This chapter is full of miracles… of faithful trust in Jesus. We see the disciples sent out… the incredible feeding of the 5000 (plus women and children)… Peter’s proclamation that Jesus is the Messiah… Jesus’s powerful words on His impending death, and our need to “take up our cross” (a topic worthy of a whole other post).
Then, after all that incredible narrative… we are brought to a mountain. Not unlike Moses, Aaron, and the elders… these three men were about to see God’s glory in a way few would on this side of eternity!!
These followers of the Christ were given privy to seeing Jesus in a transfigured state. Flexing a bit of the glory of the Triune Godhead… as the entered the “glory cloud.”
The fear they experienced was justified! They were encountering the holy presence of a Living and Active God! We should remember that this is the LORD we worship. He is not weak or feeble that we should (apart from being in Christ) boldly approach His holiness. These men recognized their sinfulness and were afraid.
Later though, after Christ’s death-burial-resurrection-ascension, they would go boldly forth! They would feel no shame coming to the LORD of Hosts. They would be empowered to proclaim the Truth of Christ… even if it would cost them their lives.
May we consider God’s holiness with reverence, then remember that grounded in the Person of Christ we need not fear.