Monday, 16 February 2026
and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. Matthew 17:2
Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)
You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).
“And He metamorphosed before them, and it radiated, His face, like the sun, and His garments, it became whites, as the light” (CG).
In the previous verse, Jesus took Peter, James, and John off alone up on a high mountain. Now, the narrative continues, saying, “And He metamorphosed before them.”
It is a new word, metamorphoó, to transform, change, transfigure, etc. It is from meta, a preposition denoting accompaniment, usually translated as “with,” and morpho, to fashion or form, a word found only in Galatians 4:19. Thus, this word signifies “changing form in keeping with inner reality” (HELPS Word Studies).
It is the word used twice by Paul concerning our transformation in Christ, in Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18. Jesus changed His appearance and yet maintained His inner reality. Thus, this is a revelation of who He is that exists in accord with His being. The effect of this change was, “and it radiated, His face.”
The word signifies to radiate brilliancy or beam with light. The word is used by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:6 –
“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone [lampó] in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Along with this, it says, “like the sun.”
If His face shone like the sun, then the brilliancy of Christ’s divine nature is that of a light so strong it cannot be focused on directly without harming the eyes of the one beholding it. His glory can only be beheld in a glance that would be stunning and impossible to maintain a constant view of. And more, it next says, “and His garments, it became whites, as the light.”
The reason for changing the singular “white” to the plural “whites” is to abstract the concept, changing the intent from merely a color to the idea of purity and divinity. It is incorrect to say that the inner light shone outward and caused the clothes to become bright and shining.
Rather, an object lesson was given in the clothes themselves. The garments are a visible metaphor of Jesus’ perfect purity and righteousness. What is seen here is a representation of His divine nature being presented to these apostles, but which has been thus far clothed within His human nature. It is the fulfillment of what He had just said to them as Chapter 16 ended –
“Amen! I say to you that they are some of those having stood here who not they should taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matthew 16:28
This is not a stretch, as if, “But His kingdom hadn’t yet come.” Rather, remember what He Himself said previously –
“And if in God’s Spirit I, I eject the demons, then it preceded upon you, the ‘God’s kingdom’” Matthew 12:28 (CG).
Likewise, in Luke 17, He says –
“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, “See here!” or “See there!” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.’” Luke 17:20, 21
Jesus was not telling the Pharisees that the kingdom of God was within them, meaning inside of them. He was telling them that it was in their midst. Jesus’ deity is the kingdom of God. The transfiguration of Christ was given as a witness to these three men concerning this fact.
Life application: In the Old Testament, the Lord God (Yehovah Elohim) tabernacled with Israel in the wilderness. Everything about that prefigured Jesus Christ. In John 1:14, it says that the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. John was connecting the event in the wilderness of Sinai to Jesus in His humanity.
The deity of Christ is not a negotiable or debatable concept in Scripture. Rather, it is the fundamental truth found in Scripture. God entered into His creation to redeem us from sin. To deny the deity of Jesus Christ is to deny the only gospel that can save the human soul.
Be sure to get Jesus right. To fail to do so is an eternal error that will never be remedied once your final breath has been taken.
Lord God Almighty, we may not fully understand all the Bible reveals about Jesus, but we do understand what the Bible is telling us about Him. You have come in the Person of Jesus. We take it on faith that this is true. Thank You that You have done what You have done for us, O God. Amen.