The Transfiguration
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Introduction
Introduction
Exposition
Introduction
Introduction
“From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day” (). This is a critical verse because it shows a turning point in the narrative which is dictated by Matthew himself. What is “that time” referring to? It is referring to the point after Jesus asked His disciples who people say that He is and Peter replied that He is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” I have read this passage so many times that I had failed to notice that the disciples had not yet acknowledged this of Jesus yet. This is a turning point in the Gospel of Matthew because Jesus has been wanting to get the disciples to this point in their faith all along. To come to this realization and belief is a work of God, though (). It was not something that was dictated by the time-frame of the disciples, but by the time-frame of God the Father in heaven.
After this point, Jesus began to predict His death in Jerusalem at the hands of the elders regularly (; ; ). While there are several other themes running through these next few chapters, Matthew wants his audience to know that Jesus now has His eyes set on Jerusalem and His death and resurrection. They have gotten to the point where they believe in Him, of salvation, really. This is a huge turning point, when we think about it. What you teach an unbeliever is different from what you teach a believer. Now that they believe in Him, His interactions with them will have a different didactic focus.
1 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.