Listen to Him – Matthew 17:1-9

A text – Matthew 17:1-9

17 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. ² And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. ³ Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. ⁴ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁵ While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” ⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” ⁸ And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

A reflection:

This passage of Matthew takes place six days after Jesus and disciples have stood in Caesarea Philippi at a pagan place of worship/sacrifice called “The Gates of Hell,” Bible scholars believe. It is at this pagan site that Jesus asks his followers who people say he is, and who they believe he is. Simon makes the first bold confession that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, Son of the living God. As a result, Jesus gives him a new name and promises to build his church upon him, against which even The Gates of Hell shall not prevail. Jesus then tells all of them that he will be captured and will suffer at the hands of the Jewish authorities and Rome. Peter says, “No. This will not, cannot happen,” and Jesus rebukes him.

Now, six days later the group has moved back into more friendly territory, and Jesus takes only Peter, James, and John up a mountain to pray. Jesus begins to shine, radiating light, and Moses and Elijah appear with him. Peter offers to build appropriate shelters for the three of them, and in mid-sentence Peter’s words are cut off and God’s voice booms as a cloud comes over the group. The voice says again what it said at Jesus’s baptism, when Peter, James, and John were not present. “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased.” Then there are three more words not heard at Jesus’s baptism: “Listen to him.”

Peter has confessed that Jesus is the Messiah and then refused to accept that Jesus will suffer. Now the Lord God in heaven declares that Jesus is God’s Son, who pleases him, and urges his closest disciples to listen to Jesus. When the bright shining light has disappeared and so have Moses and Elijah, Jesus stands near his friends and tells them to get up and not be afraid. He is with them. Jesus is always near them and promises always to be with them, in that final line of Matthew’s Gospel – with them to the close of the age. Although they often failed to understand Jesus, I am sure this awe-filled experience made them much more apt to listen to him.

Through upheaval and change and high points and low points, Jesus is with us. Do not be afraid. Jesus will always be near us. No matter what. We too must listen to him.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for your son, who is always with us. Help us to remember in times of celebration and of fear, Jesus is always there. You are faithful, oh Lord. Every day. Amen.