Why wasn't Jesus' transfiguration a transformative experience for Peter? How could he later deny Jesus out of fear after all he had witnessed?
The same factor that led the Israelites to build a golden calf after experiencing the power of God is what caused Peter to deny Christ three times after his experience of Christ's Transfiguration. I'm picturing Moses’ eyes widening in disbelief at Aaron’s pleading on behalf of the golden calf-worshipping Israelites for whom God had just parted the Red Sea. Surely that, and the other miracles, how the Lord defeated the Egyptians for them, should have shown them that the Lord, He is God. Exodus 14:30-31 says-
“30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.”
How could they be so dumb as to go and make a golden calf for themselves and worse, call it their deliverer after all of that! But God knows this weakness of natural man who is stimulated by sight. Look what He said in Exodus 13-
“17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.
19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”
20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”
Keep in mind that the Lord Himself went ahead of the Israelites in a pillar of cloud during their sojourn in the wilderness, even though they were rebellious. Look what Moses told them in Deuteronomy 9:6-7 after Balaam failed in his bid to curse them and as they were about to cross the River Jordan into the Promised Land –
“6Therefore understand that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people. 7Remember! Do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day that you departed from the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD.”
In all of the time that the Lord went ahead in front of them in a pillar of cloud before they got to Mt. Sinai, even with all of the Israelite's murmurimg and complaining, He never punished them for their rebellion or said anything about cleansing ceremonies before approaching Him, or death to the sinner or let snakes bite them to death. The complaints-filled and stiff-necked Israelites never got what they deserved when they messed things up. They got the good that they did not deserve. They were beneficiaries of pure Grace (undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour) …until Exodus 19 where they set up camp at the base of Mount Sinai. Moses brought back God's word from the mountain. See their response in verse 8 below:
“When they moved out from Rephidim, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai and they camped there; Israel camped at the base of the mountain [of Sinai]. 3 Moses went up to God [on the mountain], and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Say this to the house of Jacob and tell the Israelites:
4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.
5 Now therefore, if you will in fact obey My voice and keep My covenant (agreement), then you shall be My own special possession and treasure from among all peoples [of the world], for all the earth is Mine;
6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation [set apart for My purpose].’ These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.”
7 So Moses called for the elders of the people, and told them all these words which the Lord commanded him.
8 All the people answered together and said, “We will do everything that the Lord has spoken.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord."
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers breaks down verse 8 thus:
"There was no hesitation, no diversity of opinion, no self-distrust. In view of the great privileges offered to them, all were willing, nay, eager, to promise for themselves that “they would obey God’s voice indeed, and keep his covenant.” In the glow and warmth of their feelings the difficulty of perfect obedience did not occur to them."
Matthew Henry's Bible Commentary goes "They answered as one man, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. Oh that there had been such a heart in them!"
And the Law was given by Moses, to show the Israelites that by their own human strength, they could never accomplish their hearfelt but misplaced confidence in self-led declaration: “We will do everything that the Lord has spoken.” See the purpose for which the law was given in Galatians 3:19 -
"Why then was the law given? It was meant to be an intermediary agreement added after God gave the promise of the coming One! It was given to show men how guilty they are, and it remained in force until the Seed was born to fulfill the promises given to Abraham."
Also Romans 3:19-20- "Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are."
Also Romans 5:20- "The law was given so that sin would increase. But where sin increased, God’s grace increased even more."
Here's what God said right after the Israelites' self-confident declaration in Exodus 19:8-
"9 The Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may believe and trust in you forever.” Then Moses repeated the words of the people to the Lord.
10 The Lord also said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow [that is, prepare them for My sacred purpose], and have them wash their clothes
11 and be ready by the third day, because on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai [in the cloud] in the sight of all the people.
12 You shall set barriers for the people all around [the mountain], saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch its border; whoever touches the mountain must be put to death.
13 No hand shall touch him [that is, no one shall try to save the guilty party], but the offender must be stoned or shot through [with arrows]; whether man or animal [that touches the mountain], he shall not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.”
14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified them [for God’s sacred purpose], and they washed their clothes.
"Your boast becomes a prophecy of a future failure. The higher you lift up yourself in pride, the harder you’ll fall in disgrace."
Recall that “The law was given so that sin would increase.” Moses hadn't even returned from his trip to the top of the mountain before the children of Israel exchanged gods- breaking the very first Commandment.
This brings us to Peter. Remember Christ told him before the denials-
"31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” 33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”"
Like the Israelites who made their declaration to obey God and keep His Covenant, Peter meant well. He knew 100% that he could never deny Jesus aka break the Ninth Commandment- “You shall not bear false witness…” He seemed to be making good on his resolve to stand as he slashed off the ear of Malchus the high priest's servant in Gethsemane when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus- a work that Christ didn't want. Peter had no idea that he could do so only because Christ was with him. See what God's word says about the non-existent good in man and that useless will-power that some churchgoers depend on to obey the law in their quest to live godly lives (be like God) as was Peter's and Paul's experience in Romans 7:18-
“For I know that nothing good lives within the flesh of my fallen humanity. The longings to do what is right are within me, but will-power is not enough to accomplish it."
God's word says human effort (the arm of flesh) will fail, is powerless and cannot. But Satan appeals to Pride in the arm of flesh (human effort at obedience) that will fail and causes man to think:
"No, I can. God must be wrong. I still have some good in me. I can keep the law and resist temptation to commit sin by my will-power. I can and I must do works to be godly or (as it was with Judas) do some kind of restitution to prove to God that I am truly sorry for my sins. Others should too. Those that don't are just plain lazy.”
As this question suggests, many have no idea that the only reason why we are not committing particular sins is because God did not allow us to get tempted beyond what we can bear. See 1 Corinthians 10-
12"So beware if you think it could never happen to you, lest your pride becomes your downfall. 13 We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust Him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously."
If God was not filtering and screening, we would all crumple into the sins-ridden mass of flesh that man is of himself. There is no good in man of himself. Peter pridefully trusted in his own strength to keep the law. He thought that the sin of denying Christ (bearing false witness) was beneath him. No humility here. He thought God was wrong, as do some in the church today who still depend on their will-power/human effort to keep the Ten Commandments, curb sins or obtain godly characteristics (be like God.) This is the very same false and deathly doctrine that Satan preached to Eve in Eden.
The only way we get to escape being in the same boat as the Israelites in this account and pre-denial Peter is found in God's counsel in Isaiah 30:15-17-
The very thing that many churchgoers been unwilling to do.
Only the one who has this revelation-knowledge concerning man's utter weakness of himself and God's super-abounding Grace that Peter received after his fall and his subsequent restoration in Christ can receive Christ's strength and “strengthen your brethren” as Peter did after his fall and restoration. See our Saviour's declaration in 1 Corinthians 12:9-
“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
See the NIV- “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
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