Jesus’ Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-45) - God Meets Moses (and Elijah)

As Jesus' death draws near, he goes up to a mountain to pray.

Moses and Elijah appear.

They spoke of his departure (, Greek exodos).

Luke 9:28–31 NIV

About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.

Jesus' death is his departure, his Exodus, from this life to the next.

He is the new Moses, leading God's people to a new chosen land.

Listen to him.

Luke 9:35

Luke 9:35 NIV

A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

Must come down from the mountain and encounter the world.

Luke 9:37–40 NIV

The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

Luke 9:37-40

Luke 9:44 NIV

“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”

Luke 9:45 NIV

But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.