenly glory had passed, Moses and Elijah had disappeared, the divine radiance too bright for human eyes was gone, and they saw Jesus only, alone with them.
Kingdom in Miniature Revealed
The words were spoken in the transfiguration, which fulfilled the promise that some followers would see the kingdom come with power. In that scene the kingdom of Christ was shown in miniature, with Jesus clothed in heaven's glory and proclaimed by the Father as the Son of God. Within that miniature kingdom Moses represented those who will be raised from the dead at Christ's second coming. Elijah represented those who will then be living and be changed from mortal to immortal and translated to heaven without dying.
The vision was a glimpse of the future glory of the Saviour given to Peter, James, and John. The Father's command from the cloud to hear Him means it is for the eternal interest of every son and daughter of Adam to give attention. Christ stands pre-eminent above every teacher and authority in the world, and every word He utters is to be obeyed as law and as life. Studying His life and walking in His footsteps reveals the character of the Father to the world.
The heavenly voice together with the homage paid to Jesus by Moses and Elijah gave strong proof that Jesus is the promised Messiah and truly divine. That manifestation was meant to remove the disciples' doubts and to strengthen them so that sorrow and disappointment at His suffering, humiliation, and crucifixion would not destroy their confidence. It showed that His death belonged to God's plan of redemption. His death was necessary for His glory, for the Father's glory, and for the human race's sharing in that glory.
Strength for Trial and Service
The reassurance on the mount was given to strengthen the three disciples to endure test and trial of faith, so that sorrow and disappointment at the coming suffering and death, humiliation and crucifixion, would not destroy their confidence. The heavenly voice and the homage paid by Moses and Elijah confirmed His divinity and showed His death belonged to God's plan and was necessary for His glory, the Father's glory, and the human race sharing in that glory. The visible sign of His divinity helped them understand His mission, and they later remembered this voice and glory when His trial made them doubt and fear.
The same glory also strengthened Jesus Himself before betrayal, crucifixion, and sufferings, answering His lowly agonizing prayer on the damp ground for strength and for His disciples. Heaven was opened and the gates of the City of God thrown wide, and holy radiance enshrouded Him, lifted Him from prostration to stand in God-like majesty, took soul-agony from His face leaving serene shining light, and changed His coarse soiled garments to white glittering like the noon-day sun. The Father sent Moses and Elijah in glory to bring heaven's glory to the Son and comfort Him by talking of completing His mission and His coming sufferings at Jerusalem, chosen because as men who knew human sorrow and suffering they could sympathize and minister to Him, Moses having talked with God face to face amid Sinai thunder and lightnings and having stood in Christ's place leading Israel, and Elijah having served as prophet to Israel and having been taken to heaven without seeing death in a chariot of fire. Its glory also applies to God's faithful people, who will be strengthened by the latter rain for their final time of trouble.
Peter, James, and John received the vision to bear testimony of what they had seen so the faith of the other disciples would also be strengthened. James was one of Christ's chief witnesses after His death, and John was one of the three disciples permitted to witness Christ's glory on the mountain. The glory they saw on the mountain came to mind again when they witnessed heavenly glory in the garden, and that remembered scene helped reassure them that God had taken Jesus into His care and that an angel was present to protect Him, so they no longer feared for Him when they saw Him in distress.
The contrast between heavenly glory on the mountain and descent to meet the suffering boy shows the Divine One stooping from the Father's glory to save the lost, and represents the disciples' mission not to remain only with Jesus in moments of spiritual illumination but to work among people enslaved by Satan. Their time with Jesus and encounter with His glory prepared them for service before going out on their mission, and the mountaintop encounter is joined to a call to serve demon-possessed people in the valley through faith and prayer. To those who have stood with Christ on the mount, beholding His beauty and becoming radiant in the presence of His glory with the glory of the Lord risen upon the spirit, the word Arise is sent commissioning them to shine and to go down to the plain where souls enslaved by Satan wait for the word of faith and prayer to set them free, for he who stands nearest to Christ is he who has drunk most deeply of the spirit of His self-sacrificing love that moves the disciple as it moved the Lord to live and labor and sacrifice even unto death for the saving of humanity. Ascending the mount images the demanding spiritual calling to strength, endurance, toil, self-sacrifice, knowledge, and love.