32 But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. 33 Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.
9:32
But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.
After the disciples awoke from sleep, they saw Jesus’ transfigured glory and Moses and Elijah speaking with Him. Moses represented the law and Elijah the prophets. Jesus came to fulfill both.
9:33
Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.
The Jews constructed huts during the Festival of Tabernacles or Booths. Peter suggested one of these booths each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Peter wanted them to stay there on a more constant basis. Peter’s suggestion to build these huts was out of order. The voice from heaven corrected Peter on that point. Jesus was not like Moses or Elijah but was uniquely God’s Son.
As usual, Peter spoke first and thought about what he said afterwards. Making three huts or tabernacles put Moses and Elijah on equal footing with Jesus. However, Jesus never answered Peter.
9:34
While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.
A cloud enveloped Peter, John, and James on the Mount of Transfiguration; it was the presence of God the Father, His Shekinah glory. The apostles were in a state of fear. The cloud here is the Shekinah cloud; it was a pavilion of God’s manifest presence (2 Pe 1:17). The Shekinah cloud was a manifestation of God’s glory. Jesus is the glory of God. One day, Jesus will return in a cloud of glory (1 Th 4:16-17). He will also appear again in glory during His Second Coming.
9:35
And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”
The Father spoke from the cloud and said to the three apostles, “This is My beloved Son,” as He had previously said at the baptism of Jesus (Lu 3:22). This affirmation affirmed the Messiahship of Jesus. The Father dearly loved His Son.
The command from the Father was emphatic— “Hear Him.” Jesus was far greater than biblical revealers of Moses or Elijah (He 1:1,2). Listening to Jesus was most important above others. He was the Shekinah glory, the light of life. The Father interrupted Peter’s theory by emphatically drawing attention to the Messiahship of Jesus. He is the one to listen to above Moses, Elijah, or Peter.
9:36
When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone.
Moses and Elijah left the scene. Jesus was now “alone.”
But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.
The apostles chose to tell no one about the transfiguration until after Jesus rose from the dead. God showed them a manifestation of the kingdom at the transfiguration (2 Pe 1:16-19).
PRINCIPLE:
God warns against giving precedence to human wisdom over divine revelation.
APPLICATION:
Peter came up with a conjecture that he thought was spiritual, but he had injected his theory over biblical revelation. He needed to see that there was a greater plan that lay ahead, one that was greater than his finite thinking.
The transfiguration was a foretaste of the coming glory of Jesus in His millennial kingdom. The transfiguration was a watershed event in the life of Christ. It is a future taste of what the future millennial glory will be like.
