A Transfiguration Reflection
This week in the life of the church we mark the transfiguration, a specific event that we can read about in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke…and while there is no “transfiguration event” in John’s gospel, in spite of the reality that John would have been a witness to the event, John’s gospel account of Jesus is in some way perpetually transfigured – beginning with the light that comes into the world.
The transfiguration of Jesus is a bridge in the church calendar. It is a bridge between the season after the Epiphany, (a season of light) when in the lectionary, we would be watching for how Jesus’s “Christ-ness”, his divineness, is revealed to us in his ministry and teachings, and the season of Lent, a time when we are pondering our own mortality, our own fleeting nature, our own ability to actually follow Jesus wherever that leads.
Last week, I spoke about the importance of transitions. They move us from one thing to another. We are moving from our exploration of what it means to belong to God, to one another, and to the church – the body of Christ, to really focusing in on what it means to become a disciple of Jesus, work we cannot do alone and work that takes a lifetime of effort, work we have to choose again and again. And Lent, an annual season of journeying to the cross, is a good time to look at the hard work and commitment that entails.
Transfiguration is defined by Oxford Languages as a complete change of form or appearance into a more beautiful or spiritual state. Is it possible that when we seek to become a disciple of Jesus, we experience our own transfiguration, becoming a new thing, more beautiful and holy?
Let’s dive into the texts.
Our text from Exodus today recounts a trip Moses made up the mountain by himself to receive God’s instruction. Those instructions found in the next chapter after that you heard today includes details about how the tabernacle - which will house the ark of the covenant - is to be built and appointed. These were important instructions – the tabernacle would be God’s dwelling place traveling with the Israelites.
This story of Moses on the mountaintop would be well-known, central to Jesus and to his disciples. And so it helps to imagine being very familiar with that story as we consider what happens to Jesus on the mountaintop.
As we heard in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus takes Peter, James and John up the mountainside with him. Perhaps you have noticed Jesus’s habit of separating himself from the crowds, sometimes completely alone, sometimes with his key leaders, to pray and to be with God. To rest and to be restored. To be refreshed. Perhaps to see things in a new light.
And that is what happens for Peter, James and John. Jesus is in new light, shiny and dazzling. His face shone like the sun. And as if that was not enough, he appears with Moses and Elijah. Jesus is seen among the great prophets.
For the nerdy bible study types among us, let’s ponder a few key reasons that the appearance of Moses and Elijah specifically are noteworthy.
Last week, the Deuteronomy text we heard, the one about choosing the right path with God, was part of Moses parting words to the Israelites. He is not going with them into the promised land, because God has told him he will die instead. Later in the Hebrew narrative, we learn that no one knows where Moses body finally rested because God actually buried him…as God’s act of devotion for who Moses had been…this marks Moses as kind of a big deal.
And Elijah passes the mantle – a spirit of prophecy - to Elisha and is then swept away in a chariot into the sky without explanation, without seeming reason.
For Jesus to appear with these two might be understood as a foreshadow of some untimely departure. Or some gateway to a new witness. Certainly a mark of greatness. Peter, James and John would have understood this. It would grab their attention.
There are limited words in this text. But each one has weight.
From them we can draw three key messages.
The first:
“This is my son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
We’ve heard that once before…at Jesus’ baptism.
So….Once again, this time on a mountaintop, there is a heavenly proclamation of who this person Jesus is. God’s beloved.
But it doesn’t stop there like it does at the baptism.
The voice goes on with a command.
“Listen to him.”
This is the second key message – listen.
Now the command to “listen” is a funny one. Because there is listening…like hearing. And there is LISTENING…deeply in order to understand and absorb.
I like to listen to podcasts and audible books when I drive. But I do find that often I am hearing BUT NOT ABSORBING. Because my heart and my mind are elsewhere.
God’s commanding a more active form of “listen” here. Let’s take a look at some failed listening that happens just before this text to prompt our attention a bit
This account of the transfiguration in Matthew’s gospel happens after an exchange with the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They’ve asked for a sign, some way Jesus might prove his claims….and Jesus refuses to oblige. He knows that no matter what he says or does, their doubts and questions remain. Every request for a sign is a trick.
And then right after that exchange, Jesus arrives in Caesarea and asks Peter “who do YOU say I am…” And Peter responds, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” In just the next episode, maybe 50 words later, Jesus describes the suffering he must endure, and Peter (Who just professed Jesus to be the Messiah) denies what Jesus is saying, earning a rebuke – Get behind my Satan – you are setting your mind not on divine things, but human things.
These events leading up to God’s disembodied voice indicate that Jesus might be accustomed to people not really yet understanding what they hear Jesus saying to them at this point.
So it is as if, this moment of transfiguration serves as an exclamation point.
And it is as if that exclamation point is about really understanding.
Listening to learn. Listening to follow.
This is my Son, the Beloved.
Listen to him.
The disciples are so blown away that they fall to the ground, overcome with fear.
And here is the third key message – this time from Jesus.
He comes to the three men and touches them. And there on the mountaintop he says to them, “Get up and do not be afraid.”
As if it were that easy…
As I mentioned moments ago, just 250 words prior, Jesus described to his beloved Peter the suffering that he must endure. And now, with the touch of his hand he offers the comfort…get up and do not be afraid.
We are at the brink of the Lenten season. Many of us have walked this road before in our Christian journey… 40 days of remembering how imperfect we can be, how much we do not know or understand.
But we can receive this moment, this transfiguration moment as instruction for what matters most. We can use this as a transition to a deep study of what it means to choose to follow Jesus.
This is my son, the beloved.
Listen to him.
Get up and do not be afraid.
As we prepare to once again walk toward Jerusalem and the cross, we can also prepare to look at our own failed understandings, our own distractions, our own separation from the God who also calls us beloved.
We’re called to step forward into it all, recognizing the power of Jesus who is the Christ leading us forward, to whom we are called to listen. We are called to step forward and not be afraid.
I can’t help but be reminded here that we already know how this story of Jesus, who walks with his friends in flesh and blood, ends.
And how it continues.
Peter, James and John did not.
But we do.
We know about the journey to the cross. And We know that Sunday’s coming. That resurrection happens. That death returns life.
But still we revisit the journey. Let’s step into Lent together.
Let’s walk into the story looking for ways we might grow in our commitment to Jesus.
Let’s walk into the story listening and unafraid.
Let’s walk into the story choosing to follow, choosing to become disciples.
This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased.
Listen to him.
Get up and do not be afraid.
May it be so.
Amen.
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