25/2/01 6 p.m. Sunday Next Before Lent Year C - Luke 9:28-36
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31 appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters - one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.) 34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.
If you were to ask someone today the question, ’ Who was Jesus ? ’ you might get some predictable answers: ’a good man’; ’an inspiring teacher’; ’ a great example to follow’; ’the Son of God’. If people do say that Jesus was the Son of God what do they understand by this ? Do they truly comprehend all that this title means ?
In Chapter 9:20 Peter had stated that he thought that Jesus was the Christ or, in Hebrew, the Messiah. From 9:21f. Jesus tells his disciples that his Messiahship is to be one of rejection, suffering and death. This contrasted with the Messianic hopes of the Jews for a popular, triumphant Messiah who would defeat the Romans.
Jesus went on to say that everyone who wanted to follow him would have to take up his cross. That is to say, they must renounce their self-centeredness and be prepared to suffer. Those who play it safe will perish; those who give their lives for him and the gospel will be saved. (9:23-26).
Jesus predicted that some of his disciples would "see the kingdom of God" (verse 27) before tasting death. Eight days later, three of them witnessed Jesus gleaming like a flash of lightning and talking with the long-dead Moses and Elijah (verses 29-30). Many scholars think the Transfiguration fulfilled Jesus’ "seeing the kingdom" prediction. The Transfiguration reveals who Jesus is, and verifies the truth of his words about his death and resurrection.
In the last few weeks we have been building up a picture of Jesus: a healer; an exorcist; a prophet; God and man who can control nature. We see the ultimate revelation of Jesus in his Transfiguration.
Jesus takes the inner circle of disciples ("Peter, James and John") up a high mountain to pray, verse 2. Once more, Luke emphasises the importance of prayer. Some traditional identifications of the mountain are Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon. Mountains are the usual settings for supernatural revelations and encounters with God. Moses and Elijah in the Old Testament had mountain top experiences with God. Moses received the commandments on mountain. On Mount Carmel, Elijah exposed the priests of Baal as false when God consumed a soaking wet sacrifice.
Joshua used to play with a toy called a Transformer. It looked like a rock, albeit a plastic one, and folded out to become a plastic monster. Although it changed it’s appearance it didn’t change it’s substance. It was still plastic.
Jesus was transfigured, the Greek is metamorphosis. It refers to a whole change of being. This was for the benefit of the disciples.
This was almost certainly a glimpse of Jesus as he had been before he became a man. His face shone, reminding us of the way that Moses face shone after he had been in the presence of God. The white garments suggested a pure heavenly being.
Jesus was with Moses and Elijah. They could symbolise a number of things. Elijah could have symbolised the prophets, those who speak on God’s behalf. He was expected to come before the Christ to prepare the way for him. Perhaps this is why he appeared here. Moses was the deliverer of God’s people and the law giver.
Moses’ work had been finished by Joshua, Elijah’s by Elisha which is another form of the name Joshua, which means ’God is salvation’ or ’God saves ’.
They now spoke with Jesus (whose Hebrew name was Joshua) about the "exodus" ( N.I.V. "departure" ) he was about to accomplish. Through this ’departure’ , his crucifixion, he would deliver his people from the bondage of sin and death and bring to fruition the work of both Moses and Elijah.
The ministries of Moses and Elijah both featured suffering and rejection, and Jesus would endure those things at a deeper level. For Jesus would endure the suffering of the cross, the rejection of the people who he had come to save, and separation from God as he took upon himself the punishment for the sins of the world.
Jesus is presented as the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets. He did everything, and more than what was required by the Old Testament Law. He acted as the ultimate prophet or spokesman of God. Jesus does not make the Old Testament irrelevant, but he brings in the New Testament. A new way to God.
He also brings in an era when God’s law is written on people’s hearts as prophesied by Jeremiah over six hundred years before; 31: 31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. 33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
The written law was useful, and God-given. But as the history of Israel proved, it didn’t have the power to transform people’s inner attitudes. Something more was needed. God would have to change his people from the inside out, putting his law into their hearts through his Holy Spirit ( cf. 3:16b ).
I once heard someone say that the only time they opened their mouth was to put their foot in it ! Do you ever say or do anything on the spur of the moment and then wish you hadn’t ? Perhaps Peter felt like this when he recalled his impulsive behaviour in this incident. He rejoices in this experience and wants to prolong the event by making temporary shelters like those erected at the Feast of Tabernacles, which was a joyous festival of God’s presence. Verse 33 suggests that he was so dumbfounded by the experience that what he said was irrational. Perhaps he thought that this would be a permanent arrangement and that they could be visited on this mountain. He seemed eager to find fulfillment of the promised glory then, prior to the sufferings that Jesus had announced as necessary ( v. 21f. ).
But the cloud interrupts, suggesting the glory and presence of God. In the Old Testament God led the Israelites out of Egypt by a cloud. The proclamation spoken by the divine voice is like that at Jesus’ baptism ( 3:22 ). Like the transforming experiences of Moses and Elijah on a mountain, Jesus receives heavenly confirmation of his special role in God’s purpose for his people. Jesus is revealed as the Son of God. This affirms the close, loving relationship that Jesus has with God the Father. It shows that Jesus was on the right track in steadfastly going to the cross. The words, ’listen to him’ v.35 back up the words of Jesus about his coming crucifixion.
The words of God also show that Jesus is superior to all who have gone before him, even ’greats’ of the Jewish faith like Moses and Elijah.
The vision ends "suddenly" (v. 36).
In Mark’s account ( 9:9 ) Jesus told the disciples to tell no-one of this until after his resurrection. Why did Jesus order this ? Firstly to avoid people thinking that he was a political messiah who had come to start a rebellion against the Romans. Secondly because the resurrection provides the strongest evidence that Jesus is the Messiah. The words of a few followers of Jesus about a spectacular appearance would soon be dwarfed by over five hundred people seeing the risen Jesus.
Luke’s account does not include Jesus’ command to the disciples not to tell others. But, it is fair to deduce that this event was so unbelievable that they probably would not dare to tell anyone about it !
This incident showed the true majesty and glory of Jesus that was hidden by his humanity. We saw a glimpse of this last week when we looked at Jesus stilling the storm (8:22-25 ).
Have you got a memory that sticks out in your mind that is as clear today as it was when it happened ? Can you think of something that happened, say over thirty years ago ?
2 Peter 1 : 16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
Peter clearly had a vivid recollection of the Transfiguration of Jesus when he wrote his second letter. This was probably about thirty to thirty five years afterwards. He uses this to demonstrate that he, and the other disciples were ’eyewitnesses to the majesty of Jesus’. Perhaps he could still hear the words of God resounding in his ears, ’This is my son whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’
This incident clearly had a profound effect upon Peter as it showed the true majesty and glory of Jesus that was hidden by his humanity.
The Transfiguration would also have inspired the disciples when things were difficult.
You can imagine Peter, James and John encouraging one another with their recollection of the transfiguration as they were being persecuted.
What can we take from this account for ourselves today ?
1) This story reveals the majesty of Jesus. There is a danger of relegating Jesus to being little more than a good man. Of being too familiar with him. Of seeing him as a friend without realising that he is God as well. The Transfiguration reminds us that, hidden within that human frame was the fullness of God. The glory, splendour and majesty of God. The thought of this should lead us to fear, wonder, and self-examination. To realise how our filthy rags contrast with the shining white of his garments of righteousness and truth. He deserves our honour, praise worship and wholehearted dedication. When we help out at the church, live out or share our faith we are not doing it for the Rector, or the church, or ourselves, but for the glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
2) We should also remember that we can have a meeting with the Lord Jesus because he is alive today. He may not appear to us in the way he did to the three disciples, but he still reveals himself to people today.
3) As followers of Jesus we can expect rejection and suffering. Like Moses, like Elijah, like Jesus and like Christians throughout history. One of the things that we can comfort ourselves with is that there is something more, and better to come. The appearance of Jesus in his glory reminds us that we will receive spiritual, glorified bodies like his and no longer be subject to pain, illness, suffering, and death, because the old order of things will have passed away. Then we shall be in the presence of Jesus, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit for eternity.
