Talk about a power-packed passage! The risen Jesus appears to his closest followers on a mountain in Galilee, and some of them can’t believe their eyes. I imagine them echoing Vizzini in “The Princess Bride” when the “Dread Pirate Roberts” turns out to be alive, clinging to the cliffs. Eyes wide, Vizzini says, “Inconceivable!” While Vizzini’s moral character is of hopefully more questionable content than the disciples’, I think they share the sentiment. Jesus is supposed to be dead—could it be that the women’s witness is true?

Let’s revisit a few passages in Matthew to get a clearer picture of the significance of this moment. Remember Matthew 4, when Jesus was tempted by the devil? In verses 8-10, in the climax of his temptation, the devil offered Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” if Jesus would worship him. Satan wanted God’s seat; Jesus wouldn’t have it, and Satan fled.

In a twist of events, in Matthew 28:16-18, Jesus meets with his disciples in the same region where he was transfigured; that is, earlier in Matthew 17, when Jesus (not “all the kingdoms of the world”) is revealed in glory. In today’s reading, Jesus says, “I have been given all authority in heaven and earth.” Within the wilderness, Satan claimed authority and demanded worship; strikingly, now, it is Jesus who claims authority—having vanquished even death!—and is worshipped. We can’t miss it: The one true God is on the throne!

And yet, verse 17 of today’s passage says, “But some doubted.” Inconceivable! It’s easy to think, Fools! But let’s take a closer look. The Greek word for “doubt” used here is only used one other time in Matthew, and it’s in 14:31 when Jesus walks on water. In that instance, too, the disciples’ finite humanity bumps up against an infinitely powerful God. In Matthew 14, Jesus doesn’t blame his followers for doubting what is incomprehensible to humans; he instead rallies them, as if to say, “Your little faith doesn’t determine reality; I do.” Is it any wonder that, a passage later in Matthew 17:14-20, after being wrapped in divine glory, Jesus descends the mountain and says that same thing? At the nexus of divine (the Transfiguration) and human (inability to perform a healing miracle), Jesus’ power is on full display. And it is in that context that Jesus says by way of a mustard seed metaphor, “Small faith is enough.”

Here, too, in Matthew 28:17, the divinity of Jesus is on full display, and humanness causes some wavering. To quote Vizzini again, “Inconceivable!”

Oh, the grace of our Lord! When our humanness rubs up against God’s all-powerfulness, Jesus is quick to encourage us. Tomorrow, we’ll read about our call to respond to this divine love—but for today, let’s marvel at the reality that it is in our finiteness that Jesus chooses to equip us with HIS OWN power and authority. When we doubt, when we come up against the inconceivable, may we remember that we’re in good company. When our faith runs low, God’s power runs high.

Reflection:

  • What parts of the Gospel make you doubt/waver/say, “Inconceivable”? When your faith feels in low supply, thank Jesus for his power working through you to believe. How does this change how you view doubt?
  • Have you ever experienced a moment where you felt “at the nexus between the divine and human,” that is, where you saw God’s power in the face of human frailty? What does this say about God’s grace?
  • Where might you wish to see more of God’s power moving in your life? Take a moment to ask Jesus to reveal himself in those situations. (He is already there; sometimes, we just struggle to see it.)