THE MOUNTAIN OF TRANSFIGURATION

THE MOUNTAIN OF TRANSFIGURATION
Matthew 17:1-13
Matthew 17 is really a chapter of great contrast. It begins
with Jesus on the mountain top. It concludes with Jesus at the
seaside. It begins with Jesus receiving honor and glory from the
heavenly Father. It concludes with Jesus paying taxes. You will
notice in the beginning of this chapter it begins with the word "and."
That, of course, connects it with what has previously been said. I
believe verse 28 is better understood if you do tie it to chapter 17.
So back in the 28th verse of the previous chapter, Jesus had said to
the disciples, "Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here who
will not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His
kingdom, and after six days." Right after the Lord Jesus has been
talking to his disciples about the cross and the necessity of his going
to the cross he takes three of the disciples to the mountain of
transfiguration and He is transfigured before them. The Lord Jesus
wants the disciples to understand that there always has to be a cross
before there is a crown. The pathway to glory is always the pathway of
suffering. In that context, having just explained to the disciples the
importance and the necessity of the cross, he carries three of them to
a mountain and is transfigured in front of them. I believe what we have
in this chapter is a snapshot of the coming kingdom of Christ on the
earth. The Bible teaches that one of these days Jesus is going to
return. He will establish His kingdom on this earth and He will rule
and reign for a thousand years. These disciples get just a little
preview of what it will be like when Jesus in His glory comes and
reigns.
2
With that in mind I want us to move through the successive
stages of this wonderful, wonderful passage of Scripture.
I want to call your attention, first of all, to -
I. The Heavenly Vision.
The Bible says after six days the Lord took Peter, James and
John with Him to the mountain ...

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