Christ’s High Comfort Before His Lowly Death

The Feast of the Transfiguration

February 26, 2017

Matthew 17:1-9

Christ’s High Comfort Before His Lowly Death

In the name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Matthew leads into the account of the Transfiguration with a very specific dateline: “after six days.” Six days after what? Going back a bit further you read that it was six days after Peter's confession of Christ:

Jesus and His disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way He asked them, "Who do people say I am?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." He asked, "But what about you? Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ. "

MARK 8:27-29

The most important question in the world is Jesus’ asking, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” Peter confessed that he was a sinner and that Jesus is the Savior Christ, the One anointed by God, to die for our sin.

Now six days later Peter said to Jesus,

"Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

MARK 9:5-6

In the middle of this breathtaking scene, what does Peter do? He starts jabbering. Mark added that Peter was speechless due to terror. Luke added that Peter didn't realize what he was saying. Peter was interrupting the conversation that we wish we could eavesdrop: Jesus speaking with two of the greatest prophets of the Bible about His suffering and death.

Peter’s right about how good it was to be there, scared as he was. But like us, when confronted with things we don’t understand, we often feel like we have to say something. And Peter says something.

But Jesus had not asked Peter to say anything. He just wanted him to use his ears and eyes. He never asked him to open his mouth. The words of Psalm 46 come quickly to mind.

Be still and know that I am God.

PSALM 46:10

And here was God standing in front of him. James and John and Peter were standing, well, cowering before God in illuminated flesh. As with all His miracles, Jesus did not make use of His divine glory to benefit Himself, but for the good of His people. And later the eyewitness’ testimony of these three men on a high mountain would bring added comfort to the holy Christian Church.

And this is why Jesus’ command to them wasn’t strange when He ordered them to keep this to themselves until after His death and resurrection. He didn’t want them spreading this visible proof around before His Passion. His glory wasn’t why they would follow Him—it is His word, signed, sealed, and delivered.

He gave His word to come down from heaven; we didn’t, but He did.

He gave His word to never to give advice to His heavenly Father; we do, but He didn’t.

He gave His word to suffer and die a lowly death to pay for our all of sinfulness; He did.

He gave His word to speak Truth to us; He still does.

All His promises comfort us when we are low, and they pull us back up to Him when we try to give God advice like Peter on the mount. Jesus is God's only Son and so we listen in fear and love as He speaks Truth to us: “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” and “I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” and “Take and eat, this is My body; take and take and drink, this is My blood.”

For even the Son of Man did not come to be Served, but to Serve, and to Give His Life as a Ransom for Many. Amen.