Keeping Secrets

Interfaith Thanksgiving Service

Imagine being shown something incredible and then being told not to share it with anyone.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, ‘Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’ And the disciples asked him, ‘Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’ He replied, ‘Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist. - Matthew 17:9-13

Jesus trusted Peter, James and John to keep the secret of who he was until after he was raised.  

Upon returning from the mountain, the disciples questioned him.  Most likely these were not the ones who had witnessed the transfiguration.  So, would they have understood the answer to their question about Elijah?

Matthew says they realized Elijah had returned as John the Baptist, but did they make the connection to Jesus as the Messiah?

If they understood Scripture enough to ask the question, then they must have understood the meaning of the answer.

Surely the other apostles would have wanted to know what happened on the mountain.  That could have been what prompted the question about Elijah.

I can imagine how difficult it must have been for Peter, James and John to keep quiet.

We don't have that problem.  Jesus is risen.  There is no restriction on us.  We can talk about him as the Messiah, the anointed one, the son, the manifestation of God on earth.

But we don't, do we?

We tend to keep quiet, as though what we know is crazy or offensive to others.

Last evening, we attended an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service and in the readings, Jesus was mentioned.  One of the hymns we sang talked about eternal life and I noticed some people were not singing.  Were they offended or confused?

We are all called to share what we know to be true.  And that is the challenge of our faith.  What is keeping us from doing that?

It is something to consider, because there may be many who want to understand but no one is telling them.

More to come...