Jesus took the MVPs to the mountaintop with Him. Okay were they really His top 3? Maybe. The order they’re listed in could be a clue, but it stands to reason probably. Jesus just said that SOME of the people He was addressing wouldn’t die before seeing Jesus coming in His kingdom, so scholars point to this as basically being a speedy fulfilling of the prophecy. Yeah, quick turnaround on a prophecy at only 6 days. Here in this secluded spot, Jesus is TRANSFIGURED right before their mortal eyes!! Means He transformed. Face shines and clothes bright white, Jesus takes a form closer to representing His full divine nature as the Son of God. Moses and Elijah (Old Testament prophets, practically legendary heroes) appear to chat with Jesus. This confirms a life after death, since these guys are LONG gone as well as highlight the special relationship God has with His prophets. However, it’s clear these two are not on Jesus’s level because He is not merely a prophet and stands above them.

Peter. St. Peter. I love him so much. If you think you’ve ever messed up a social moment, imagine that 2 persons of God are present and 2 of the most central figures of your race and religion are alive beyond the grave. Peter blurts out an odd greeting and an offer to make tents for everyone. My man, you’ve functionally been escorted to Heaven for this interaction what are you doing. In Mark’s telling of the story, he notes that Peter didn’t know what to say in the moment (reasonable) and Luke says Peter didn’t even know what he was saying (evident). It’s understandable to be crushed by the overwhelming holiness of the moment and Peter wanted to demonstrate SOME sort of obedience and respect in the moment even if it was clumsy. But to suggest Jesus would reside in a tent with the prophets like the 3 are equal is an enormous misunderstanding of rank here.

Peter is apparently still speaking when God (the Father) just interrupts him to say what He said for Jesus’s baptism: this is my son with whom I am well pleased, Listen to Him". Oops. I’m gonna be honest, we should all be so lucky to have God show up and gently tell us “please just stop talking and listen”. They fall to their face in fear and reverence which is comparatively a much more appropriate answer. Jesus comes over and tells them to get up and not be afraid. For the record, you see everyone demonstrate fear and it might clash with your understanding with God as love, but we can’t take for granted that the power and glory difference between us and God is maybe comparable to a bug and the entire Milky Way galaxy and even that might be too generous in our favor. It’s reasonable to feel small and frail in the face of the limitless and infinitely perfect. Having Jesus there to put His hand on you would be really grounding and reassuring. They look up and the scene is gone and it’s just Jesus with them. “Tell no one about this until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead”. This is why I never would’ve been an Apostle, Jesus knows I can’t stop running my mouth.

But wait, wasn’t Elijah supposed to come before the messiah? Jesus says yup, Elijah DID come and the people blew it and they’re going to kill the Son of Man, next. The idea being that John the Baptist was the fulfillment of the promise of Elijah. So it’s more like you get “an Elijah” more than “the Elijah”. If this sounds like a convenient get out of jail free card, either stick around for Luke or go read Luke 1:16-17 yourself.

Alright back to business. Pater, James, and John have just seen the most incredible thing in their lives and now it’s time for people to beg for help again. Personally, I’d need time to process. But the other disciples, as this had been going on, had been in an argument with some locals and it’s because this man’s son has a demon. The disciples had already been empowered to expel demons and other miracles in Jesus’s name, so what’s going on here. They couldn’t heal him. Jesus expresses frustration at the absence of faith among His people as well as His disciples. Jesus handles it effortlessly and the disciples ask where they went wrong and He once again rebukes their weak faith. They didn’t believe they could do it even with Jesus’s power, that they couldn’t handle a severe case, or some other explanation. Either way, Jesus has said that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains so they need to lean on their faith rather than their understanding.

Jesus again predicts his suffering and death at the hands of the Jewish leaders. Right on schedule, someone approaches about the religious taxes, separate from those paid to Rome. Does the teacher not pay the 2-drachma tax? Peter says Jesus will pay the temple tax prescribed by Jewish law (God’s law) and goes to speak to Jesus who immediately asks if Kings collect taxes from their own children or others. Peter gives the obvious answer that it’s from others and Jesus concludes the children are exempt. The point is that the money is given to God. Jesus is not going to give taxes to God, any more than the son of an ordinary king would be required. Well, that is, that’s the point Jesus intended to make for Peter. For now, to observe customs and not cause problems, Jesus commands Peter to get the money from a local fish. Yes, the fish will have in its mouth enough money for the both of them. Just a casual miracle to conjure up some pocket change, but Peter gets to see MORE evidence that Jesus is God.