17 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son,1 with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
Section Overview
Chapter divisions, devised by publishers after the invention of the printing press, can mislead interpreters by suggesting a hard break between connected units. Matthew likes to juxtapose mutually interpretive events and let the reader discover the link. Matthew 16–17 is a case in point. In chapter 16, Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus agrees and immediately begins to correct Peter’s misconceptions about the Messiah: he must go to Jerusalem to suffer, be killed, and rise on the third day. Further, his disciples must follow in his steps. If anyone desires to follow Jesus, he must “deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (16:24). Jesus then softens his message in several ways. If anyone loses his life for Jesus, he will find it. When Jesus returns, he will reward faithful disciples (16:25–28). And if Jesus must suffer death, he also tastes glory (17:1–5). The suffering Son and glorious Son are one. The account of Jesus’ transfiguration is straightforward. The Father graciously gives both Jesus and his closest disciples a sign of Jesus’ glory and the Father’s favor when they need it most. The event is laden with symbolism, but the main event and point are simple: despite his suffering, Jesus is the glorious Son, and his disciples should listen to him. The disciples struggle to understand this and make limited progress (17:9–13).
The transfiguration appears in all three Synoptics. Mark is (atypically) the shortest. Luke alone notes how Moses and Elijah speak with Jesus about his forthcoming departure in Jerusalem and that the disciples barely manage to stay awake. Matthew alone records how the disciples fall down in fear. Antisupernaturalists dismiss the account as a misplaced resurrection narrative (which they also believe is fictional) or a fabricated vision embellishing 16:28. More technical evangelical commentaries critique the critics.
Section Outline
VI.L. The Transfiguration (17:1–13)
1. Jesus Shines in Glory (17:1–4)
2. The Father States His Pleasure (17:5–6)
3. The Disciples Struggle to Understand (17:7–13)
In 16:16–28, the disciples hear a series of startling revelations. Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. He will build an enduring church and entrust its keys to his disciples. Nonetheless, his path—and theirs—will include travail, even death, before it ends in glory. Six days later, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to a mountain and shows them a glimpse of his glory (17:1–2). When Moses and Elijah join Jesus and speak with him, Peter shows how little he understands (vv. 3–4). But the Father comes in a cloud and declares the core reality, “This is my beloved Son, . . . listen to him” (v. 5). The cloud and voice terrify the disciples, who fall down, but Jesus lifts them up and banishes their fears (vv. 6–8). Jesus commands the three to tell no one what they have seen, since they lack the resources to assimilate the revelation (v. 9). Nonetheless, they begin to grasp certain elements (vv. 10–13).
Response
Above all, the transfiguration displays the deity of Christ, which ought to lead all mankind to know him and worship him, privately and publicly, on the Lord’s Day and every other day. Second, since Jesus is Lord, his disciples and all men should listen to him, even—especially—when his words challenge cherished ideas. Third, this passage lets us consider the fear of Christ when we meet him in his holiness and our sin. Hebrews warns that believers should “offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:28–29). The majesty and holiness of God should lead everyone, even believers, to fear God. Yet, while unbelievers properly fear his wrath and judgment, believers should expect a gentle touch and comforting words: “Fear not.”