#DailyDevotion What Do You Mean The Son Of Man Will Be Raised From The Dead?
Matt. 17:9 9On their way down the mountain Jesus ordered them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”
I often wonder how well the three disciples followed Jesus’ order given. I think it would have been difficult not to tell the other guys what you had just seen and heard. Perhaps the big commotion when they got to the bottom of the hill made them forget. But I guess they obeyed the LORD Jesus since we don’t hear of it again in the Gospels. Why wouldn’t Jesus want them to tell the other guys? Does he know they are just as dense as the three he brought up there? Is he afraid they may try to make him king before his time like the crowds at the feeding of the 5000? I’m fairly certain it has to do with the timing of his death which in the Gospels after this seems coming fairly quickly.
Now what Jesus says here is troubling for the disciples. He often refers to himself as the Son of Man, but in Daniel 7 the Son of Man comes in glory. What Jesus is telling us though is before he comes in glory he must first become the suffering servant of Isaiah. We would be confused a bit too if we didn’t have this knowledge after the fact. Jesus though lets them know he indeed is the Son of man and they should say anything until he is raised from the dead. Now this probably also caused them some stress. Raised from the dead? Wait, your going to die?
Yes, Jesus tells them he is going to die. In fact at least 5 times in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus lets them in on this fact. He tells them once before they go up the mountain (that’s when Peter gets a dressing down for trying to convince the LORD to not let this happen), now, and then three more times (17:23, 20:19, 26:31). Jesus witnesses, prophecies to them he is going to be killed but that he will be raised from the dead.
Why is Jesus going to die? Couldn’t he just wipe out all the bad guys? Well he could, but we’re all bad guys. No one is perfect. Yes, that makes you a bad guy. Well that exposes a little faulty thinking about God on our part. We sometimes think God wants to wipe out the bad guys. That is far from the truth. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked or wiping people out. It is God’s will that all men repent of their sinful ways and turn to him through faith in Jesus Christ. He has prepared a way so people don’t have to suffer for eternity because of their sins. That way is Jesus Christ. Jesus must suffer for our sins, die and be buried for our sins, trespasses, iniquities, wickedness etc. to be atoned for. By the shedding of his blood we are ransomed from our fate.
Jesus by his resurrection then justifies us, declares us not guilty and prepares the way for us to be raised from the dead ourselves. We have this promise if put our faith in him, his works, even in his name we have eternal life. This promise he has attached to the preached Word, Baptism, the Supper, Absolution and the Church’s proclamation of forgiveness. And yes, Jesus is coming again in glory as the Son of Man to judge the living (those who have faith) and the dead (those who don’t have faith). Make use of these means of grace so you will be found among the living on that day for it is through those means he brings you to faith and sustains you in that faith.
Heavenly Father, grant us faith in Jesus so that at his return we may be found among the living and enter into his eternal kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.