Matthew 17:1-13 A 1,300 Year Old Prayer is Answered


With many passages of scripture there is the immediate context of what is happening and the deeper level of context that gives us the ‘lesson’ of what we can take away from this passage. This is one of those. So, what is happening?

Jesus takes the three closest apostles with Him for something special and would later warn them not to speak on it. They climb to the top of a mountain where Jesus was transfigured. Now what does that word mean? It is from the Greek metamorphoo and means He was changed from the inside outward.

It conveys Jesus's divinity bursting forth from behind His humanity. It is a word that is used only four times in the New Testament. It is here, in the parallel account of this same event found in Mark's gospel and two other verses.

Romans 12:2
[2] And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Corinthians 3:18
[18] But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

In each case, the verses indicate that by the constant renewing of our minds we are being changed from the inside out. We are being transformed. The imagery Paul uses reflects the events of Exodus when Moses descended Mount Sinai after receiving the ten commandments and he had to wear a veil because he was still literally glowing from being so close to God. It was scaring the people.

It isn't a coincidence that Paul mentioned Moses and used the word, ‘transfigured’ to describe our growth in Christ. We are told in verse 3 that Moses and Elijah appeared to them as if they were there to comfort Jesus. But it's more than that, it's Moses representing the Law, and Elijah representing the Prophets and both meet to affirm Jesus's supremacy over them. But it's still more than that!

Peter is a week from having been called Satan just prior. And I'm sure he thinks he is having foresight and depth to volunteer to build three tabernacles, one for each of the glowing figures before them. It was a very Israeli thing to do to build a monument to indicate an important event or person, read Joshua to see. Then, Peter's ego gets a slap in the face by the voice of God.

God speaks from the cloud, Moses and Elijah are gone and only Jesus stands there when God says, “This Is My Son, listen to Him.” Jesus speaks and is lightyears more important than either the Law or the Prophets. God is saying, “No Peter, there is no equating Jesus with these men.”

But brothers and sisters in Christ, it's even still more than that! The voice of God boomed overhead to the point that they were frightened to death. Jesus alone was left, and the apostles descend with Jesus and discussed John the Baptist being the Elijah to come. So, did you miss it?

Did you miss the lesson here? The really deep one? When Moses was alive, his prayer was to enter the Promised Land and because of his sin, he was not permitted to do so and died before Israel entered it. But here, Moses made it! The prayer was answered!

Moses received the answer to his prayer some 1,300 years after his death. Did you know God is still answering the prayers of his people long after their death? A faithful grandmother prays daily for her grandson to be saved but sadly doesn't live to see it. It was her death that changed that man's life to serve Jesus and become a missionary. How many prayers do we pray and not see answers for? Do we realize that God is still working on those prayers long after we've gone?

God's word does not return to Him void. It means we may not see answers panning out but God is still working on the answers whether we ever see it or not. And isn't it a comfort to know that God allowed Moses into the Promised Land to stand alongside Jesus?

Are you getting discouraged by unanswered prayers? He's still listening, still answering and you don't even have to be there to see it happen.


[1] Six days later, Jesus *took with Him Peter and James, and his brother John, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves. [2] And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. [3] And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. [4] Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If You want, I will make three tabernacles here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” [5] While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!” [6] When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. [7] And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” [8] And raising their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone. [9] When they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” [10] And His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” [11] And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; [12] but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” [13] Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.