Matthew 17:4-8 - Listen to Him!

17:4,5

Peter, in his usual style, had to say something and wanted to erect three tents, one for Jesus, one for Elijah and one for Moses. Maybe he was thinking back to the days of the Exodus, though Mark 9:6 tells us that Peter did not know what he was talking about. However, Jesus, Elijah and Moses paid no attention, and some more useful words were about to be heard. A bright cloud covered them all and a voice was heard, saying “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”. 

This, of course, was the voice of God, the Father. The disciples may not have liked what Jesus told them was going to happen, but God the Father did like it! The words “Listen to Him” are crucial, and have a greater meaning than just the immediate instruction to pay attention to what Jesus says. In Deut 18:15 Moses says that God would raise up a prophet like him and that they must “listen to him”. So this is a clear declaration that Jesus is that prophet.

17:6-8

It had now dawned on the three disciples what was going on and that they were having an encounter with the living God. They fell facedown to the ground, terrified. “Jesus came and touched them” and told them to get up and to not be afraid. Meeting with God should be a terrifying experience, especially as we are hopeless sinners. But Jesus enables us to meet the living God.  God’s plan and purpose is that we can live in fellowship with Him, and this is made possible through faith in Christ. Then Moses, Elijah and the cloud had all vanished, and only Jesus was left.