Matthew 17:1-2 And after six days Jesus takes Peter, James, and
John his brother, and brings them up into an high mountain apart,
2 And was transfigured before them: and His face did
shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on the Mount of Transfiguration. It is so named because Jesus was transfigured there. Suddenly His face shone as the sun, and His clothes were white as the light. He was seen in His glory.
The Scriptures say that the fullness of God dwelt in Him (Colossians 1:19). This was true at all times, not just while He was on the Mount of Transfiguration. The glory of God was always upon Him, but it was hidden from the natural eye. So no one could have perceived it except by revelation. That was the reason so few people accepted Him as the Messiah. He didn’t look any different than the average man on the street. We don’t know what He looked like, but we do know that Isaiah said there was nothing about Him that would attract people (Isaiah 53:2).
Movies present Him as tall, slim, handsome, and very soft spoken. He probably wasn’t like that at all. Many found Him offensive, particularly the high and mighty, religious Pharisees with their holier-than-thou attitudes. Jesus was very quick to offend them. On one occasion, He said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites!” And one of the lawyers said, “Master, when you say that You reproach us too.” And Jesus responded, “Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! For ye laden men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers” (Luke 11:44-46). Jesus had such a love and compassion that He could minister to the multitudes for days on end, but He had little tolerance for the religious Pharisees and Sadducees.
Jesus was probably not a handsome man or soft spoken. God would not have planned it that way. He wouldn’t want His Son to be a handsome man with a winsome personality, someone that would attract people on that level. Jesus came in human flesh in such a way that He would be recognized as the Christ only by revelation. A person would have to see beyond the outer exterior of the flesh and perceive the heart, the divine nature within Him. God meant for it to be that way. For that reason Jesus commanded His disciples to tell no man that He was the Christ (Matthew 16:20). He did not want them to go around saying, “This man is the Messiah. He is the one we’ve been waiting for.” A few might believe, but they would only follow Him until something happened they didn’t approve of. Then they would walk away just as easily. But if one could see the Lord by revelation, knowing in their heart that He was the One to come, they wouldn’t walk away so quickly.
It will have to be real to our hearts, too. A revelation of the Lord in His glory is very much needed. May the Lord God transfigure the concept of Jesus we’ve had in the past, that we may know Him as the Lord of glory.
Copyright © 1999 by Henry DuBose