The Disciples' Fear - Matthew 17:6

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus said, “There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. And after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if you will, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear you him”, and in chapter seventeen and verse six of his book, Matthew shares how, “the disciples ...fell on their face, and were sore afraid” where we read:

And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

The verse reads, “And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, ...”. Matthew began with the words, “and when” or “at the time and moment” “the disciples” or “Jesus' students, pupils and attendants” “heard it” which means “were given the capacity for hearing, attend to, understood and perceived the voice from heaven”, “they fell” or “the disciples prostrated themselves and descended from an erect position to a prostrate one” “on their face” or “upon the fronts of their heads”. Matthew shared how the disciples “prostrated themselves” on the ground when they “heard” God's voice from heaven.

The verse continues “... and were sore afraid.” Matthew added the words, “and were sore” or “were exceedingly and greatly” “afraid” which means “struck with fear and seized with alarm”. Matthew shared how the disciples were “terrified” by the voice of God.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see the effect the “voice of God” had upon the disciples. God Almighty declared Jesus to be His Son “in whom” He “was well-pleased”, and the resounding affect of His voice made the “disciples” lie upon the ground trembling with “fear”. This same God, who is all-powerful, desires to have a relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and those who are wise shall submit to Him before they hear the power of the “voice of the Lord” in judgment against them.

Next time Matthew shares how, “Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.