June 1, 2024
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Reading along with us in Matthew? Here’s today’s reading:
Matthew 17 (NIV)
The Transfiguration
1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus……Continue Reading
Jesus takes only three of the disciples with Him to a high mountain separate from all the others. This was to keep what happens quiet until the right time. Which would be until He rises from the dead. The three disciples are Peter, James, and John. These three are usually the ones that He takes with Him when there can only be a few. I do remember one time that Jesus added Andrew to join the other three. Most of the time it seems that it is the three except when they all are together. Perhaps He felt that they would keep quiet when He commanded them like this situation. Only He knows. They got to see the transfiguration of Jesus and saw Moses and Elijah. They also heard the voice of God telling them to listen to His Son whom He is well pleased. They were overwhelmed and fell to their knees and were afraid. Can you imagine keeping quiet over this! What a great event. Latter Jesus heals a boy that had a demon. The father pleads to Jesus that His disciples couldn`t heal him. Jesus reply after healing him is to say that this kind can only come out by prayer and fasting. Jesus said to His disciples that they had unbelief. Then again, Jesus tells His disciples that He will be killed and rise on the third day. Jesus does another miracle for Peter and has Peter catch a fish and a coin will be in it to pay taxes for Peter and Himself. He makes Peter get involved by catching the fish putting his faith into action. Think about it. Jesus could had provided the coin without help. But once again He limits His power so others may use their faith and put their faith into action. God bless.
Matthew 17:26 “Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.”
Kings require tribute, not of his own children, of his own household, but of those who are without, “strangers,” those whom the king does not know, because they know him not.
Best to be the child of the King, and be free indeed!
-reb
Matthew 17
What a privilege these three men had in seeing Jesus in all His glory and to see Moses and Elijah. Moses represents the law and Elijah the prophets and Jesus is the culmination and fulfillment of both. It makes sense that they would not know what to make of all that was happening, and yet as is typical, Peter speaks and suggests how they might manage the situation. But then God speaks and makes clear what this is about, to affirm to them and Jesus who Jesus is and how they should regard Him. It is no wonder that Jesus didn’t want them to mention it until after He was raised, but once He was, what further reason to believe Jesus for all He claimed to be, for them and us. And after this mountain top experience, Jesus is quickly brought back to reality with the disciples faltering in faith and thereby not being able to cast out a demon. It just reenforces how central faith is for our relationship with God and accessing the things that He makes available to us. Then Jesus just adds another kind of miracle to the list of all He can do. His miraculous powers knows no bounds!
Matthew 17
What an amazing sight for these men to witness. Moses and Elijah there in front of them talking to Jesus. I am sure they were so overwhelmed but even in their shock God keeps things clear that Jesus is His son and so much more than any other that has come before.
I appreciate that faith is believing what you don’t see and that sometimes these miraculous events and situations are almost counter productive to that and you see it in the disciples. Imagine such miracles becoming expected or normal and therefore your faith almost becomes lazy. As much as we think we need signs and wonders, like a coin in a random fish’s mouth, to really believe you see the importance of faith being about what you know about God’s love, power, mercy, grace… and not just what you see.
God said to Peter, James, John and us “this is my Son of whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.” Let us be wise to follow this command. And Jesus mentions a number of times that he will suffer, die and be raised from the dead. It must have been so difficult to know how and when he was going to die and when he shared it with his disciples it troubled them as well. And Jesus gets irritated by the lack of faith that his followers have. He says that all we need is a little faith; when we have it, we can move mountains. Let us increase our faith every day by recognizing all the ways that God is with us and answers our prayers.
Mathew 17
”And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.“
Matthew 17:3 NKJV
I wonder what they were talking about? Jesus’ impending death and resurrection. That He will be with them soon. The plan is coming together despite the ignorance of man, lack of faith, unbelief, Satan’s influence and schemes.