IN Matthew's Gospel we read: "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother. up to 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." Here are three of the greatest figures in sacred history grouped before us, Moses the lawmaker, Elias who manifested almost limitless power, and Jesus the greatest of all, the representative of all law, power, and love.
The disciples, however, became confused and said, Here are three ways of building.—one on law, one on power, and one on the Christ. Before this, Jesus had asked them, But whom say ye that I am?" and Simon Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Then Jesus said, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. . . . upon this rock [spiritual understanding] I will build my church." In the dazzling light of the transfiguration they, however, forgot this; therefore they said, "It is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles." One might have expected Jesus to rebuke them, since he was the fulfilling of the whole law, but instead a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice out of the cloud said, ''This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Christ Jesus demonstrated law. power, and love, the love of which Moses and Elias had only the promise. Law without love is like justice without mercy, as the Mosaic law would indicate.
Law means government, the orderly arrangement of individual and collective activities. In speaking of law with reference to the past, it is important to consider the Abrahamic covenant: "And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a meditator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ."
