July 22nd, 2023

This Sunday marches on to what is typically entitled the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost. But the Gospel Reading continues to be in Matthew 13[:24-30, 36-43], with only a few verses farther along when compared to last week.

Our walk with these writings continues on, a significant section at a time, as we go through the entire writing of the Gospel according to Matthew. We are currently at the point of what is commonly known as chapter sixteen, and we will also be going into chapter seventeen this time. At the very end of chapter sixteen (verse twenty-eight), there is the promise of Jesus that some of those standing there would not see death until they see the coming of his kingdom, and that seems to happen in what is usually called the ‘transfiguration’ (although it is called a ‘metamorphosis’ below), and that is at the beginning of chapter seventeen.

Just how special this ‘metamorphosis’ is may be seen in the verbs that are given the form of the historical present in the text. (That is when the past tense is expected, but the present tense is given.) By far the most common verb in this gospel account is ‘to say’.

The two verbs, seen in bold print below, are that of ‘to take with’ and ‘to bring up’. These are very rare verbs to have as historical presents. It is interesting that this verb, ‘to take with’, was in the historical present when the devil takes Jesus to two places (which also have some height) within the three temptations of Jesus in chapter four of this account. The two places where Jesus and the devil go are important. Both of these places and temptations have to do with power (and, therefore, in a sense, kingdoms)—that, with Jesus falling from the top of the temple, the angels would be there in a powerful way to make sure he did not get hurt, and the final temptation that the devil would hand over his power over these kingdoms of the world to Jesus. Those two temptations are leading to a different kingdom than the one that Jesus is putting forward.

Jesus usually does not ‘take’ someone anywhere. This is an important action and implies at least a little bit of power. And, in this case, the leading of Jesus goes forward to a very important kingdom, but one that does not look too powerful. But this kingdom clearly belongs to Jesus. And this is one that is supported by some significant Old Testament people.

If you are familiar with what is usually called this ‘transfiguration’, it is easy to focus on the presence of both Moses and Elijah, some truly significant people from the Old Testament. They certainly had some power in their Old Testament actions. And so, it is not surprising that Peter wants to build three tents and not just one. But the voice from the cloud, from the heavenly Father, helps the focus to be clearly and only on His Son, Jesus.

The following [Matthew 16:21-17:13] is a somewhat-literal translation, and it starts with the important ‘From then’, a phrase that was not heard since chapter four of the work (verse seventeen). At that point—the start of his public ministry—it was said that Jesus ‘began to proclaim and to say, “For it has drawn near, the kingdom of the heavens.”’ Here, again, is a reference to the start of a kingdom, and one that is strongly connected to Jesus. And it may be said that the second ‘From then’ describes what that ‘kingdom of the heavens’ looks like. With an absence of the power, there is a better chance to see the extent of the love.

From then, he began, the Jesus, to show to the disciples of him that it is necessary, him, into Jerusalem, to go away, and many things to suffer, from the Elders and Chief Priests and Scribes, and to be killed and, in the third day, to be raised.

And, taking to him, the Peter began to rebuke him saying, “Mercy to you, Lord; certainly not, it will be to you, this!” Now he, turning, said to the Peter: “Go behind me, Satan; a scandal you are of me, because not you think the things of the God, but on the contrary, the things of the men.”

Then the Jesus said to the disciples of him, “If anyone wants, after me, to come, let him deny himself, and let him take the cross of him, and let him follow me. For whoever wants the life of him to save, he will lose it; now whoever loses the life of him for the sake of me, he will find it. For what will be benefited a man, if the world, whole, he gains, now the soul of him he loses? Or what he will give, a man, an exchange of the soul of him? For he is about, the Son of the Man, to come in the glory of the Father of him, with the angels of him, and then he will reward to each one according to the practice of him. Amen, I am saying to you, that there are some of the ones here, standing, who certainly not will taste of death until they see the Son of the Man coming in the kingdom of him.”

And after days, six, he takes with, the Jesus, the Peter and James and John, the brother of him, and he brings up them into a mountain, high, according to their own. And he was metamorphosized before them, and it shown, the face of him, as the sun; now the garments of him became white as the light. And, behold, it was seen to them, Moses and Elias, conversing with him.

Now, answering, the Peter said to the Jesus, “Lord, good it is, us here to be. If you want, I will make, here, three tents, for you, one, and for Moses, one, and for Elias, one.”
Still he speaking, behold, a cloud, bright, overshadowed them, and, behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, “This is the Son of Me, the Beloved, in whom I was well pleased; hear him.”

And having heard, the disciples fell on a face of them, and they feared greatly. And he approached, the Jesus, and, touching them, he said, “Rise, and do not fear.” Now, lifting up the eyes of them, no one they saw, except himself, Jesus only. And coming down, they, from the mountain, he commanded them, the Jesus, saying, “To no one tell the vision until which the Son of the Man, from dead ones, he is raised.”

And they questioned him, the disciples, saying, “Why, therefore, the Scribes say that Elias, it is necessary, to come first?”

Now he, answering, said, “Elias, on the one hand, is coming, and he will restore all things; on the other hand, I am saying to you that Elias already came, and not they did recognize him, but on the contrary, they did in him whatever they wanted, thus also the Son of the Man is about to suffer by them.”

Then they understood, the disciples, that concerning John the Baptist he spoke to them.
Being with Moses and Elijah is obviously an important thing. But they are nothing compared to the One who was THE Prophet, Priest, and King in our place on the cross. That is the suffering that Jesus is talking about at the end above.
​
Jesus taking and leading his special followers to such a special place is a very special thing. And something like it will happen at the end of this life.