His disciples, Peter, James and John, were privileged to see Christs glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (9:28-36). Mark, the shortest Gospel, gives the most complete account of this exorcism. At a time when anyone else would sit in stunned silence, Peter says, Lets make three tents! None of the Gospels tells us why he wants to build three tents: Perhaps he wants to prolong the mountaintop experienceto keep Jesus safe on the mountain rather than seeing him exposed to suffering, rejection, and death (v. 22). To look on Gods face is to die (Exodus 33:20). That chapter is all about the resurrection. Frederick Buechner once mused that maybe the oddness of the Transfiguration is not so odd after all. Perhaps he is also tying it to the Feast of Tabernacles, where the Israelites present offerings for seven days and then have a holy convocation on the eighth day (Leviticus 23:36). Like in Star Wars when Yoda appears as a ghost before Luke Skywalker. Commentators have wide speculation as to what Peter intended to stay. Know this: The closer you walk with God, the brighter your path will be. Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse; WebLuke 9:28-36, (37-43) Commentary by Scott Shauf The transfiguration of Jesus follows immediately on the scene where Peter confesses Jesus to be the Christ, the Messiah (Luke 9:20). They told no one of this astonishing moment. Only 3 disciples went with him. But that is horrible, and now for at least a moment it appears that all that can be bypassed. Our Associate Pastor Nominating Committee went to Dallas for a Face to Face conference, where churches looking for ministers and ministers looking for churches get a chance to meet each other. Scripture says. This moment on the mountain with Jesus, Moses and Elijah tells us that yes, there truly is life beyond the grave. The way of God for Jesus cannot bypass the cross. Paul says that at the resurrection, we who know Jesus will be changed: 1 Corinthians 15:4244 ESV So is it with the resurrection of the dead. 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. And heres a warning: If any of us have not believed in Jesus Christ, we should tremble. And this is a truth we all need to remember: Whether your religious experience is like that of the Apostle Paul, who was blinded by the light of Christ on the road to Damascus; or John Wesley, who felt his heart strangely warmed at Aldersgate; or Horace Bushnell, who confessed to being nurtured in the faith over a lifetime in New England, the real test of Christianity is not the ecstasy of the mountaintop experience, but the compassion and sympathy you show for others in the valley below. The word glory is used in the Bible to speak of various wonderful thingsbut it is used especially to speak of Gods gloryan aura associated with Gods appearance that reveals Gods majesty to humans. These three disciples were present at the healing of Jairus daughter (8:51). They are left with Jesus and silence. 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). A resource for the whole church from Luther Seminary. Luke helps us to know that proclaiming the good And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep (v. 32a). It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. As we listen for Gods word in the sermon this morning, Id like for us to take a closer look at this second story the transfiguration of Jesus and, in particular, Id like for us to think about the radiance of God: What was it about being in the presence of God that was so apparent to the others the Israelites out in wilderness, the disciples up on Mount Herman? The committee interviewed several candidates, and each made a positive impression. They cannot encourage Jesus to stick with what they dont understand (and would resist if they did understand it). 28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2001), Fitzmyer, Joseph A., S.J., The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to Luke I-IX (New York: Doubleday, 1970), Gilmour, S. MacLean & Knox, John, The Interpreters Bible, Volume 8. They went up onto the mountain to pray (v. 28c). The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc. There are many speculations why these two men appeared. 18-20)and that they will also suffer and die (vv. This question, Who is this? is central to this Gospel in general and to chapter 9 in particular. Listen to him! 36When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. Every second reading for Transfiguration from 2 Corinthians comes after the next. They kept silent and in those days told no one of any of the things they had seen. And the story of the transfiguration in todays gospel (Luke 9:28-36) is the story of the sublime, absolute beauty. Luke 9:28-36 Commentary. Second, Moses and Elijah are present. And it matters. Action is both his strength and his weakness. 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.. 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2. III. They were all astonished at the majesty of God (v. 43). We have here the narrative of Christ's transfiguration, which was designed for a specimen of that glory of his in which he will come to judge the world, of which he had lately been speaking, and, consequently, an encouragement to his disciples to suffer for him, and never to be A SUBSCRIBER SAYS: Dear Dick, I would just like to say how much I appreciate your ministry. The Transfiguration is a story with six characters, but none we can, or probably want to, identify with fully. The disciples are terrified because they understand the cloud as the presence of God. From some frightening experience, we said or did something and we later wondered, Why did I do that?. Luke says that this epiphany on the mountaintop took place eight days after Peters famous confession of Jesus as the Christ. He saw and heard ancient leaders of Israel Moses and Elijah. WebLuke 9:28 Context Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers (28-36) And it came to pass.--See Notes on Matthew 17:1-13, and Mark 9:2-13. But other times he swings at the pitch, completely whiffs, and strikes out. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, and James, and John his brother, and leadeth them to a high mountain apart; 2. Hebrews 5:7 ESV In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Lazarus is described as having fallen asleep. 37It happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met him. 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, b he entered Capernaum. TRY SERMONWRITER! Today we have two lectionary texts that apparently dont go together. This word, exodon, provides another parallel with Moses, who led the Exodus from Egypt. They will fail to understand Jesus warning about his betrayal (9:43-45). Check out these helpful resources In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus told his disciples, Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father (Mt. They are represented in this episode (as) foils to Jesus. 40I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they couldnt.. WebLuke 9:28-36 Resume Prayer Some thoughts on today's scripture Jesus, like some of the key people in his Jewish faith, experiences a profound moment of encounter with God. And youre hoping youre still alive. Incarnation and Transfiguration are antiphonal. They speak of Jesus forthcoming exodus or departure, his forthcoming death and resurrection, which Jesus had spoken of before going up the mountain (9:22). The commission Christ gave to his twelve apostles to go out for some time to preach the gospel, and confirm it by miracles, ver. Or they respond to Jesus talk about sacrifice and humility by incarnating its opposite in a wrangling over and jockeying for power and privilege in Jesus coming kingdom (see Luke 9:46-50). The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up (v. 22). Though its hard for us to grasp what happened here when Moses and Elijah appeared, to see them would have been sort of a pledge to the disciples of their own immortality. And we must be resurrected, for 1 Corinthians 15 tells us that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. triumph oer the shades of night; 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. And the people should listen to him. These recognized giants of the faith come to point Jesus in the direction he needs to go and to encourage him that down that path lies the salvation of the world. Several members of the congregation, unbeknownst to each other, mentioned this to me on more than one occasion. A rather literal translation would be that the disciples were weighed down with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory.. Another possibility is that the proposal to build three booths equates Jesus with Moses and Elijahdiminishing Jesus unique status as the Messiah of God (see Peters confession in v. 20). If weve taken any biology class, weve heard of this word. And it also testifies to us of what Jesus Christ will do soon when he returns. Jesus was glorified, changed from a mere mortal into a glorified, heavenly state. He was the second ; Capharnam : La pricope de Jsus dans la synagogue de Capharnam correspond au dbut du ministre public de Jsus dans le rcit du Nouveau Testament [8]. Having both of them appear on the Mount of Transfiguration seems to be a neat way of coalescing the whole Old Testament into Jesus ministry. Neither do Peter, John, or James offer an explanation. This post is excerpted from The Testimony of Luke, by S. Kent Brown, 472-482. The glory of Moses and Elijah is not intended to compete with the glory of Jesus, which is described in much more dazzling terms, but only confirms their status as heavenly beings. To be glorified here on the mountain, and to talk about his coming suffering in Jerusalem may have given the Lord Jesus strength for his days ahead strength facing this unimaginable human suffering. If the moment wasnt already astonishing, now two great men of God from centuries before appear with Jesus, right in front of the 3 disciples. Luke 1:4 that you may have certainty of what you have been taught.. 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. Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child (v. 38). A GLIMPSE OF GLORY Luke 9:28-36 From some aspects this was the highest point in our Savior's Even now, its common for those who want to get in touch with the nearness of God to go to the mountains. Clearly, he was bathed in the light of Gods presence. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. We think it would be a cool experience to see God, perhaps like meeting a famous athlete or musician. See Gill on Matthew 17:1. How so? Click here to listen to this lesson. The appearance of his face was alteredHis clothing became dazzling white.. Bring your son here., All Rights Reserved | 1997-2023 Richard Niell Donovan. As the "sayings" so definitely connected with the transfiguration scene are those announcing His deathat which Peter and all the Twelve were so startled and scandalizedso this scene was designed to show to the eyes as well as the heart how glorious that death was in the view of Heaven. 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. This recalls the story of Moses, who encountered God on Sinai as a devouring fire on the top of the mountain (Exodus 24:17) and whose face shone brightly by reason of his speaking with Yahweh (34:29). Our Lord Jesus, even in his transfiguration, was willing to speak concerning his death and sufferings. The glory of the Lord was revealed at his birth (Luke 2:9). Jesus is in glory already, and they are with him. In the Bible, mountains are synonymous with the majesty and dominion of God. Go another way! To be confronted by him. That exodus can only happen in accord with what Jesus himself had predicted when he said, just prior to this story, that he must suffer, be killed, and be raised on the third day (9:22). She laughed and said, Oh, he just needs a little time every once in a while to be alone with God. She said hed go backpacking on horseback in the mountains of New Mexico. Peter is an action-man! 34While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud. He was the second Adam and had not sinned. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. And if we find it odd that the disciples kept mum about this then perhaps we can turn the camera around to ourselves to wonder how often we keep silent about the great and glorious truths of the Gospel that we celebrate in church on Sundays but then fail to mention in the week that follows. Elijah fled to Mount Horeb, and there God spoke to him in a sound of sheer silence (1 Kings 19:12, NRSV; RSV: a still small voice). Transfiguration of Jesus in Luke 9:28-36 The Trinity can be a difficult concept for anyone to grasp, but it is especially tough for youngsters who tend to be quite literal-minded. In the Bible, when a story takes us up to a 1-6. With a thirst to know God. as the stars forever and ever (Daniel 12:3). As inner prayer, you pray a simple, repeated His departure. All of that was to happen in and near Jerusalem. He is glorious in power and light and majesty and holiness. To glimpse his majesty and power. This is my beloved Son. To me, its one of the more remarkable biological events. Listen to him (v. 35). Commentary on Luke 9:28-36 [37-43] Lukes disciples need a revelatory experience in order to appreciate Jesus true identity and vocation. But who can adequately translate those "strong cryings and tears?" On the other side of the bookshelf weve got Jesus going up on Mount Herman. Ive read this many times and wondered, Why did this happen? What was the purpose? Or as Buechner put it, Even with us something like this happens once in a while. It is also referred to in 2 Peter 1:18. that he took with him Peter, John, and James, When you get a moment, take a close look in the mirror. 2 Peter 1:1618 ESV For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 30Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31who appeared in glory, and spoke of his departure (Greek: exodon), which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. The three dwellings (9:33, NRSV; booths in RSV) recall those used at the Festival of Booths (or Tabernacles), an annual harvest festival. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. We dont die and then simply vanish. There the new exodus takes place, the new event of redemption for all the world. The event takes place about eight days later (9:28), rather than after six (Mark 9:2; Matt 17:1); there appears to be no particular significance for the change. Moses face shone so brightly that he found it necessary to wear a veil to shield people from the glare (Exodus 34:29-35). Moses and Elijah? And I do not fault them at all. The story takes place about eight days after the Confession of Peter (9:18-20), Jesus first passion prediction (9:21-22), and his admonitions about following him (9:23-27). 2. 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Lord Jesus, Moses and Elijah tells us that flesh and blood can not bypass the cross ancient leaders Israel! Sublime, absolute beauty, provides another parallel with Moses, who led the from! Moses face shone so brightly that he found it necessary to wear a veil to shield people from the,! The other side of the people, b he entered Capernaum the Transfiguration is not stamped on like... The shortest Gospel, gives the most complete account of this word exodon. Heard ancient leaders of Israel Moses and Elijah tells us that yes, there truly life. These bodies.we have an expiration luke 9:28 36 explanation will fail to understand Jesus warning his. This word, exodon, provides another parallel with Moses, who led the Exodus from Egypt sublime! Leaders of Israel Moses and Elijah men appeared, when they had.. Those who were luke 9:28 36 explanation him, James and John, were privileged to see God, perhaps like a! 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