Let these words sink into your ears

Yesterday, I read in Deuteronomy Moses' promise that God would raise up a prophet from among them like him, and then in Luke 9:

"Now about eight days after these sayings [that is, after Jesus had told them that if anyone would be his disciple, he had to take up his cross and follow him] he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah'—not knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!' And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen."

When they come down off the mountain, Luke records that Jesus healed a child possessed by a spirit, and comments in vs. 43 that all were astonished at the majesty of God, only to go on to say,

“But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.’ But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.”

We have glimpses of Jesus through the disciples’ eyes that not only fulfill Moses’ words that God would raise up for Israel a prophet like him from their midst, but actually include Moses in the picture, a huge clue you would think. But the disciples were at that time unable to perceive what they saw and heard, blinded and deafened by sleepiness and fear.

Hearing, understanding, and belief are all such mercy, without which we are left trembling before God’s thundering voice with no hope. That he eventually granted these mercies to the disciples is amazing, but that he grants them continually to us who read the gospel accounts seems even more amazing. What is not amazing is that we are slow to perceive, sleepy and afraid.

Yesterday, Palm Sunday, we read the entire story of the passion from the triumphal entry on. The priest suggested beforehand that we should let the words wash over us. Quietly in my heart I contradicted, "No, please Lord, in your mercy, let your words sink into my ear."