Teaching the Bible in Shorthand, the Father's Grand Declaration, Part 4
- Pastor Jay Christianson
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 19
“This is my beloved Son, [or my Son, my (or the) Beloved] with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Matthew 17:5 ESV)
“This is my beloved Son; [or my Son, my (or the) Beloved] listen to him.” (Mark 9:7 ESV)
“This is my Son, my Chosen One; [other manuscripts my Beloved] listen to him!” (Luke 9:35 ESV)
I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about the remez (“alluding to”) concept of rabbinic teaching. Admittedly, the previous three parts have been rather long. Sorry about that.
Hmm. A long talk about teaching in shorthand. The irony doesn’t escape me.
For this final part, I would like to highlight what I believe to be the prime example of all remez teachings, drawn from the above three Transfiguration verses. I credit the late Dr. Dwight Pryor of the Jerusalem Perspective and the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies in Dayton, Ohio, for the following insight.
I used three verses to illustrate the underlying text of the remez that the Father used about His Son. I chose the English Standard Version because it is “essentially literal,” meaning it is more literal than my preferred Christian Standard Bible. I also included the parentheses to show the alternate choices the editors used to show the foundational idea.
Got it? Good.
When Jesus, Peter, James, and John were together on Mount Hermon, Jesus was transfigured before them. The three dumb-struck disciples saw Jesus’ divine nature, the shekinah, the glory of God’s physical presence. At that moment, the Father declared, “This is My Son, My Beloved; listen to Him.” In one brief sentence, the Father revealed a profound truth.
First, “My Son” is a reference to Psalm 2:7, 12, where the Father presents His Son to Israel and the world, saying, “You are my Son” and “Kiss the Son.” The Father also used this verse at Jesus’ baptism.
Second, “My Beloved” comes from Isaiah 42:1, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen.” The alternative word for chosen is beloved (biblehub.com/greek/27.htm).
Third, “listen to Him” comes from Deuteronomy 18:18-19, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.”
Son, Beloved, Listen.
Why these three references? Because the Hebrew scriptures are divided into three main sections: the Law (Torah), the Prophets (Nevi’im), and the Writings (Ketuvim). The acronym for the Hebrew scriptures, the Old Testament, comes from the first three letters of each section—TNK, or the Tanak.
Notice anything?
“Listen” alludes to the Torah, “Beloved” alludes to the Prophets, and “Son” alludes to the Writings.
That’s right. The Father used three brief statements with three key words to reveal that Jesus sums up the entirety of the Tanak—the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings—the only scriptures the Jewish disciples had at the time.
Three words.
Three sections.
One testimony.
One Son who fulfills them all.
To me, that’s the greatest remez of the entire Bible.
How is that for brief?
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Shining the Light of God’s Truth on the Road Ahead
Pastor Jay Christianson
The Truth Barista, Frothy Thoughts