LISTEN TO HIM

FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD - Matthew 17:1-9

In the book of Daniel, we find an extraordinary vision in which God is presented as “the Ancient of days” appearing in all his glory, seated on his throne and surrounded by thousands and thousands waiting on him and myriads and myriads more standing before him. That’s when someone looking like a son of man, coming “on the clouds of heaven” presented himself before the presence of “the Ancient of days”, and 

“on him was conferred sovereignty,

glory and kingship,

and men of all peoples, nations and languages 

became his servants.

His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty

which shall never pass away,

nor will his empire ever be destroyed.” (Dan 7:14)

This passage is understood as referring to the Messiah and Jesus himself understood this passage as referring to him, especially when he answered under oath the question of the High Priest: “tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Before the highest Jewish authority, Jesus presents himself as that divine figure who becomes the ruler of the universe, with all peoples, nations and languages becoming his servants. The members of the Jewish Council must have thought of this claim as a joke. Since Jesus was arrested and being judged by them, how could he claim kingly and divine powers? 

Many of the disciples, even the closest to him, followed Jesus with this great expectation: he would be a glorious king with the power to destroy all the enemies of the people of Israel and they would have a share in his glory. However, Jesus did not go that way. To Pilate, he said that the had not come to be an earthly king (Jn 18:36). As Messiah, Jesus chose the way of the Servant of the Lord - the suffering servant who dies for his people. 

The cross on which Jesus was crucified became a scandal on which many people stumbled. Even the Apostles would not be able to overcome the doubt, the discouragement and the despair that followed the crucifixion of Jesus without being prepared for it. That’s why Jesus allowed three of his Apostles to be with him in the mountain and witness the manifestation of his glory. They were so overwhelmed with ecstasy that they did not desire anything else but to be there: “Lord, it is wonderful to be here!” (Mt 17:4). Even though the ecstasy lasted but a moment, Peter would remember it all his life: “we had seen his majesty for ourselves. He was honoured and glorified by God the Father, when the Sublime Glory itself spoke to him and said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour.’ We heard this ourselves, spoken from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.” (2 Pe 1:16-18).

Presenting his Son on the holy mountain, God gives us only one command: “Listen to him.” (Mt 17:5). And this is the only command given by God the Father in the New Testament. We must not listen to anybody else but Christ; He is he Word and in him, we find the truth and life.