A Peek at God’s Glory
A Peek at God’s Glory
Matt. 17: 1-9
[cf. Mal. 4:5; Matt. 17:10–13; Mark 9:11–13; Luke 1:17; John 1:21]
“1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”
Intro: Incarnation
(Affirmation of His true nature)
· Previous (ch. 16) Jesus had just affirmed He is the Son of Man. (Human)
· He also affirmed He is the Christ – Son [nature of] of God. (God)
NOTE: told them not to tell anyone here too
· When understood, He can now reveal His future. (Suffer, Death, Resurrection)
· Revealing deeper understanding of Himself to those close to Him.
· Now the Messiah is revealed further in His radiant glory.
I. Jesus Glory Revealed (More of His Nature Revealed)
2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
A. His Appearance Changes:
· Jesus radiates light revealing even more of His true nature
As man - corruptible BUT Jesus also had an Incorruptable nature
· Someday our nature will be changed too
- When man disobeyed God something changed
- Someday we’ll be in the original nature God intended for us
1 Cor. 15:50-52 - “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
B. God confirms Jesus’ authority:
5 …suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”
God also said this at Jesus baptism & 5 X throughout N.T.
Years later Peter would write: - “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables… but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain” - 2 Pet. 1:16–18
C. The closer you get the greater the confirmation
· Notice how Jesus seems to reveal more of Himself to those closest to Him?
Peter, James, and John
- Jesus consistently sets these 3 apart
- Witnessed Christ’s power over death raising Jairus’s daughter; (Mk. 5:37)
- Present at the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
- These 3 + Andrew He privately tells @ destruction of the temple (Mk. 13)
- These men formed the inner circle of his friends: to them he gave the privilege of knowing more of his inner life and nature.
Illus: In school… Those who hang out after to question the teacher always seem to get more out of class. You might call them brown-noser’s. But they always got the good grades. Not so much for intelligence BUT because they’re just hungrier to know!
II. Jesus Historical Glory Revealed
3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
A. Moses & Elijah
Moses: Receiver of God’s Law (10 Commandments)
Elijah: First great biblical prophet
OT scriptures divided into the LAW & PROPHETS. Jesus often refers to them this way.
Remember Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” – Matt. 5:17
B. Parallels
“Moses took Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu with him;
Jesus took Peter, James, and John.
Moses saw the glory of God, and his face shone from speaking with God;
Jesus was transfigured with a glory not reflected, but authentically His own.
A greater than Moses had come… Hebrews says, “Moses was faithful as a servant IN all God’s house… . But Christ is faithful as a son OVER God’s house” (Heb. 3:5–6, niv).
At Sinai the divine voice spoke from a cloud, and [they feared dying at the sound]
At the Transfiguration God spoke from a cloud and the disciples fell on their faces in reverent fear. [Isaiah 6:5; Ezekiel 1:28–2:1; and Daniel 8:17.]”[1]
“The cloud… on Sinai… was dark and threatening (Exod. 19:18; 20:21);
This was bright, coming not to terrify, but to teach and to bless. Here is seen the contrast between the two dispensations, the Law and the gospel” [2]
III. Only Jesus
4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
Peter is cut off in his wish to build houses for all three
- When they looked up they saw ONLY Jesus
- Moses, Elijah, and Jesus are not equals
- Jesus was pronounced the Son of God.
- Jesus surpassed both Law & Prophets He FULFILLED
Heb 8:6 -“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”
Heb 8:8-9 -“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt”
Peter later says, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” - Acts 4:12, kjv
Conclusion: Resurrection Confirmation - Makes It Possible For Us Too
1 Cor. 15: 20-22 - 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Cor. 15:50-58 - 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rev. 20:14 - Then Death and Hades [the grave] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
If you don’t have Christ it means:
It’s time to recognize who He really is, get on your knees and ask for mercy.
- You say, “Mercy from what?”
- No man has ever been able to keep ALL of God’s law
§ 10 Commandments: Ever Coveted, Lusted, Lied… “For all have sinned”, “If you say you do not have sin you lie”
He PROMISES forgiveness for these if you just ask!
AND if you seek & follow Him He’ll start revealing more of Himself to you too!
For the Christian it means being:
Remember - He revealed more of Himself to those closest to Him?
He does the same for us as we seek to follow Him and do His work!
Scriptures tell us, “Grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18)
- Pray, seek forgiveness regularly
- Study His word to learn of His true nature
- Share Christ with others –
§ Do these & you cannot keep yourself from sharing what you learn of God!!!
§ Bringing others to Christ is the treasure we build up in heaven!!!
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[1]Myron S. Augsburger and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, vol. 24, The Preacher's Commentary Series, Volume 24 : Matthew, Formerly The Communicator's Commentary, The Preacher's Commentary series (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1982), 18.
[2]The Pulpit Commentary: St. Matthew Vol. II, ed. H. D. M. Spence-Jones (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2004), 173.