Such a short but powerful chapter! How is it that Peter James and John after hearing the voice of God from heaven, and seeing Moses and Elijah, and seeing Christ glorified, could forsake Jesus on that fateful night when He was taken captive? Knowing truth is not enough. We must remember the things that we've been Sean. Is it not possible that Peter James and John, forgot what they saw on the Mountaintop?
Yes, it was not kept fresh in their minds and thus they forsook their Messiah. And, even the mother of Jesus did not think Him to be the Messiah, the Son of God, when He hung on the cross. We who have been given so much light ought not forget what we have seen. But, we shamefully do all to often. When we sin a known sin, it is because we do not understand how much we hurt the One who gave all that we might not forget His love and power to keep us from sin.
How can we keep from forgetting God? It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Christ. That is not enough, but it is a good beginning. We must remain in an attitude of prayer continually in order that we forget not what Christ has done for us. Daniel understood. He removed himself from the world three times a day that He would forget not what He had been shown. If we consider Elijah and Moses, we understand that at times they also forgot what they knew and sinned grievous sins. They had a Mediator to forgive them. And, so do we. But, very soon there will no more Mediator to forgive sins. The heavenly sanctuary will soon close forever never more to pardon sinners.
Through being overcome with sleep, the disciples heard little of what passed between Christ and the heavenly messengers. Failing to watch and pray, they had not received that which God desired to give them,--a knowledge of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. They lost the blessing that might have been theirs through sharing His self-sacrifice. Slow of heart to believe were these disciples, little appreciative of the treasure with which Heaven sought to enrich them.
Yet they received great light. They were assured that all heaven knew of the sin of the Jewish nation in rejecting Christ. They were given a clearer insight into the work of the Redeemer. They saw with their eyes and heard with their ears things that were beyond the comprehension of man. They were "eyewitnesses of His majesty" (2 Peter 1:16), and they realized that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, to whom patriarchs and prophets had witnessed, and that He was recognized as such by the heavenly universe.
While they were still gazing on the scene upon the mount, "a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him." As they beheld the cloud of glory, brighter than that which went before the tribes of Israel in the wilderness; as they heard the voice of God speak in awful majesty that caused the mountain to tremble, the disciples fell smitten to the earth. They remained prostrate, their faces hidden, till Jesus came near, and touched them, dispelling their fears with His well-known voice, "Arise, and be not afraid." Venturing to lift up their eyes, they saw that the heavenly glory had passed away, the forms of Moses and Elijah had disappeared. They were upon the mount, alone with Jesus.
