The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 171

anco would have lost its significance, and the kind of habitation. Like a chil,I, he woul,t ocm6rmation which they were intended to fa.in prolong inrlefinitely the joy of this afford would foil to be given. la there great vision; and with a. Jew's ha.nkaring bore an intimation that in hellVCn the for a conquering Messiah and the perma- blosscd will know ench other, though they nence of the old covenant, he desired that never met in the flesh-shall know even as from that secure mountain-top the laws o~ they have boen • known? Talking with th_e kingdom might be issued, and all men him. St. Luke tells us the subject of this might ackn0wlerlge the Christ Bttcndei! mysterious dialogue-they "spake of hie and supported by the great lawgiver a.ncl decease (l!o~ov, e:i:odu,, departure) which prophet. W a.a there not also a latent hope he was about to accomplish at Jel'llBalem." that thus might be deferred or laid a.aide They conversed, not of the glory which that departure to Jerusalem, with its calami- was hie before the world hogan, nor of the tous consequences? But tbis we.s not to kingdom which he camo to establish, but be. No a.newer was vouchsafed to Peter's of his coming suffering and death, with thoughtless request. their tremendous iesuoe. At the very Ver. 5.-A bright cloud overshadowea moment of this revelation of Divinity, them. The cloud spread over and around, the discourse is of humiliation and the not Jesus only and the other two, but in cross. The apostles had been slow to some degree over the apostles also, a.a St. understand the future that awaited their Luke adds, "They feared a.a they entered Master; here the great saints of the cove- into the cloud." It wa.s the Shechinah, the nant bore their testimony to Christ's fulfil- token of the presence of the Most High, ment of what had been prophesied e.ncl who dwelleth in the une.pproachable light. shadowed al"oreband, how by the sufferings It enshrouded J eeus and his two companions, of his sacred humanity eternal glory should so that mortal eye could not pierce it or be won. So might the apo,tlee be strength- even look upon it; bnt the apostles, who ened to look forward without apprehension were outside its immediate contact, were in or weak shrinking; for through the grave some sort included in its influence, so that and gate of death lay the road to a joyful it could be said to overshaclow tbem. St. resurrection and celestial happiness. Peter calls it "the excellent gl0ry ( Tijs Ver. 4.-Then answered Peter. Accord- /«";'aJ..01rpE1roiis ~6!11s)" (2 Pet. i. 17). The ing to St. Luke, it we.e when the two Divine cloud from which on Sinai the old Law prophets were disappee.ring, or were being was giveu, we.a dark e.!1d threatening (Exod. withdrawn from sight, that Peter spoke. xix. 18; :u:. 21): this we.s bright, coming Bewildered, overcome with joy and astonish- not to terrify, but to teach and to bless. ment, not knowing what to say (Mark), yet Here is seen the contrast between the two iu hie excitement and ardour unable to keep dispenso.tions, the Law nnd the gospel silence, be cries to Jesus, Lord, it is good (comp. Heh. xii. lS-24). A voice out of for us to be here; perhaps equivalent to to the cloud. It we.a the voice of God the f'emain here. He includes Moses and Elias Father, for he called J esua, My beloved Son. in his eager excla.mation. Some commen- The same voice, saying the same words, tators confine the reference to the three ho.d been heard over the waters of Jordan apostles, as if Peter meant tba.t it was when Jesus was bo.ptized ( eh. iii. 17); it- "good" that they were present in order to spe.ke once Rgain just before his Pa.osion prepare the necessary be.bite.tiona. This (John xi'I. 28); at all times witnessing tha seems meagre nnd insufficient. Here were Father's love nnd the perfect Divinity of peace, aecluaion, ae.fety: might they not Christ. Now, as before, the Holy Trinity last? Was there any need to quit this was reveo.led, the Father speaking with hallowed spot at once, and _lose the heavenly audible voice, the Son standing in radie.nt company with which it was blessed? If light, the Holy Spirit present with ths thou wilt. Even at this supreme moment, intense brightness of the em·cloping cloud. he will not aet hie will in opposition to his The words heard are fount] in the earlier Master's. Let us make (I will ma/re, Revised Scriptures. Thus in Isa. xiii. 1 we read, Version) here three tabernaolee (cr1<71vd.s). "Behold my Servant, whom I uphold, my Boothe, of branches and grass, such e.s were Chosen in whom my soul dolighteth;" and used by travellers camping out, or auoh e.s'the in Pa. ii 7, "Thou art my Son; this day people erected when celebrating the Fee.st he.ve I begotten thee." Hear ye him. Not of Tabernacles. He spee.ka of but three Moses and Elio.s, but Jesus, the Mediator shelters, regarding only Jeaua nnd the two of e. better covenant (Heb. viii. 6). "This prophets, and considering bimYelf and his voice," St. Peter testifies, "we ourselves follow-uieciplea aa mere servitors and e.t- bonrd come out of heaven, when we were tend1mta, for whom no such provision was with him in the holy mount" (2 Pet. i. 18). needed. In his confusion be thinks that if As Edershcim remarko, eveu if this Epistle these three r4!ma.in, they must have some is not St. Pater's, it still would represent  li4 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [oH. xvrr. 1-27.