AT ONE time while Jesus was staying in one of the villages at the foot of Mount Hermon, in the far north of the land, he took with him three of his disciples, Peter, James and John, and went up the mountain to pray.

It was in the afternoon, when they walked up the mountain, and when night came on he was still in prayer. The three disciples were tired from climbing the mountain and fell asleep for a little time. When they awoke they were filled with wonder at the change which had come over their Lord.

Although it was night, they saw the face of Jesus shining as brightly as the sun at noon, with a dazzling glory so great that they could not bear to look upon him. His clothes too were shining white and glittering. Not only his face, but his hands, his feet and even his body beamed through his garments with brightness.

They saw standing beside Jesus in his splendor two men who had lived long before on the earth and were now living no more. How the disciples knew them we are not told. Perhaps the knowledge flashed upon their minds, given them by G.o.d; or it may have been that as they listened to these two men, they learned from their words who they were. One was the great prophet Moses, who led the Israelites out of Egypt and died on Mount Nebo; the other was the prophet Elijah, who spoke bold words to the wicked King Ahab and was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire.

Both these men had pa.s.sed from earth many hundred years before.

As the three disciples looked and listened, they could hear what these two prophets of the old times were saying. They were talking to Jesus about his death which was to take place at Jerusalem. So these two great men of the past knew already what Jesus had tried to tell his disciples, and what they were so slow to believe, that he was soon to die!

Peter was always eager to speak, and he spoke now, though he scarcely understood what his own words meant.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mount Hermon--the Mount of the Transfiguration]

"Master," he said, "this is a good place for us to stay in. If you are willing, I will make here three tents; one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

He thought that the two prophets, Moses and Elijah, had come back to stay upon the earth; and that if tents were made for them, they would live upon that mountain.

While Peter was speaking a bright and glorious cloud came over them all, over Jesus, over the two prophets and over the three disciples, who were filled with fear as they found the cloud around them. And a greater fear came upon them as they heard the voice of G.o.d out of the cloud saying:

"This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I delight. Listen to him!"

And as they heard these words, knowing that G.o.d had spoken them, they fell down upon their faces in great terror. Jesus came to them and touched them gently, saying:

"Rise up, and do not be afraid."

Then they looked up. The bright cloud had pa.s.sed away, the two prophets were no longer to be seen, and Jesus was standing alone over them, some of the glory still remaining upon his face.

As they were walking down the mountain, Jesus said to his three disciples, Peter, James and John:

"Tell no one what you have seen this night, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead."

So, much as they wished to tell their fellow-disciples of this wonderful sight, they obeyed their Master, and said not a word about it while Jesus was still with them.

They said to Jesus, "How is it that the teachers of the law say that the prophet Elijah must come before the Messiah-King appears?"

"Elijah does come," answered Jesus, "and he prepares the way for the coming of the King. And I tell you that Elijah has already come, but the people have not known him. They would not listen to him, and have done to him as they pleased. And just as it was with him, so will it be with the Son of Man. He shall also suffer at the hands of men."

Then the disciples understood that Jesus was speaking to them of John the Baptist, who like Elijah had lived in the wilderness, wore a mantle of skin, and fed on desert-food, and who, like Elijah, gave G.o.d"s message to the people, preparing the way for the coming of Jesus Christ.

[Ill.u.s.tration: As Jesus and his three disciples came down to the village at the foot of Mt. Hermon, a man eagerly besought him to cast an evil spirit out of his son.]

The Boy with the Dumb Spirit

CHAPTER 49

WHEN JESUS and his three disciples came to the village at the foot of the mountain, they found a great crowd gathered around the other nine disciples, and some of the Jewish teachers of the law, the scribes, talking with them very earnestly. Some of the glory of the last night still lingered upon the face of Jesus, and as the people looked upon him, they were filled with wonder and bowed down before him.

Out of the crowd came a man running, whose face showed that he was in great trouble. He knelt before Jesus and cried out:

"Teacher, I brought to you my son, in whom is an evil spirit, which has made him dumb. I pray you have mercy on him, and cure him, for he is my only child. Often the spirit seizes him and dashes him down. It makes him foam at the mouth and grind his teeth. He is wasting away, and I fear will die unless help comes to him. I brought him here, hoping to find you. But you were away, and I spoke to these men, your disciples.

They tried to cast out the evil spirit, but they could not. Now that you have come, will you not help me?"

"O you people who will not believe, and who turn away from G.o.d!" said Jesus, "how long must I be with you? How long must I have patience with you? Bring your boy to me."

They brought the boy to Jesus; but no sooner did the boy see him, than the wicked spirit threw him into a spasm. He fell on the ground, his body twitching and tearing; and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

"How long has he been like this?" asked Jesus of the boy"s father.

"Ever since he was a little child," the man answered, "and it has many times thrown him into fire and into water, almost killing him. If you can do anything, do take pity on us both and help us."

""If I can!"" said Jesus, taking up the man"s word. "Do you not know that all things can be done for the one who believes?"

"I do believe," cried out the father of the boy. "O Master, help my lack of faith!"

Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering around, and he spoke to the evil spirit.

"Deaf and dumb spirit," he said, "I command you at once come out of this boy, and never again trouble him!"

With a loud cry, the evil spirit threw the boy into a violent spasm of pain and then left him. The boy lay on the ground, looking like a corpse. In fact, many who were standing near, as they saw him, said, "The boy is surely dead!"

But Jesus took his hand, lifting him from the ground. The boy stood up and walked away well, free from the evil spirit and able to speak.

When Jesus was alone with his disciples in the house, they asked him, "Why was it that we could not drive out the evil spirit from the boy?"

"It was because you have so little faith. I tell you that if your faith were only the size of a grain of mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain, "Move from this place to that," and move it would; for nothing would be impossible to you."

But he added, "An evil spirit of this kind is harder to drive away than most. Only by special prayer can it be cast out."

Soon after this Jesus left that place at the foot of the mountain, and led his disciples toward the south. They saw that he was now going in the direction of Jerusalem, and were quite sure that there he would set up his throne and kingdom. But Jesus knew what they were thinking of, and he said to them,

"Listen carefully to my words. The Son of Man is to be given into the hands of his enemies. They shall kill him, and three days after he has been killed, he shall rise again to life."

But the disciples could not understand these words, for they would not believe that he was to die, and they were afraid to ask him what these sayings meant.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Jordan near Dan]

The Last Visit to Capernaum

CHAPTER 50