Matthew 17.1-9 NIV courtesy of www.biblegateway.com
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead
Here's the challenge: How do we in the 21st century connect with this scripture? What message does it have for us?
So that's where I'm going and I"ll start with just a few observations.
After six days.....this reference comes out of nowhere. We have no idea 'six days after' what? Of course, there are lots of biblical references to what was, in fact, the 7th day. Creation is the first that comes to mind. So is there a connection between this manifestation of God in Jesus and creation?
Up a mountain......if you have read the assigned Exodus text you'll get the connection to Moses immediately. Moses went up the mountain and met God. There was a cloud surrounding the scene. God spoke. Moses received a message for the people of Israel.
Up a mountain....look back at Matthew's account of the temptation of Jesus. Satan takes him up a mountain and offers all the world and its splendor if Jesus will simply bow down and worship Satan. Matthew4.8-11. So mountains can be a place of temptation as well.
" This is my son the beloved with him I am well pleased; listen to him" If you look back to Mt 3.17 you'll find exactly the same pronouncement. (Don't be fooled by the slight difference in translation. Don't know what the translators were thinking but the Greek text is exactly the same.) So clearly we are to make some kind of connection between Jesus' baptism (the inauguration of his ministry?) and this time of transfiguration.
Elijah and Moses. Why these two? Two possible explanations (and I'm sure more are out there). Moses is the great law giver about whom it was said 'never has there been raised up a prophet greater than Moses'. Elijah was no slouch in the prophet department, and could himself represent the combined wisdom of the prophets. (thus we would have the Law and the Prophets). But Elijah was also the one who would return (he is already dead) before the Messiah could come. So Elijah was a signal of the Messiah's imminent return. Therefore, all that was needed was in place for the Messiah, the Anointed one. We are to conclude that Jesus is that Messiah.
But all that wisdom simply leads me back to my original question: What are we to do with this text? What could God's message be to us today?
And so I am taken with the image of the mountain as both a place of glory and a place of temptation for Jesus. How many stories are out there of folks who are corrupted by fame or wealth? We would certainly understand that scenario.
Could this be part two of the temptation of Jesus? The Transfiguration of Jesus is generally a dividing point in the gospel's story - from that point on the opposition gets stronger even as Jesus' teaching gets more pointed. Although it is not literally true in each of the gospels, figuratively, Jesus leaves the mountain and begins his last journey into Jerusalem.
What do you think?
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