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As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

 

This passage came after the transfiguration of Jesus and the vision that Peter, James, and John saw where Jesus was talking to Elijah and Moses. As with other times in the gospels, Jesus asked the disciples to not tell anyone what they had seen. This time he specifically told them to keep quiet about this until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

This was an eye-opening event for these three men…proof that Jesus was truly the Messiah and was connected to the past through his connections with Moses and Elijah. It was also hard to believe, if they had not seen it with their own eyes. That may be why Jesus told them to wait until the resurrection to tell others. When the other disciples saw Jesus after his crucifixion, this experience would make more sense and lend credence to what Peter, James and John would tell them.

Throughout the Bible, there are many things that happen that do not make immediate sense. The leader of a Bible study I am currently involved in always says, “Just wait. God will make things clear in the right context.” That is all part of faith, isn’t it? We don’t have the whole picture. Some day we may, but for now, we need to be content knowing that God does have that overall plan that will make all things clear in the end.

Dear God, please help us be patient when we don’t understand what is happening in our lives and in our world. Comfort us with the knowledge that you know what is happening and what will happen in the future and you have control over all of it. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Karla Gerke

Kgerke56@gmail.com

 

Prayer Concern: Those who are discouraged about what is happening in their lives