Transfiguration (2)

Transfiguration

Today is a special Sunday in the Christian calendar. It is known as transfiguration Sunday. It celebrates the even three disciples witnessed where they really came to understand Jesus was not just a person but the Son of God. Today we visit this transfiguration event that revealed to Jesus’ inner circle who Jesus really is.

I will have a few images of where this is believed to have taken place. It is called Mount Tabor today and the place has had many Old and New Testament references to it. It was border marking, a gathering place, a lookout place, etc. The valley it overlooks has been the place of many empires defeat and some believe it is where the final battle will take place in the Jezreel Valley. Listen now to the passage for today found in Mark 9:2-9

Mark 9:2–9 NRSV

2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” 8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Before Transfiguration - Passage

Did the disciples or anyone else really know who Jesus was before this event? Had Jesus performed miracles, yes. Had Jesus taught scripture meaning in a powerful way already, yes. Had anything happened that would have demonstrated Jesus was more than a prophet for God, perhaps not. At times, perhaps Jesus questions the disciples and they are unsure how to answer. None of them were bible scholars so having any knowledge of the Messiah or Son of God would have been completely out of character. Not even the bible scholars of that day, the Pharisees and Sadducees, would have been able to put together the picture of who Jesus really is.

What they knew was what they saw, as Jesus had not truly been fully revealed to them. The truth is that what Jesus did before this event was in line with what other prophets had done before him. Now none of them had performed the number of miracles he did but in truth, that type of news was local and not widespread so in each town he went to it may have been only one or two miracle events. From the disciples following Jesus, they knew Jesus as one who spoke powerfully for God to the people. Jesus spoke the truth of God like no other they knew. Based on what they witnessed and knew, Jesus was a powerful prophet of God, yet after this event, they were changed into understanding Jesus not just as a prophet but as the Son of God.

After Transfiguration - Passage

It is safe to say that these disciples, Jesus’ inner circle, were blown away and unsure how to understand this at first. If you look at it from their point of view, the person they had come to know as a powerful prophet of God was something on a completely new level than anything possible. No where would they have been taught that God would have became flesh and dwell amongst them. No where in their minds was what they witnessed possible, yet here they witnessed something impossible, something so much greater significance than any teaching, than any miracle. Jesus was in fact the Son of God. In one sense this explained everything, in the other sense it was opening a door to Jesus having so much more significance beyond any human being.

While Peter is the only one to have spoken, I imagine all of them were awestruck with both wonder and fear at this event. Before this event, they knew Jesus as a person, a wonderful person, but still just a person. Now, they see Jesus as above the greats they had known and learned about. Jesus was greater than Moses and the law. Jesus was greater than Elijah and the prophets. Jesus was on an entirely different level they did not know before until God spoke to them on that mountain declaring Jesus is the Son of God. Nothing would be the same after that encounter. The same is true for us when we truly understand who Jesus is.

Before Transfiguration - Today

In today’s context what does that look like. Interestingly enough it is similar to the disciples perspective. What is interesting is that other religions besides Christianity recognize Jesus. Judaism sees Jesus as a great prophet of God. Islam also believes he was a prophet of God. Others see Jesus as a great morality teacher. Jesus is not just known in Christianity but in other religions too. This does not mean they see and view him the same but as mentioned earlier, they do see him as human like the disciples prior to the transfiguration.

When you hear the stories of Jesus and see the teachings, you can also come under the same impression as the disciples that Jesus was a great person. Some have wondered if more of an understanding is necessary, some people try to put aside the supernatural aspects of Jesus and look just at his teachings. In that context, Jesus is a great morality teacher. If you look at Jesus as a morality teacher, you miss the big picture and you miss the fact that Jesus is so much more than just a teacher.

When you compare Jesus’ teachings and the law of God, you see them align perfectly. When you compare Jesus’ actions and teachings to what was taught about God, you see perfect alignment that Jesus acts and teachers others to act based on God’s will. When you see Jesus in this light, there is no doubt that Jesus was a powerful prophet of God, speaking, teaching, and helping others change their lives to align with God’s will. Yet, if this is where you stop, you miss that Jesus is so much more than a prophet who teaches the right way to follow God’s will.

After Transfiguration - Today.

Like the disciples, there is a certain point you cross when studying and learning about who Jesus is. There is a certain point or perhaps even a special event where you understood there is something much different about who Jesus is. Perhaps there is that special moment when you understood God loved you, God sent his Son to become flesh to provide a way to eternal life with God. Perhaps a certain point the light bulb went off on how Jesus was able to live perfectly because he was the Son of God. Jesus was able to understand the will of God because in fact Jesus is the Son of God. He is God so of course he knows.

The crux of all of this is that in our journey to come to know Christ, you walk down the path that many others before you have in learning who Jesus is. You can read it but that does not mean you understand it. You can be told it but that does not mean you get it. I don’t mean to sound pessimistic but want to caution that getting to know Jesus is a journey we all embark on at some point. Each of us may be at different stages of that journey but not everyone’s journey must look the same. What I mean by this is that the same way the disciples witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration and were changed, each of us also can experience those moments of epiphany where the light bulb goes off and we understand something new about Jesus. There are moments of wonder and awe where we begin to understand just how wide and deep that love of God is for us as creation and as individuals.

At some point we realize, Jesus is not like anything in this world that we can adequately compare him to. At some point we realize, Jesus is something much greater than a good morality teacher. At some point we realize Jesus is much greater than someone who points us to the will of God. Jesus, the Son of God, provides not just salvation and redemption but love and transformation in our lives today. Let Jesus transform you today in your understanding and in the way you live for Him.