Last lesson we looked at the right answer to Jesus’s all-important question, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matt. 16:15), and we learned that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the living God. Here, on Glory Mountain, what else do we learn about Jesus? We learn that he is the glorious Son of God, who—like God the Father and Spirit—is perfectly holy (like the brightest light in the universe). That’s who Jesus is.

Now think about this. It would be surprising if a good man died for our sins. It would be amazing if a very important person—like a king or queen—would take the punishment that we deserve. It, then, is truly astounding that Jesus—the King of glory—should lay down his life for us and die in our place. Peter, James, and John were confused, afraid, and surely stunned on the day Jesus took them atop the mountain. And while we should be amazed, we should not be fearful because we can take comfort in knowing Jesus died for us on Mount Calvary, a hill outside Jerusalem. He showed his glory to us by dying and rising again. What a glorious King!