The Scroll - Topical Viewer - Life of Christ

Transfiguration

Introduction
It is six months before Jesus' death. Six days had passed since Peter had been called Satan at Caesarea Philippi. During that time Jesus had been teaching his disciples about discipleship. Not only must He suffer, and be crucified and die, but all of his followers must also take up their own cross and die their own death to sin. Matthew 16:24,25

Now it is time for another lesson. So he calls the three most highly favoured disciples to come with him up into a high unnamed mountain and there behold the event of his transfiguration. Jesus, Peter, James and John go up the mount of Transfiguration to pray. This event is so significant that there are three accounts of the Transfiguration. Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36

Definition of the Transfiguration
The word transfigured comes from the verb 'metamorphoo'. We get our English word Metamorphosis from it. It is a change of form. Like a caterpillar into a butterfly or a tadpole into a frog. They go through a metamorphosis, a change of their forms. By using this word then Matthew and Mark as well point to a substantial change in Jesus. Not just a superficial, external change, but a substantial transformation of his whole being. Matthew says that `His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.' Matthew 17:2

Why did our Lord allow his disciples to witness this mysterious event? Perhaps he wanted to clear up Peters present spiritual confusion and cast away the gloom that now hovered over the disciples since they heard about his death. He would reassure them by the sight of his essential glory.

Meaning of the Transfiguration

The Transfigured Lord Matthew 17:2
Mark 9:3 reports that `His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller (bleach) on earth can white them.' Luke 9:29 states that 'as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.' The change became evident in his face and clothes. Peter looking back at this event many years later and recalls `We were eye-witnesses of his majesty'. 2 Peter 1:16 The transfiguration revealed the majesty of Jesus to the three disciples.

Jesus to this point was very ordinary, from the human point of view. He dressed in ordinary clothes. He spoke the ordinary language of the country. He was not taller than anybody else, or better looking, according to anything we read in scripture. There wasn't anything extraordinary in his characteristics which would set him apart from other people. But that ordinary carpenters son now had been transfigured. Now God's glory was made evident to all to see.

It is not that Jesus became God at this time, but rather his divine nature broke through his human nature for all to see. He never ceased to be God, but his glory was concealed for a time so as not to consume man. Here a small part of that glory is allowed to shine through the cracks.

Jesus' transfiguration was different from that of Moses when he came down from the mountain and Stephen when he stood accused before the Sanhedrin and his face was like the face of an angel. Jesus' glory came from within and worked its way out. But with Moses and Stephen it was more like the moon reflecting a light that didn't belong to them. But the glory of Jesus is like the glory of the sun. His glory was veiled in his flesh and now it was made known. It was always there but now it is revealed as Jesus is transfigured. And Peter, James and John had the privilege of seeing it first.

The Lord's Companions Matthew 17:3
Two of the greatest Old Testament leaders also appeared before them and talked with him. The writer of Hebrews speaks of them as `the spirits of just men made perfect,' 12:23 They came from the presence of God and visibly stood before them. Peter, James and John saw them and heard them speaking with Jesus.

The two men are identified as Moses and Elijah. Moses was the great lawgiver of ancient Israel, and Elijah, was the first of the prophets who expounded and applied the law. Luke 9:31 tells us that they were speaking about the departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. The word for departure here is exodus. And Moses the leader of the Old Testament exodus was now discussing with Jesus a more glorious exodus.

Moses and Elijah were given to know something of our Lords work. It had been revealed to them. They had spoken of this day and had looked forward to it.

Just a few hours earlier Peter had reacted to the idea of the exodus with 'Never Lord! This shall never happen to you. You will never die this way. I have made my confession of you as the Christ, the son of the living God. What would happen to me if you did. What would happen to the church which you promised to build on a rock.

But Moses and Elijah had no problem with the idea of the exodus. They were aware of the divine musts. Jesus must go and must suffer and must die. They knew that he would accomplish the purposes of God.

The Presence of God Matthew 17:5
They had witnessed Jesus transfiguration, they saw Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus. But they were also enveloped by a bright cloud. This was no rain cloud but in the Old Testament a cloud was very special.

This bright cloud is none other than the Shekinah glory cloud that marked the visible presence of God with his people in Old Testament days. It marked his presence on Mount Sinai. When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai.

For six days the cloud covered the mountain. Exodus 24:15,16 In the wilderness God was present with his people by hovering over them in a cloud. Numbers 10:34 And in the Tent of Meeting the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34 Then in Solomon's temple when it was finished and the priests had left the Holy Place, 'that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.' 1 Kings 8:10-11

This then was God coming the only way a child of Israel could recognise him. God is present on the mountain with Moses and Elijah as well. The God of the burning bush, the god of the exodus. The God of the wilderness wanderings, The God of the Canaan, God Omnipotent. And he spoke out of a cloud. `This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him'. Matthew 17:5 This time when God speaks he does not give the law, but speaks just as clear. Jesus is His Son and His plan to go to Jerusalem has Divine approval.

The Law of Moses and the Word of the Prophets point to Christ who is given divine authority to be listened to and obeyed. Peter would refer to this mysterious incident in the years to come with awe as he referred to it as the `voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.' 2 Peter 1:18

Place of the Transfiguration
Mt. Tabor
Church tradition has established Mt. Tabor as the mount of Transfiguration. Three Churches were built upon this Mount by the sixth century. However the more likely location for the Transfiguration is Mt. Hermon to the North This is the highest Mountain in Palestine. It was visible from as far south as the Dead Sea. A good case can be made for Mt. Hermon as this is close to Caesarea Philippi where Jesus was at this time. Mt. Tabor is almost fifty miles from where Jesus was at this time. Mark does not mention Jesus passing through Galilee the region of Mt. Tabor until much later. Mark 9:30

Today the Greek orthodox Church has a basilica dedicated to the Transfiguration built on top of Mt. Tabor.