When Jesus shone on a mountain and a cloud overshadowed the disciples, the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matt. 17:5). The transfiguration was glorious because glory was there.
But did you hear what the Father said about his Son? There is glory in what was heard as well as what was seen. I want to look at the Father’s words in three parts. First, “This is my beloved Son.” Second, “with whom I am well pleased.” Third, “listen to him.”
When the Father said “This is my beloved Son,” the language alluded to Psalm 2. In Psalm 2:7, the Father said, “You are my Son.” The recipient of those words was the Davidic king, the promised descendant who fulfilled the Davidic covenant (2 Sam. 7:12-13). In the context of Psalm 2, the promised king was God’s Son, and this sonship would envelop a royal rule. The Son would rule the nations with a rod of iron (Ps. 2:9). When would this king come? The Father declared on the mountain that Jesus was this king. Jesus was the promised royal Son.
When the Father said “with whom I am well pleased,” the language alluded to Isaiah 42. In the opening verse of that chapter, God said, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights” (Isa. 42:1). Jesus is one in whom the Father delights. The Father is well pleased with him. The Old Testament figure being associated with Jesus, in this case, is the servant. This servant figure is key to Isaiah 40—55 because of several “servant songs” in which he appears. Most notably, this servant will be a suffering servant, bearing the transgressions of the people as a substitutionary sacrifice (Isa. 52—53). In the Father’s words upon the mountain, he was identifying Jesus as the fulfillment of those prophecies in Isaiah. Jesus was the promised servant.
When the Father said “listen to him,” the language alluded to Deuteronomy 18. In that chapter, Moses said to the Israelites, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen” (Deut. 18:15). From the Israelites would arise a prophet like Moses. God told Moses, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him” (Deut. 18:18). The prophet like Moses would speak the words of God. It is to him the people should listen. In the Father’s words upon the mountain, he is identifying Jesus as that one whose mouth speaks the words of God. Jesus was the promised prophet.
The Father’s words in Matthew 17:5 were a mouthful! Jesus is the promised king, servant, and prophet. He fulfilled those Old Testament expectations, and the Father himself claimed that it was so.
One more thing to notice. Those allusions in Matthew 17:5 were from very specific parts of the Old Testament. The Old Testament in Jesus’ day was divided into the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. Look carefully at where the Old Testament references are located.
Deuteronomy 18—that’s from the Law.
Isaiah 42—that’s from the Prophets.
Psalm 2—that’s from the Writings.
According to the Father’s words about his Son, Jesus is the promised one indeed! The Old Testament bears witness to who he is.
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