In Matthew 17 Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain. When they are all alone something utterly astonishing happens. All of a sudden God gives Jesus an appearance of glory. Verse 2: “his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” Then in verse 5 a bright cloud overshadows them and God speaks from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”
First, God gives the disciples a brief glimpse of the true heavenly glory of Jesus. This is what Peter says in 2 Peter 1:17, “For he [Christ] received from God the Father honour and glory.” Then God reveals his heart for the Son and says two things: “I love my son” (“This is my, beloved Son”), and “I take pleasure in my Son” (“in whom I am well pleased”).
He says this on one other occasion: at Jesus’ baptism, as the Holy Spirit comes down and anoints Jesus for his ministry, signifying the Father’s love and support — “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
And in the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks several times about the Father’s love for him: for example, John 3:35, “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.” John 5:20 states, “For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.”
[During this short study we have learned that] God the Father loves the Son, not with any self-denying, sacrificial mercy, but with the love of delight and pleasure. He is well-pleased with His Son. His soul delights in the Son! When He looks at His Son He enjoys and admires and cherishes and prizes and relishes what He sees.