After seeing the miracles and hearing the parables, there was another theme that kept appearing in the teaching of Jesus.

He constantly spoke about the Kingdom of God.

Over and over again He would say things like:

“The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed.”

“The Kingdom of God is like yeast in dough.”

“The Kingdom of God is like a treasure buried in a field.”

Now when people first heard this, they probably imagined something very different than what Jesus meant.

When most people hear the word kingdom, they think of power, armies, and political rule. They imagine a king sitting on a throne with authority over land and people.

And in the time of Jesus, many expected the Messiah to bring exactly that kind of kingdom — a political revolution against Rome.

But Jesus kept describing something very different.

The Kingdom of God was not simply a place.

It was God’s reign.

It was the moment when God begins restoring the world, healing hearts, forgiving sins, and drawing people back to Himself.

And slowly, through His teaching and miracles, the disciples began to realize something extraordinary.

The Kingdom of God wasn’t just being announced.

It was arriving in Him.

Eventually Jesus asked His disciples a question that would change everything.

In the Gospel of Matthew, He turns to them and asks:

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

They answered with different opinions. Some said John the Baptist. Others said Elijah or one of the prophets.

But then Jesus asked the real question:

“But who do you say that I am?”

And in that moment, one of the most important declarations in all of Scripture is spoken.

The apostle Saint Peter answers:

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

This was a turning point.

Peter wasn’t just saying Jesus was a teacher or prophet.

He was declaring that Jesus was the Messiah — the one God had promised for generations.

And Jesus responds with words that are incredibly important for the Church:

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah… for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.”

In other words, Peter didn’t arrive at this conclusion by human reasoning alone.

God revealed it.

And yet, even after this moment, the disciples still didn’t fully understand who Jesus was.

So Jesus gives three of them a glimpse of something extraordinary.

He takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain.

And there something happens that must have left them speechless.

Jesus is transfigured before them.

His face shines like the sun.

His clothes become dazzling white.

Standing beside Him appear two great figures from the Old Testament — Moses and Elijah.

In that moment, the disciples see something that had been hidden.

They see the glory of Christ.

The same Jesus who walked dusty roads, ate meals with them, and spoke in parables is suddenly revealed in divine splendor.

And then a voice comes from heaven saying:

“This is my beloved Son… listen to Him.”

For a brief moment, the veil is pulled back.

The disciples see that Jesus is not just a teacher.

Not just a miracle worker.

Not even just the Messiah they expected.

He is the Son of God.

And this moment was not just meant to amaze them.

It was meant to prepare them.