A Mountain Top Experience

In Jesus Holy Name February 19,2023

Matthew 19:1-5 Transfiguration Redeemer

“A Mountain Top Experience”

Almost everyone has a favorite bible story. When you think of all the bible stories you know…. Which is your favorite?

I love this story. The Transfiguration event is one of my favorite bible stories. It is a dramatic story but one that would not immediately be on the top of most people’s list of favorites. Many would note the Christmas story or the raising of Lazarus, or the resurrection event. I like this story because it talks about “friendship and intimacy” with God.

It is convenient to divide the church calendar roughly in two parts. For six months of the year, roughly December through April the bible gospel lessons invite us into the story of Jesus. Advent, Christmas. The birth of Jesus. Epiphany began with the visit of the Magi, then baptism of Jesus, followed by the teachings of Jesus. Epiphany ends, today, with the Sunday of the Transfiguration. Next week the season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, where our Sunday readings move us towards the Passion of Jesus, His death and ultimately His Resurrection on Easter.

In the gospel of Matthew, the transfiguration happened six days after Jesus and his disciples are at Caesarea Philippi. The area of Caesarea Philippi and Mt. Hermon are the sites of hundreds of Roman and Greek temples to false gods. It is also the ancient site of the Canaanite god Baal. The caves there are referred to as the “gates of hell”. (In the bulletin refer to the map of Mt. Hermon)

It is here that the apostle Peter answered the question of Jesus: “Who do people say that I am?” Peter stated: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. It is then that Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” But the disciples did not understand.

Following this prophecy of Jesus, Matthew writes: “Jesus took Peter, James and John up on the mountain to pray.” I would suggest that Jesus took them to Mt. Hermon. During that time of prayer, the appearance of Jesus was changed…. God’s glory appeared. This is the same glory Jesus possessed before the beginning of creation. The disciples heard the voice of God, “This is my beloved Son, Listen to Him.” If this event took place on the top of Mt. Hermon His transfiguration is definitely a statement that Jesus is “above all gods”. John writes; “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil”. ( I John 3:8)

In Book of Exodus we are told that Moses would go into the tabernacle and speak with God. The cloud would come down and rest on the “tent” and the Lord would speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks with his friend.” (Exodus 33:9-11) When he came out of the “tent” the face of Moses was shining with the glory of the Lord, bright like the sun. The glory of the Lord was so brilliant he would have to “mask” his face. We have just come out of a time when we had to mask our faces… it is still happening in some places.

Face time is important to us human beings. We are intrigued by the human face. The smile. The eyes. The lips. What is “Facebook” without our face? What is Marco Polo without one’s face? 18th century German Satirist George Lichtenburg called the human face the most entertaining surface on earth. (Leonard Sweet Len talk #101 Youtube)

We look at faces. It’s part of our DNA. We know that babies look at faces, they understand a smile. A smile means acceptance. Have you ever picked up your grand child and not smiled? What was their reaction? This is critical for emotional development. We all “read” faces.

“As Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.”

For just a moment, Jesus is transfigured; a roaring radiance pours from Him, not on Him. There is a difference. He becomes as He was before He came to earth as an infant. For one brief, shining moment, the burden of His humanity is lifted. He is elevated above earth’s horizon and escorted into the eternal. He is home again. Familiar sounds surround Him. And the One who sent Him said: “This is my Son, whom I love; Listen to Him”.

The whole point of the story is to show the disciples and us who Jesus really is: the cloud represents divine glory, yes, but Jesus is divine, and that is the point. The whiteness of his clothes is not imposed upon Jesus from an external source – it is the revelation of who Jesus truly is, it is the lifting of the veil to see His glory. (John Stott)