The Transfiguration

Luke 9:28-36

The Transfiguration

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 covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵ A 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 did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

Reflection

I remember talking to my mom about Jesus when I was around 9 years old. We were driving in her car and she was talking to me about who Jesus was and why he came. I remember her telling me that Jesus was the “Son of God” and that he came to “die for my sins.” To be completely honest, even though I heard what she was saying and could tell you that Jesus was the “Son of God,” I had no idea what it meant until much later on in my life.

In Luke, the disciples are like me; they do not understand exactly who Jesus is right away. Previous to our text today, we read that Peter confesses that Jesus is, “God’s Messiah.” In reality, Peter does not completely understand what this confession means.

After Peter confesses that Jesus is “God’s Messiah,” Jesus tells his disciples how he must die and then will be resurrected three days later. He then tells his disciples that to be “his disciple” they must themselves “die.”

We read this text and make the assumption that Jesus’s disciples “get it,” yet the story of the Transfiguration reveals the complete opposite.

On a clear day, Jesus takes his top three disciples up to a mountaintop, where he reveals a small part of his real glory to them. As Jesus is praying, he starts to glow. Upon seeing the glowing Jesus, the disciples fight off their tiredness and see that Jesus standing there talking to Moses and Elijah.

Moses and Elijah are honored as two of the greatest prophets to ever live. In fact, the book of Deuteronomy calls Moses, “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.” Now, Jesus’s disciples see him standing there talking to these great prophets, and they cannot believe their eyes.

Peter, as if he has just forgotten the confession he made eight days earlier says, “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.”

This statement shows that in reality Peter believes that Jesus is of the same greatness as Moses and Elijah, not that Jesus is anything more special than Moses or Elijah.

This is when a voice reminiscent of when Jesus was baptized again comes from the clouds and says, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

By saying this, God was basically saying, this guy Jesus who you call “master” and “messiah” is greater that both Moses and Elijah because he is my Son. Jesus is the greatest prophet that has ever lived and who will ever live. Listen to him and follow him because he is greater than anyone who has come before him. He is the Messiah who will redeem and save Israel and the world.

Reading this story in Luke, I cannot help but wonder how many times I have been like Peter. I confess that Jesus is the Messiah, but I just do not completely get it. I quickly forget or do not completely understand what my confession means. I forget that my confession of Jesus as the “Messiah” should be a life changing statement that transforms who I am, how I live, and how I love others. Sometimes, I think I need God to remind me that this guy Jesus is, “…my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

Questions

1.     Try to remember to the first time you heard that Jesus was the “Messiah,” did that word mean anything to you? Did you get it at first?

2.     Now when you hear the word “Messiah” what do you think of?

3.     Do you feel like there are times in your life that you forget your confession that Jesus is the “Messiah?” Why do you think we forget so easily?

4.     Do you think our confession that Jesus is the “Messiah” should change how we live? If so, how? If not, why not? 

5.     What are ways or think you try to do allow God to remind you who Jesus is?

6.     What are some new thinks your family or you could do to create space for God to remind you who Jesus is?