Sometimes It Is Better Just to Say Nothing – Mark 9:2-6

Text: Mark 9:2-6

I rarely regret what I didn’t say, but I often kick myself for what I did say.

If the apostle Peter felt the same way, he must’ve walked around in a perpetual self-kicking posture.

As we would expect, Peter was blown away when he witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus and the sudden appearance of two men who had been dead for hundreds of years. Jesus’ clothes became intensely white and radiant, and Moses and Elijah appeared beside Him, talking to Him.

Peter felt the need to say something, but what do you say in a situation like that?

“Hi Moses, Elijah. How are you guys doing today?” wouldn’t have sounded quite right.

So Peter said what he thought was appropriate . . . Here’s the first part of the story:

Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. (Mark 9:2-6)

When we’re scared to death, we say things we shouldn’t. Peter’s comment here was well-intentioned, but he simply didn’t understand the significance of what was happening. He still thought Jesus was just another great man like Moses and Elijah.

He didn’t fully recognize who this Rabbi really was.

God responds to Peter quickly and decisively:

And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves. (Mark 9:7-8).

When Matthew tells this story, he lets us know that Peter and the others dove for cover when they heard God’s voice (Matthew 17:6).

While they were planting their faces in the dirt, they got the message: Jesus is infinitely greater than Moses and Elijah.

God worked through Moses to lead His people and deliver His Law.

God spoke through Elijah and the prophets to guide the people back to Him.

But don’t miss this: the point of the Law and the prophets was Jesus, and that’s what it’ll always be.

And that’s the main idea to take from today’s passage.

We hear many voices in our world:

• religious voices
• secular voices
• cultural voices

Quite often they’ll tell us different ways to go.

This Rabbi who was transfigured before Peter and the others is the only voice that matters.

This is God’s beloved Son.

Listen to Him.