Encouragement in Times of Need
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah....And a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!" Matt. 17:1-5, NIV.
The Transfiguration is connected with what has gone before. That is, Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ (Matt. 16:16) and Jesus' devastating prediction of His death and resurrection and His statement about His disciples' crosses (verses 21-28).
Matthew tells us that Jesus went up on the mountain six days after the events at Caesarea Philippi, but he doesn't tell us why. But Luke does. Luke 9:28 claims that He took three disciples "up on the mountain to pray" (RSV).
He certainly had plenty to pray about. By now He had fully committed Himself to go to Jerusalem and the cross that awaited Him there, a thought that horrified Him. He also had a burden to pray for His noncomprehending disciples, those whom He would soon leave behind to head up His church on earth.
And what weak individuals they were at this stage. Luke tells us that what they did on the Mount of Transfiguration they would later do in Gethsemane--they slept while Jesus prayed (verse 32). And these were His closest disciples--those whom He had for the first time selected from among the 12 for special instruction. If they were operating spiritually at such a low level, what must have been the condition of the other nine? No wonder Jesus felt the need to pray.
There upon the Mount the Transfiguration took place, a representation of the future kingdom of glory in miniature. Its purpose was to encourage both Jesus and the disciples, who were in a "tailspin of bewilderment" as a result of Jesus' redefining Messiahship and discipleship. But first and foremost, it strengthened Jesus Himself.
Especially important was the voice from heaven--the same voice that Jesus heard at His baptism when He was just starting out on his mission. Now He hears it again at the very point His ministry turns its direction toward Jerusalem. God was putting His stamp of approval on Jesus' decision and His course of action. It was as if the Father were saying, "Go ahead, You have made the right choice. I will be with You."
We can be thankful that we have a God willing to encourage us when we need it most.
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah....And a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!" Matt. 17:1-5, NIV.
The Transfiguration is connected with what has gone before. That is, Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ (Matt. 16:16) and Jesus' devastating prediction of His death and resurrection and His statement about His disciples' crosses (verses 21-28).
Matthew tells us that Jesus went up on the mountain six days after the events at Caesarea Philippi, but he doesn't tell us why. But Luke does. Luke 9:28 claims that He took three disciples "up on the mountain to pray" (RSV).
He certainly had plenty to pray about. By now He had fully committed Himself to go to Jerusalem and the cross that awaited Him there, a thought that horrified Him. He also had a burden to pray for His noncomprehending disciples, those whom He would soon leave behind to head up His church on earth.
And what weak individuals they were at this stage. Luke tells us that what they did on the Mount of Transfiguration they would later do in Gethsemane--they slept while Jesus prayed (verse 32). And these were His closest disciples--those whom He had for the first time selected from among the 12 for special instruction. If they were operating spiritually at such a low level, what must have been the condition of the other nine? No wonder Jesus felt the need to pray.
There upon the Mount the Transfiguration took place, a representation of the future kingdom of glory in miniature. Its purpose was to encourage both Jesus and the disciples, who were in a "tailspin of bewilderment" as a result of Jesus' redefining Messiahship and discipleship. But first and foremost, it strengthened Jesus Himself.
Especially important was the voice from heaven--the same voice that Jesus heard at His baptism when He was just starting out on his mission. Now He hears it again at the very point His ministry turns its direction toward Jerusalem. God was putting His stamp of approval on Jesus' decision and His course of action. It was as if the Father were saying, "Go ahead, You have made the right choice. I will be with You."
We can be thankful that we have a God willing to encourage us when we need it most.
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