NOTES for Mat 17:1-13
1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, |
2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. |
3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. |
4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. |
5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. |
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. |
7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. |
8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. |
9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. |
10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? |
11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. |
12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. |
13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. |
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Christ was transfigured while remaining human, but by opening to the disciples a small part of His divinity, He gave them the opportunity to touch another reality, incomprehensible to all those who are used to living by the rules of the earthly world. The light shown on the mountain of the Transfiguration was not given to the disciples in all its strength and power; they would not have endured that. Even what the disciples were given to see made such a strong and overwhelming impression on them that the disciples were very afraid. And yet they, human beings, were allowed to share in this light.
Peter's words about the three booths and about how good it is to be here are natural: they deeply reflect the inner state not only of Peter, but also of many of us when we first encounter staggering manifestations of the spiritual world. In such moments we risk forgetting everything and wanting only one thing: to remain where we feel good. But spiritual joys are not given so that we may passively enjoy them. Having given the disciples this strengthening, Christ goes back down with them into the world, where they, and we, still have much work to do.
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