6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. (Matthew 17:6-9 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Observe here, 1. The effect which this voice from heaven had upon the apostles, it cast them into a passion of horror and amazement. They were sore afraid, and fell on their face.
Learn thence, that such is the majesty and glory of God, that man in his sinful state cannot bear so much as a glimpse of it, without great consternation and fear. How unable is man to hear the voice of God! and yet how ready to despise the voice of man; If God speaks by himself, his voice is too terrible; if he speaks by his ministers, it is too contemptible.
Observe, 2. The person by whom the disciples were recovered out of these amazing fears unto which they were cast; namely, by Christ: Jesus came and said, Be not afraid. It is Christ alone who can raise and comfort those whom the terrors of the Almighty have dejected and cast down.
Observe, 3. The manner how Christ recovered them out of this passionate amazement, it was three-fold:
- By his gracious approach, he came unto them. Christ will come with comfort unto his children, when they are disabled from coming to him with comfort.
- By his comfortable touch; He came and touched them. Christ comforts believers by a real and close application of himself unto them. An unapplied Christ saves none, comforts none.
- By his comforting voice, He said, Be not afraid. It is a word of assurance, that there is no ground or cause of fear; and it is a word of assistance. It is verbum operatorium: he that said unto them, Arise, Be not afraid, did by his spirit breathe life, and convey strength into their souls, to enable them to arise.
Observe, 4. The strict injunction given by Christ to his disciples, not to publish or proclaim this vision till after his resurrection, for two reasons:
- Lest it should hinder his passion; for had the rulers of the world known him to be the Lord of life and glory, they would not have crucified him; therefore Christ purposely concealed his deity to give way to his passion.
- Christ being now in a state of humiliation, would have his majesty veiled, his glory concealed, and consequently forbids that the glorious vision of his transfiguration should be published and accordingly charges his disciples, That they tell the vision to no man till he was risen.
As if Christ had said, Tell no man the things which you have seen; not the residue of the disciples, That they tell the vision to no man till he was risen.
As if Christ had said, Tell no man the things which you have seen; not the residue of the disciples, that they be not troubled, that they were not admitted to see with you; nor those believers which now follow me, that they be not scandalized at my sufferings after so glorious a transfiguration.