Concerning Christ's transfiguration observe the circumstances
TRANSFIGURATION
Je CurisT had said that the Son of man should shortly come in His kingdom, to which promise all the three evangelists industriously connect the story of the transfiguration (Matt. xvit. 1-8), (cf. Mark ix. 2-8; Luke ix. 28-36), as if Christ's transfiguration were intended for a specimen and an earnest of the kingdom of Christ, and of that light and love of His, which therein appears to His select and sanctified ones. Peter speaks of this as the power and coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ (2 Pet. i. 16), because it was an emanation of His power, and a previous notice of His coming, which it was fit should be introduced by such proper prefaces.
When Christ was here in His humiliation, though His state for the main was a state of abasement and affliction, yet there were some glimpses of His glory intermixed, that He Himself might be the more encouraged in His sufferings, and others the less offended. His birth, His baptism, His temptation, and His death, were the most remarkable instances of His humiliation; and these were each of them attended with some signal points of His glory, and the smiles of heaven. But the series of His public ministry being a continued humiliation, here, just in the midst of that, comes in this discovery of His glory. As now
He is in heaven He has His condescensions, so when He was on earth He had His advancements.
1. THE CIRCUMSTANCES
Concerning Christ's transfiguration observe the circumstances of it.
(a) The time. It was six days after He had had that solemn conference with His disciples (Matt. xxi. 21). St. Luke says it was about eight days after, six whole days intervening, and this, the eighth day, that day seven-night. Nothing is recorded to be said or done by our Lord Jesus for six days before His transfiguration. Thus it has been before some other great appearance. ''There was a silence in heaven for the space of
Transfiguration 219 half an hour" (Rev. viii. 1). Then, when Christ seems to be doing nothing for His Church, except ere long something more than ordinary.
(6) The place. It was on the top of a high mountain apart. Christ chose a mountain. The mountain is a secret place. He went apart. For though a city upon a hill can hardly be hid, two or three persons upon a hill can hardly be found. Their private oratories were commonly on mountains. Christ chose a retired place to be transfigured in, because His appearing publicly in His glory was not agreeable to His present state, and thus He would show His humility, and teach us, that privacy befriends our communion with God. Those who would maintain an intercourse with heaven must frequently withdraw from the converse and business of the world, and they will find themselves never less alone than when alone, for the Father is with them.
The mountain was also a sublime place, elevated above the things of the valley. Those who would have a transforming fellowship with God must not only retire but ascend; lift up their hearts, and seek things above. The call is, "Come up hither"' (Rev. vi. 1).
(c) The witnesses. "He took with him Peter, and James, and John." He took three, a competent number, to testify what they should see. For out of the '"'mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be confirmed''. Christ makes His appearances certain enough, but not too common, not to all the people, but to witnesses (acts x. 41), that they might be blessed who have not seen and yet have believed. He took these three because they were the chief of His disciples—the first three of the worthies of the son of David. Probably they excelled in gifts and graces. They were Christ's favourites—singled out to be the witnesses of His retirements. They were present when He raised the damsel to life (Mark v. 37). They were afterwards to be witnesses of His agony. This was to prepare them for that.
A sight of Christ's glory, while we are here in this world, is a good preparative for our sufferings with Him, as these are preparatives for the sight of His glory in the other world. Paul, who had abundance of trouble, had abundance of revelations.
2. 'THE MANNER Now observe the manner of Christ's transfiguration. 'He was transfigured before them."' The substance of His body remained the same, but the accidents and appearances of it were greatly altered. He was not turned into a spirit; but His body, which had appeared in weakness and dishonour, now appeared in power and glory. He was transfigured, ""He was metamorphosed'"'. The profane poets amused and abused the world with idle extravagant stories of metamorphoses, especially the metamorphoses of their gods, and such as were disparaging and diminishing to them, which were equally false and ridiculous. Some think that St. Peter was referring to these when, being about to mention this transfiguration of Christ, he says, "'We have not followed cunningly devised fables'' when we 'made it known unto you"' (2 Pet. i. 14).
Christ was both God and man; but in the days of His flesh He took on Him the form of a servant (Phil. ii. 7); He drew a veil over the glory of His godhead. But now, in His transfiguration, He put by that veil, appeared "'in the form of God"' (Phil. ii. 6). He gave His disciples a glimpse of His glory, which would not but change His form. The great truth we proclaim is that "God is light" (1 John 1. 5); dwells in light (1 Tim. vi. 16); covers Himself with light (Ps. civ. 2); and therefore when Christ would appear in the form of God He appeared in light, the most glorious of all visible beings, the firstborn of creation, and most nearly resembling the Eternal Parent. Christ is light, while He was in the world He shined in darkness; and therefore the world knew Him not (John v. ro). But at this time that "light shined out of the darkness"'.
(a) "His face did shine as the sun." The face is the principal part of the body by which we are known. Therefore such brightness was put on Christ's face, that face which afterwards He had not from shame and spitting. It shone as the sun when it goes forth in its strength—so clear, so bright—for He is the Sun of Righteousness, the light of the world. The face of Moses shone but as the moon, with a borrowed, reflected light. But Christ's shone as the sun, with an innate, inherent light, which was the more sensibly glorious because it suddenly broke out as it were from behind a black cloud.
(6) "His raiment was white as the light." All His body was