serving him.

His disciples had followed him until then, but did not accept that Jesus would be greater than Moses and Elijah. But the two heroes served Jesus in the three disciples’ vision, showing that Jesus greater than them. So they finally understood that Jesus was not a normal man, but a great person, superior to Moses and Elijah. When they came down from the mountain, they felt sorry to Jesus, asking, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” (Matt 17:10). They asked it because they knew if Jesus was the son of God then Elijah should come ahead.

Then Jesus answered their question. “Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished” (Matt 17:12). Then the disciples understood that he was John the Baptist.

If you think that Jesus was recognized as the Son of God from the beginning, it is a big mistake. There were many difficulties for people to accept Jesus as the Son of God. There were many obstacles to believe it. Even to his disciples, Jesus sometimes might have looked like the Son of God and sometimes he might not. Their faith was fleeting. They

could not overcome their confusion. But Jesus said, “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me” (Matt. 11:6).

Jesus revealed his identity through his preaching. He said in the Capernaum synagogue: “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever” (John 6:53-58).

Jesus explained he was clearly the Son of God and he was the one who will give us eternal life. At that time, even his disciples could not understand it. From this time, many of his followers turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the twelve in disappointment (John 6:67).