Well, as CHRIST had told them, that they should not taste of death, till they had seen the kingdom of GOD, why the Evangelist, at the 28th verse, tells us, “It came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took _Peter_, and _John_, and _James_, and went up into a mountain to pray.” About an eight days; that is, as Bishop _Hall_ thinks, upon the sabbath-day; or, according to some, the first day of the week, which was hereafter to be the christian sabbath; our blessed LORD takes _Peter_, _John_, and _James_: Why did not the LORD JESUS CHRIST take more of his disciples? Why three, and these three? And why three only? Our blessed LORD was pleased to take three and no more, to show us that he is a sovereign agent; to show us, that though he loved all his disciples, yet there are some to whom he is pleased to allow peculiar visits. He loved _Peter_, and all the other disciples; yet _John_ was the disciple that he peculiarly loved. And he took three rather than one, because three were sufficient to testify the truth of his being transfigured: “Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” And he took no more than three, because these three were enough. And he took these three, _Peter_, _John_, and _James_, in particular, because these very persons that were now to see CHRIST transfigured, were hereafter to see him agonizing in the garden, sweating great drops of blood falling unto the ground. And had not these three disciples seen CHRIST upon the mount, the seeing him afterwards in the garden, might have staggered them exceedingly: they might have doubted whether it was possible for the Son of GOD to be in such doleful circumstances. Well, our LORD takes these three “up into a mountain.” Why so? Because CHRIST JESUS was to be like _Moses_, who was taken up into a mountain, when GOD intended to deliver unto him the moral law: And our blessed LORD went up into a mountain, because a mountain befriended devotion. When he had a mind to retire to pray to his Father, he went to such places where he could be most secret, and give the greatest vent to his heart. Thus we are told, that once when _Peter_ prayed, it was upon the house-top. And if we have a mind to be near GOD, we should choose such places as are freest from ostentation, and that most befriend our communion with GOD. ♦And what doth CHRIST, when he got up into a mountain? We are told, he went up into a mountain “to pray.” CHRIST had no corruption to confess, and he had but few wants of his own to be relieved; yet we hear of CHRIST being much in prayer; we hear of his going up to a mountain to pray; of his rising up a great while before it was day to pray; and of his spending a whole night in prayer to GOD.
♦ “Aud” replaced with “And”
In the 29th verse, you have an account of the effect of our LORD’s praying; “As he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.” I would have you take notice, that our LORD was not changed in respect of his body, while he was going up to the mount, but when he got upon the mount, and while engaged in prayer. It is sufficient that way for our souls to be transformed: the time we are more particularly to expect the influences of GOD’s Spirit, is, when we are engaged in prayer. There seems to be a very great propriety in our LORD’s being transfigured or changed upon the mount. I hope I need inform none of you, that when _Moses_ went up to the mount of GOD, GOD was pleased to speak to him face to face; and when he came down from the mount, the people of _Israel_ observed that _Moses_’s face shone so, that he was obliged to have a veil put upon his face. Now the shining of _Moses_’s face, was a proof to the people, that _Moses_ had been conversing with GOD. And _Moses_ told the people, “That the LORD would raise up unto them a prophet like unto him, whom the people were to hear.” GOD the Father, in order to give his Son (considering him as man) a testimony that he was a prophet, was pleased not only to let his face glitter or shine; but to show that he was a prophet far superior to _Moses_, he was pleased to let his garment be white and glistering, and “his countenance (as we are told by another Evangelist) did shine as the sun.” What a change was here! What a sight! Methinks I see _Peter_, _James_, and _John_ surprized: and, indeed, well might the Evangelist, considering what happened, usher in the following part of the story with the word _Behold_; “Behold, there talked with him two men, _Moses_ and _Elias_:” And in the 31st verse, you have an account of their dress, “They appeared in glory;” and of their discourse, “They spake of his decease which he should accomplish at _Jerusalem_.”