It is as if they have been presented, suddenly and without warning, with their final Examtheir Really Final Exam. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. Plus, weve got this little voice deep down inside of us that keeps telling us how important we are and how the world might fall apart if we werent here to keep it running smoothly. This post is excerpted from The Testimony of Luke, by S. Kent Brown, 472-482. There are many speculations why these two men appeared. This is simply the contrast of the smallness of our humanity before the might and power and glory of Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth. His clothing became dazzling white. This scene challenges our comprehension, but something heavenly was happening here. As Jesus prepares to make his final trek toward Jerusalem (see Luke 9:51), he is talking increasingly about suffering, betrayal, and death. They enclose a portion of the church year that is now fast coming to an end, just before the period of Lent. Whatever the potential outcome, they feel unworthy to stand in Gods presenceunprepared to meet their Makervulnerable. Listen to him! There is a sermon in these words. 29. Probably, he just wants to do something. It also reveals a quality we tend to overlook, that those whove walked with God glow with the radiance of Gods presence. We should read the Scriptures and be in prayer with a hungry sense of wonder. But theres more to it than this. Lets make three tents: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah, not knowing what he said (v. 33). They speak then of Jesus exodus from this world through his suffering, death, and resurrection into heaven, the place where they dwell with God. Jesus understands our suffering because he suffered greatly in his days on the earth. It builds faith, that all weve been taught is absolutely true. In the Transfiguration, the human shares in divine glory. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Exo. 1. 28. an eight days after these sayingsincluding the day on which this was spoken and that of the Transfiguration. As Moses led the Israelites in the wilderness, God told him to build booths in which the people would dwell for seven days (Leviticus 23:33-43). In preparation for the Transfiguration of Our Lord in Year C, one has to make an obvious decision. and those who turn many to righteousness In this case this stunning revelation of glory took place well out of the public eye and then, even for those human eyes that did take it in, there was a mixture of confusion, sleepiness, and then reticence to speak of it in the future. If weve taken any biology class, weve heard of this word. Mark says they were afraid when Jesus was first glorified (Mark 9:6). Have you ever seen such radiance as this in the faces of people youve known over the years? Let us proclaim our faith in Jesus. 28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. Out of the group of 12 disciples, these three were ones Jesus focused even more on. he took Peter, and John, and James; the same that he admitted to be with him at the raising of Jairus's daughter, and in the garden afterwards: and went up into a mountain to pray; to his God and Father, that his disciples might have a visible display of his glory, as an emblem and pledge of that in which he shall hereafter appear: it was usual with Christ to go up into a mountain to pray; Matthew 14:23. Hed come back a different man revived and ready to go back to work. Later, at Jesus ascension, a cloud will take Jesus out of their sight (Acts 1:9also written by Luke). The demon makes a desperate last attempt to control the boy. Jesus words echo Moses reproach of Israel, and provide one more link between Moses and Jesus (Deuteronomy 32:5see also Numbers 14:27; Isaiah 65:2). Jesus was fully divine yet fully human. God promises that the day will come when his glory will fill all the earth (Numbers 14:21). No, not exactly on a par with what happened to Jesus but still . (and) a voice came out of the cloud, saying, WebLuke 9 The Feeding of the Five Thousand A. Test of true discipleship (Matthew 16:24-28; Mark 8:34-1; Luke 9:23-27) Immediately after telling his disciples of his coming suffering and death, Jesus told them they had to be prepared for similar treatment. The Transfiguration is a Christological festival in the church year, which means that the story of the Transfiguration deserves attention on its own. Listen to him! (9:35). The disciples would have heard of them and read about them from the Scriptures. Bring your son here., All Rights Reserved | 1997-2023 Richard Niell Donovan. He was not making up stories about Christ. You and I in these bodies.we have an expiration date. That date is not stamped on us like on the can of beans, but its there. Christs cross was necessary so that he might enter into his glory (Luke 24:26; see also Philippians 2:5-11). Jesus answers that in the next verse. How so? They will fail to understand Jesus warning about his betrayal (9:43-45). Seize the day! And his resurrected guarantees our resurrection. When we are tempted to doubt if our prayers matter, we can read Lukes Gospel and see that Jesus had no such doubts. WebCommentary for Luke 9 . Luke clearly understands Jesus to be a new Moses. Yet in the Bible events like these sometimes play out rather differently than we think. Action is both his strength and his weakness. The crowd, having just seen the childs convulsions, cannot help but be impressed with the miracle of this healing. The commission Christ gave to his twelve apostles to go out for some time to preach the gospel, and confirm it by miracles, ver. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. There the new exodus takes place, the new event of redemption for all the world. If they were not there to encourage Jesus in the direction he had to go, I cannot think of what else they would have had to say about that departure. As one prepares to preach on this text, it is important to bear in mind that the Transfiguration of Our Lord is a Christological festival, not so much an occasion for moralism (that we all have mountain top experiences, but must come down). Christ, the true, the only light, Moses came to set the people of Israel free from slavery in Egypt. This word, exodon, provides another parallel with Moses, who led the Exodus from Egypt. 1. On this mountain the subject (has been) death (Craddock, Interpretation, 135). 39Behold, a spirit takes him, he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams, and it hardly departs from him, bruising him severely. Spark Inspiration: Consider the wider context of Luke here. Yet we are told that for a time during this epiphany of glory, the disciples were sleepy! And the people should listen to him. We do not want to face him without having our sins paid for by him. In the Incarnation, the Son of God takes on human form and resides with us mortals on earth. A beautiful, delicate butterfly. The disciples will neither listen well nor carry out their tasks faithfullyuntil after the resurrection. Listen, and not Look? The tradition that this mountain was Tabor is generally abandoned, and Mount Hermon is commonly supposed to have been the scene of the transfiguration. Some commentators even say that the preacher needs to choose one or the other. Hed come to Sunday School and church every Sunday with his wife and kids, then, without warning, hed be gone. An experience the disciples never forgot. The glory of the Lord was revealed at his birth (Luke 2:9). 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. The Exodus from Egypt led Gods people to the Promised Land. If we do not know Jesus, we should turn to him. Lazarus is described as having fallen asleep. On one side of the bookshelf weve got Moses going up on Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. Its still there today in the church if only we dont just sleep through it. The father is desperate, but has not given up. Not for nothing are they called Mountaintop Experiences! Lukes disclosure concerning the conversation is highly significant for his account. As inner prayer, you pray a simple, repeated "It never entered thy thoughts to pay me the homageand yet I had helped thee, too, a littleof pouring oil on my head"; "but she hath anointed, not my head, she shrank, poor soul! The event was a revelation of Christs glory and was witnessed by only three chosen apostles. The wonder of it. God speaks of Jesus as his Chosen One, for Jesus has accepted his role. Now, were tempted simply to think of this as a Kodak moment, one youd like to hold on to, that Peter was simply trying to concretize the experience and preserve it for all time. They will not understand Jesus prediction of his death and resurrection (18:31-34). And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. Have you ever known anyone like that? But maybe behind these questions something of the core truth of the gospel starts to come out. However, these words are directed to the disciples rather than Jesus (as at the baptism). This future glory of Christ when he comes again to earth soon is displayed for a short time on this mountaintop experience. In the Transfiguration, the earthly Jesus shares for a moment the company of two great and worthy residents of heaven, Moses and Elijah. That he will eventually be raised again bodily gets at both and assures us that the salvation about which Moses and Elijah showed up to discuss with Jesus is just the truest and grandest thing you could ever imagine! WebThe Transfiguration. In the Bible, when a story takes us up to a mountaintop, its a fair bet that something dramatic is going to happenindeed, its a fair bet that something deeply revelatory is going to happen. Jerusalem will be the place of his death, but it will also be the place of his resurrection and his ascensionevents that will reveal his glory. He saw and heard ancient leaders of Israel Moses and Elijah. Then He called His twelve disciples together Luke 9:2223 ESV The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And he said to all, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.. Later, after the resurrection, he will make it clear that his death was necessary so that he might enter into his glory (Luke 24:26). When we see God in all his glory, we will be shaken to the core. The way of God for Jesus cannot bypass the cross. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father (v. 42b). A resource for the whole church from Luther Seminary. So his need for prayer may not have been that much different than ours. This observance, known as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths, started as a harvest festival, but evolved into a reminder of their wanderings in the wildernessand their escape from slavery in Egyptand Gods continuing faithfulness to them. But then we all often miss seeing this in each other as often as not. Not only is the father distraught because his son is suffering, but his situation is made even more difficult by the fact that this is his only child. Childrens Sermons Here Peter strikes out. Moses and Elijah spoke of (Jesus) departure (Greek: exodon), which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (v. 31). This, however, also seems unlikely.). My Name Is _____ stick-on name badges. At this point in Lukes story, Jesus and the disciples are on the way into the abyss of Jesus passion. It is useful. To the world, Jesus was simply the son of Joseph. They were all astonished at the majesty of God (v. 43). Listen to him! (9:29, 34-35). First Reading Commentary on Exodus 34:29-35 Moses countenance glows In his prayerful agony, as he felt the weight of his impending suffering on the Cross, Jesus sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke is mindful of that eighth day significance, after all (he is the only evangelist to give us the Emmaus Road story, replete with Jesus being made known to the disciples in the breaking of the bread). The point is that Gods glory is so overwhelming that humans arent engineered to be capable of experiencing it. The Transfiguration is a story with six characters, but none we can, or probably want to, identify with fully. None we can, or probably want to face him without having our paid! This in each other as often as not Gods glory is so overwhelming that humans arent engineered be... Hungry sense of wonder his need for prayer may not have been presented, and! During this epiphany of glory, we will be shaken to the core ( v. 42b ) rebuked! 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