The Transfiguration

Glory

The word in Hebrew means heavy or weighty, in Greek means honor and was also used to describe brightness. There are times that the bible refer’s to man’s glory such as Solomon in Luke 12:27, and in Romans 2:10 glory and honor and peace who does good.

But when it speaks here of Him appearing in glory. This is far different than any kind of glory we might have .

The appearance of His face was altered.

Matthew uses the word metamorphoo, where we get the word metamorphosis, to be changed from one thing to another.

Similar to how caterpillars change into a butterfly

Luke says dazzling white but the word that Luke uses is is exostrapto and it means like lightning.

The other night, the lightning danced across the sky.

His glory carries with it the idea of inexpressible beauty and majesty. They have always seen Jesus as one who had nothing physically appealing to draw anyone, now they are seeing Him change, they are seeing His glory, something beautiful, majestic and awesome, and even terrifying.

This glory is the same kind that accompanies angels when they announce the savior’s birth but unlike the angels who reflect, Jesus is the source. The light comes from within.

The Glory of God implies an absolutely pure, and holy. A terrifying thing for sinful humans to gaze upon.

Exodus 24:16–17 ESV

16 The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.

The unveiled glory is so awesome that we cannot directly experience it.

Exodus 33:18 ESV

18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”

Exodus 33:20 ESV

20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”

Moses could not gaze upon the Lord and live.

God put Moses in a niche in the rock.

This is what the three are getting the opportunity to see.

Cloud Overshadowed Them

The presence of God is often associated with a cloud.

2 Chronicles 5:13–14 ESV

13 and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,” the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

The glory cloud in Exodus, it wasn’t a normal cloud. It was like a consuming fire!!

When people think of Jesus, they get the picture of a loving hippie wandering the wilderness preaching love.

This is the Jesus we should remember, the one who dwells in unapproachable light. The one who is holy.

This reminds us why we need a savior. The God we serve is so awesome that we cannot enter His presence the wretches that we are.

Jesus Mediator of the New Covenant

Face altered

Drawing attention to His face and the glory that was radiating from it. This is like Moses after he came down from the mountain;

Exodus 34:30 ESV

30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

Smitty and the spot light on the basket ball. It glowed brightly for a while.

Luke is recalling this mediator of the old covenant in his gospel. Just as Moses face shown with the glory of God, now as the disciples gaze at Jesus they see the glory not given from another source, but He was the source of glory himself.

Luke is making the connection between Moses and Jesus.

Departure

Luke doesn’t say His death, His crucifixion, His ascension. But His departure. This word is only used two other times in the NT.

The Greek word used is Exodos. Sound familiar?

Just as Moses was the one who would lead the people out of bondage in Egypt into the promise land, so Jesus was about to lead the people out of the bondage of sin and into our promised land.

In Egypt the Exodus was made possible after the final plague, the death of the first born. A new way was about to be made through the first born of God.

Moses and Elijah

Moses was the mediator of the first covenant between man and God. Elijah was one of the most important prophets of the old testament.

What we see represented is the law and the prophets of the old covenant speaking with the one who is about to usher in the new covenant.

Chosen One

In Matthew and Marks gospels God says, “This is my beloved son, listen to Him.” But Luke says “This is my son, my Chosen One, listen to Him.”

I think Luke through the influence of the Holy Spirit is pointing us to Isaiah

Isaiah 42:1 ESV

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

The servant, chosen by God, anointed by God. This is Jesus!! Isaiah was pointing towards the chosen one that Moses spoke of in Deuteronomy:

Deuteronomy 18:18 ESV

18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

The prophet, like Moses, the prophet to Mediate a covenant between God and His people.

What we see is the Mediator of the Old Covenant meeting with the Mediator of the New Covenant. Not a covenant that is based on race, genealogy, or the Law but a covenant that finds it’s fulfillment in Jesus and is passed on through following Him.

We see the representative of the prophets who God spoke to His people through, meeting with the one who the final words have been spoken through.

Hebrews 1:1–2 ESV

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Listen to Him

Peter wants to make tents, he wants to start doing his own thing.

God tells Peter to slow down, you know now who Jesus is. Knowing who He is, should effect who you are.

Slow down, and listen to what God has to say.