صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace". " and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." There was now beheld the glory of his divinity itself. This was the great God clothed with honour and majesty, and covered with light as with a garment. Jesus was now manifested to be "the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person." To this visible glory, as well as to the moral display of the divine character, the apostle John, who was present on this occasion, may have some reference, when he says, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only-begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth."

[ocr errors]

Besides Christ's own personal glory, there occurred, at the same time, another most wonderful circumstance. Behold, there talked with him two men, who were Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory." The apostles heard at least some part of the conversation, and gathered from it who the celestial visiters were. They appeared in a glorious form, somewhat similar to what Jesus himself had assumed, and such as is worn by the redeemed in heaven. As for Elias, it is certain that he was in the body, for, like Enoch, he had been translated without seeing death, though he must have undergone the change which Paul tells us the believers shall undergo who are on earth when the last trumpet shall sound. As for Moses, it is vain to inquire how he became visible to mortal eyes. We know that he died, and was buried in a valley in the land of Moab.* The opinion of some that his body was raised for this occasion, is merely conjectural, and not resting on any scriptural authority. It may, however, have been so. Elijah's case is clear. The glory of the risen saints will be somewhat like Christ's; he will "change their vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." In this glorious appearance of these two Old Testament saints, we have a proof of the immortality of the soul, and of the happy and glorious immortality of God's people-a proof that "those who have fallen asleep in Christ are not perished." And here, in the case of Elias at least, we have a collateral proof of the general resurrection, and of the change of those then on earth, and a pattern of what

Deut. xxxiv. 5.

will finally be the glorious embodied state of all the saints. From this particular example of intelligent intercourse between Moses and Elias, we may also infer the general rule that, after death, the saints personally distinguish each other with reference to their earthly history; and mutually form an acquaintance with those who have lived at periods very remote from each other. It cannot escape the serious student of scripture, that there was something highly demonstrative of the divine wisdom in the choice of the two saints who now appeared to do honour, and to bear testimony, to Messiah; the one being, as it were, the representative of the law, and the other of the prophets, or, Moses being the giver, and Elias the restorer, of the law-both most eminent eharacters, and standing, together, for the whole Old Testament. Moses and the prophets bare witness, in their writings and teaching, to our Lord, and he taught that if men did not believe Moses and the prophets, neither would they be persuaded though one rose from the dead. What they all testified in their writings and words of old, that these two now came to testify again personally. Moses came to show that, in Jesus, the typical sacrifices and ceremonies were about to be fulfilled; and Elias, that the prophecies were on the point of receiving their accomplishment at the same time. In their very appearance, they do him homage'; they, as it were, lay down their commission at his feet; they bear witness that he was Messiah, to be received as Lord of all, and that the dispensation of the law was just about to be abrogated, and that of the gospel introduced.

We are even told what was the subject of their conversation with Jesus, "They spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." "His decease," that is, his departure,* his exit, his death. There is something remarkable, too, in the form of expression, this death he was "to accomplish," or fulfil: it was not a useless suffering to which he was to be driven; but it was a great, a glorious, a blessed work, which he had cheerfully undertaken, and which he was triumphantly to accomplish. The original, too, conveys the idea that he was just about to accomplish, or shortly to accomplish this death. We are told the general subject, which was deeply interesting; but we are not told

*'Eodov. The same word occurs in 2 Peter i. 15. It teaches the immortality of the soul, and intimates that the soul is the man, and, at death, does not cease to exist, but only goes elsewhere.

the particular way in which the conversation was conducted. We know that the great things concerning the Redeemer's death, were the subject of the prophets' predictions and deep study, long before. "Of which salvation," says Peter, "the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." And we know that Jesus had this death to undergo, as deter mined in the divine purpose, as foretold in ancient prophecy, and as necessary to our redemption. "O fools," (said he, after his resurrection, to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus,)" and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them, in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself." When Moses and Elias now talked with him on this topic, it was not to instruct him in any thing which he knew not, or which was not present to his mind: they must have been all humility and reverence before him, while thus privileged and honoured. As to the particulars of the conversation, without affirming, we may conjecture, that they spoke of the divine counsel and prophecies relating to his death;— of the heavy sufferings which were to lead to it;-of its vicarious and atoning nature-of the love which prompted it of the blessings which were to flow from it-of the great debt of obligation under which Moses and Elias themselves lay to its retrospective efficacy-of the wide extent to which its saving virtue was to be carried-of the glory which should thence accrue to his Father and to himself, as intimated in such passages as this, "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand, he shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied;"-and in general, we may suppose that they spoke of whatever tended to animate him to the deadly but victorious conflict. O what an important topic! and how deeply did it involve all our dearest interests!

66

The evangelist goes on to say, "But Peter, and they that were with him," namely, James and John, were heavy with sleep." They seem to have fallen asleep, while Jesus was praying; and they thus lost the first part of the glori

ous sight, and the first part of the wonderful conversation. In this, there was betrayed much human infirmity at least, if not sinful carelessness. In like manner, the same three were asleep during a part of Christ's agony in the garden. Thus, some persons are guilty of literally falling asleep, or of paying as little attention, as if they were asleep, under the preaching of the word, and even during the solemn exercise of prayer. This is very sinful, if not the irresistible effect of absolute bodily weakness; and it is very hurtful, as it prevents them from hearing at all, or from observing those parts of the service which might prove peculiarly suitable, edifying, and refreshing to their souls.

At last, however, the three disciples awoke, and thus were competent witnesses of what passed, in so far as divine wisdom saw fit that it should be observed by them, and made known to the world. It may be observed, too, that the express mention of their awaking is a clear proof that the transfiguration took place in reality, and not in a dream, or any unsubstantial representation. How must the disciples have been struck, when they opened their eyes on the celestial glory, which, on the mountain's top, turned the darkness of night into more than the splendour of the sunny day! And, what must have been their feelings, when they thus beheld their Lord, learned who the heavenly visitants were, and listened to their delightful discourse!

"It is

Verse 33. "And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here." It was indeed good for them: it must have been most profitable, and most delightful. Happy were their eyes, for they saw, and their ears, for they heard, such things. In like manner, all who enjoy Christ's spiritual presence, and have a manifestation of his glory, in ordinances, may say, "It is good for us to be here." It is good for their knowledge, good for their faith, good for their love, good for their holiness, and good for their comfort. good for me," says the Psalmist, "to draw near to God.""Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts; we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple." Finding their situation on the mount so pleasant and profitable, the disciples wished their stay on it to be prolonged; and, perceiving that Moses and Elias were preparing to depart, or actually departing, Peter, in name of the other two, and for himself, made this extraor

66

dinary proposal: "Let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." He proposed to construct tents, in which they might dwell, and find shelter. This proposal showed, at once, much excellence, and much weakness. There was much commendable in the spirit by which it was dictated. It showed a great veneration and love for the Saviour, and a high value for the presence of the heavenly strangers. It was disinterested, too, as it made no mention of tents for the disciples; and it was made with a becoming spirit of bumility and submission, for, according to Matthew, Peter prefaced it with the words, If thou wilt." At the same time, there was plainly much weakness in this proposal. How could Peter imagine that glorified saints needed any such shelter as that? or that poor earthly tabernacles could have any charms to detain those who had a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens? Considering, too, the ministry Jesus had to prosecute, and the death which, it had just been said, he had to accomplish, how could Peter think of detaining him on the mountain's top? Or how could Peter think it desirable, for himself and his fellow disciples, to take up their abode there, considering the various duties, and especially the apostleship, which they had to discharge? But it is needless to try to contrive a rational account of such a proposal, seeing we are told that he spoke, "not knowing what he said." Astonishment and fear, and yet delight, at what he beheld, overcame him, and made him speak unadvisedly with his lips.

Our Lord made no reply to this proposal; but events quickly showed it to be vain. "While Peter thus spake, there came a cloud," Matthew calls it "a bright cloud," "and overshadowed them." This was, probably, similar to what was called the Shechinah, or glory, of the Lord, that is, the bright cloud, which repeatedly appeared under the Old Testament dispensation, and, in particular, took possession of the tabernacle and temple;* and which, without presenting any similitude, or bodily shape, was the symbol of the immediate and gracious presence of Jehovah. This bright cloud, then, on the mount of transfiguration, was the certain token of the presence of God the Father, who soon spoke from it. What a wondrous addition to the other wonders which then presented themselves to the three apostles! But a sense of the present Deity has always filled the * Exodus xl. 34; 1 Kings viii. 10.

« السابقةمتابعة »