splendor and their testimony. We do " n ot follow eunningly devised f a b l e s" when we take shelter under the shadow of the one, or walk in the light of the splendor of the others (II Pet. 1:16-18). No criticism can cancel these tremen- dous realities, unless it can show that Peter, James and John, and the whole college of apostles, were the most dam- nable liars that ever bore testimony. The Transfiguration shows "w i th what body we come in the Besurrection'' (I Cor. 15:35). It will be one fash- ioned like unto His glorious body (Phil. 3:21), and though we shall not all sleep, we shall all be changed (trans- figured, the same word) (I Cor. 15:21). Such is, evidently, the spiritual body (I Cor. 15:44). They are wrong, then, who think the tomb a sort of crucible, into which the body must be cast to pass through a sublimating process to a " s p i r i t u a l" condition. Jesus' flesh, and raiment, too, were shot through with glory, and upon the face of the record it seems apart from the assump- tion of celestial splendor, His body remained in form and tangible reality what it was before. Sueh a body is a spiritual body, and our tabernacle which is to come with Jesus' advent from the heavens (II Cor. 5:1-4). 5. Confirmation. The Transfigura- tion confirms the Scripture. By it Pe- ter says, We have the word of prophesy made more sure (I Pet. 1:19, A. B. V.) How did it eonfirm the prophetic word? First, by demonstrating to the senses of Peter, corroborated by those of his co-witnesses, and thus through their testimony to us. the recorded real- ities (1) of the glorious cloud, (2) the glorious Person, (3) the glorious voice, (4) the glorified saints (represented in Moses and Elijah) referred to in prophesy, and associated with the pre- dicted coming of the King and King- dom. What further confirmation of the Word could we ask beyond this? Second, by demonstrating that Word' as perfectly reliable in the reeord of past manifestations of the supernatural. Neither cloud nor Lord nor voice of glory was new and unheard-of. Their presence among the records of the past is a great stumbling block to them who are "slow to believe all that Moses and the prophets have said'' (Luke 4:25), even if they believe Peter of the New Testament times. Here in the New Testament is a stupendous the- ophany sufficient to vindicate the Old Testament account of similar events.
4. The Malady. 5. The Master. A. Transfiguration.
1. Contrasts. Two scenes, one on a mountain, the other in a valley; one in a cloud of glory, the other under a cloud of gloom; one manifesting the effect of the Divine Spirit in a human body, the other of a demoniac spirit in a human body; one a scene of victory, the other of defeat; one of heavenly harmony, the other of hellish contro- versy and confusion; one anticipative of Messianic exaltation, the other of final satanic humiliation and defeat; one demonstrative of the Kingdom of God, the other illustrative of the king- dom of the devil. 2. Context. In Mat. 16:21, Christ foretold the coming cross. The disci- ples could not comprehend. That rug- ged Calvary was the ascent to glory was impossible to them. They needed a preparation for the shock of the cross. The recollection of the demon- stration of glory in the Transfiguration was calculated to save them from de- spair when the shame of the Cruci- fixion almost drove them to abandon the hope that Jesus was the Messiah. (Luke 24:21.) That Transfiguration still stands historically as the compan- ion piece to the Resurrection in invin- cible vindication of the Messianic and divine claims of Jesus of Nazareth. 3. Contradiction. Peter contradict- ed and said: "This shall never be to t h e e" (16:22). Jesus rebuked him, and set forth a principle which the Transfiguration remarkably confirmed. He said he that would save his life should lose it, and he that would lose it should save it. Now there appeared with Him in glory two men whose re- nunciation of the world and self was as complete as it was conspicuous among the men of the past. Moses, who counted the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt (Heb. 11:26); and Elijah, who stood alone the champion of the truth, though its enemies sought his life (I Kings, 18:10). Their presence in the cloud shows how gloriously they had saved their lives, and that, like the Lord Himself, all who would save their lives pass through suffering into glory (Luke 24:26). 4. Counterpart. The Transfiguration is the counterpart of the Besurrection. These two events stand on either side of the Cross, and shed upon it their
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