Matthew 17:1-13
Ch. 16 ended with the thought of the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus. Ch. 17 opens with His appearance in glory, the answer to the promise made to the disciples (Matthew 16:28). After the scorn to which His Son was subjected by His people Israel, and all the forms of unbelief which He met with in the preceding chapter, God wanted to give to chosen witnesses among the people a preview of His royal majesty. What a spectacular scene! But the three disciples are unable to bear it. Fear takes hold of them (after sleep: ; Luke 9:32). And finally God has to speak, to prevent His beloved Son being confounded with the two companions in glory. Only some time later, after the resurrection, will the disciples understand the import of this magnificent vision, and be authorised to recount it. That is what Peter does in his second epistle (2 Peter 1:17-18). But for the present, while Moses and Elijah return to their rest, the Son of God again takes on Himself the humble "form of a servant" which He had relinquished only for a moment, and descending from the mountain He again takes up the lonely road to the cross.