Wednesday | 29 April 2026
In the final year of His earthly ministry, Christ’s focus shifted towards His impending offering journey from Gethsemane to Calvary. Luk 9:22. In addition to this, He said to His disciples, ‘I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.’ Luk 9:27. Jesus was specifically referring to Peter, John and James whom He took with Him up on the mountain to pray. As He prayed, He was transfigured. The appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah about His impending decease in Jerusalem. Luk 9:28‑31.
Significantly, although they witnessed Christ’s glory and the glory of Moses and Elijah, the three disciples were heavy with sleep, indicating the weakness, or infirmity, of their flesh. Luk 9:32. Mat 26:41. Engagement in this conversation, on the basis of their carnal reasoning, affected their understanding of what was happening and the response that was required. This was demonstrated by their keenness to establish three tabernacles – one for Christ, one for Moses, and one for Elijah - marking a sacramental, religious, and self‑centred response to this manifestation of the kingdom of God. Luk 9:33.
The next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a man from the midst of the crowd implored Jesus to ‘look on’ his son, saying ‘for he is my only child’. Luk 9:37-38. The father of the possessed child explained to Jesus, ‘A spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.’ Luk 9:39. The demonic spirit was only able to do this through the misappropriation of authority. It may well have been a familiar spirit that was misappropriating the very authority that belonged to this man in his house on account of his iniquity, for we know that Jesus was ‘bruised for our iniquities’. Isa 53:5.
Further Study:
2 Peter 1
References:
Luk 9:22
The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
Luk 9:27-33
‘But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.’ Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’ — not knowing what he said.
Mat 26:41
Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Luk 9:37-39
Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him. Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, ‘Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child. And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.’
Isa 53:5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.