1. But the disciples could have had no such visual associations with either Moses or Elijah. They went up onto the mountain to pray, and great things happened. Now, were tempted simply to think of this as a Kodak moment, one youd like to hold on to, that Peter was simply trying to concretize the experience and preserve it for all time. And while this looks a little one-dimensional compared to the computer-generated graphics were so accustomed to, its meant to represent their holiness. In you I am well pleased (3:22). There is a sermon in these few words. They were all astonished at the majesty of God (v. 43). 2 Peter 1:1618 ESV For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. And, lo, there appeared to them [473] Moses and Elijah talking with him.4. They must be metamorphosed. Verse 28 links the Transfiguration to the preceding passage in which Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah and Jesus declares that he must suffer and die. Methinks, as I steal by His side, I hear from Him these plaintive sounds, "Lord, who hath believed Our report? Jesus gave the twelve power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases (9:1). And besides, how would you explain this? Hed come back a different man revived and ready to go back to work. My wife and a few friends are reading a book trying to describe the grandness and majesty and transcendence of God. Moses and Elijah spoke of (Jesus) departure (Greek: exodon), which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (v. 31). Yet he suffered without ever sinning. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment . At this Transfiguration, God confirms that the new Moses-like prophet is Jesus, saying, This is my beloved Son. The family lineage depends on this child. The moment is over! Perhaps intimidating. When we see God in all his glory, we will be shaken to the core. Another possibility is that the proposal to build three booths equates Jesus with Moses and Elijahdiminishing Jesus unique status as the Messiah of God (see Peters confession in v. 20). Jesus was glorified, changed from a mere mortal into a glorified, heavenly state. He was the second Adam and had not sinned. Christ has transformed more lives than we can count. I have been retired for 3 years but still preach nearly every week. When Moses asked to see Gods glory, God replied, You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live (Exodus 33:20)but God continued, Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. If Peter, James, and John had any doubts before as to who Jesus was, seeing Jesus lit up like the blazing sun, seeing the long-dead Moses and Elijah alive before them, and now hearing a voice from heaven, surely they had no doubts now. The three dwellings (9:33, NRSV; booths in RSV) recall those used at the Festival of Booths (or Tabernacles), an annual harvest festival. There will be a time to speak, but they are not yet ready for the witness that they will bear a few weeks later in Jerusalem (Acts 1-2). 28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. Paul says that at the resurrection, we who know Jesus will be changed: 1 Corinthians 15:4244 ESV So is it with the resurrection of the dead. Like in Star Wars when Yoda appears as a ghost before Luke Skywalker. 37It happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met him. The second feature is that the disciples are said to have dozed off during that conversation, but saw the glorified Jesus and the two men with him (9:32). Moreover, the disciples of Jesus are to listen to him. 28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. In an excellent book called The Incomparable Christ, author Oswald Sanders said, The presence of Moses and Elijah would be to them the pledge of their own immortality. 7-9). pierce the gloom of sin and grief; 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!. Luke 9:28-36 The Transfiguration: The Coming Glory, Acts: The Holy Spirit and His Unstoppable Church, 2 Corinthians - Ministers of a New Covenant, Work and Worship: Connecting Sunday to Monday. Metamorphosis is when an ugly, crawly creature like a caterpillar undergoes a complete transformation and comes out radically different. Perishable means it has an expiration date. The can of beans in our kitchen cabinet has an expiration date on it. 30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and Should the preacher make Both Moses and Elijah had received revelation on mountains. It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen (Exodus 33:21-23). There is hardly anything else quite like it in the entire Bible. Peter will refer to it as the holy mountain (2 Peter 1:18). Bring your son here. 42While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. Moses spoke words of a coming prophet. Its not what I expected to hear the Father say! 32Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep (v. 32a). Luke 9:28-36 The Transfiguration: The Coming Glory Metamorphosis. And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. Moses had prophesied, Your God will raise up to you a prophet from the midst of you, of your brothers, like me. What is some significance for us today from these words here in Luke 9?? He was not making up stories about Christ. 2. He never panicked nor doubted his heavenly Father. What were Peter, John, and James thinking about this stunning scene before them? WebMatthew 17:1-8. To be confronted by him. As we listen for Gods word in the sermon this morning, Id like for us to take a closer look at this second story the transfiguration of Jesus and, in particular, Id like for us to think about the radiance of God: What was it about being in the presence of God that was so apparent to the others the Israelites out in wilderness, the disciples up on Mount Herman? The wonder of it. 18-20). We have here the narrative of Christ's transfiguration, which was designed for a specimen of that glory of his in which he will come to judge the world, of which he had lately been speaking, and, consequently, an encouragement to his disciples to suffer for him, and never to be They told no one of this astonishing moment. To me, it matches the magnitude of the stories of Christs birth (which weve looked at in the past couple of weeks) and the resurrection. To be amazed, even to tremble. She laughed and said, Oh, he just needs a little time every once in a while to be alone with God. She said hed go backpacking on horseback in the mountains of New Mexico. Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse; May we meditate on the reality of this passage. When Jesus commanded them to feed a great crowd, they responded, We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy food for all these people (9:13). and went up onto the mountain to pray (9:28). they saw his glory and heard the voice of God. Peter, James, and Johnpartners before in secular business; now sole witnesses of the resurrection of Jairus' daughter (Mr 5:37), the transfiguration, and the agony in the garden (Mr 14:33). What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. Many prayers and much supplication. Probably, he just wants to do something. Maybe the sleepiness of the disciples is emblematic for how often they had missed the glory of Jesus when it shined right in front of them day in and day out throughout Jesus ministry. Loud cries and tears. Scripture assures us that we were all created in the image of God, but as we hustle past people in the malls, as we jostle next to them on the train, as we get annoyed with them when they crowd us in our airplane seat, we miss it. Now, heres Jesus on Mount Herman. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. You can turn there. They expect him to conquernot to die. This event was unprecedented. Probably there is something to all that, but it does not appear that Moses and Elijah spent their time with Jesus reflecting on the ins and outs of the Law and Prophets. However it all happened, Luke alone tells us that these two showed up to encourage Jesus, to remind him that they, too, along with all the hosts of heaven were gearing up for the fulfillment of everything God had been aiming to accomplish ever since sin and evil showed up in this creation to sully Gods good intentions. Why should they have problems with this demon? A bolt of lightning is one of the most powerful forces on planet earth, discharging 1,000,000,000,000,000 watts of electricity (thats 1 trillion if you dont want to count up all the zeroes) at a temperature of 20,000 degrees centigrade (which is considerably hotter than even the surface of the sun). Though this story in Luke 9 is quite unusual, even strange, it is a story that builds hope in us. God the Fathers words point us back to an OT prophecy of the coming Messiah. 1. People seek inner peace, and they try all kinds of things to achieve it anything that will promise much, but demand little. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah. saves me time (retirement is just as busy as full time ministry) saves me money..(how quickly our libraries are dated!). But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father (v. 42b). WebA GLIMPSE OF GLORY Luke 9:28-36 From some aspects this was the highest point in our Savior's earthly career. Once again, Luke tells us about Jesus praying. In the Bible, when a story takes us up to a Seize the day! However, these words are directed to the disciples rather than Jesus (as at the baptism). What he says about discipleship is also to be heeded. WebThe transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36) Jesus transfiguration took place on a high mountain, possibly Mount Hermon, which was not far from Caesarea Philippi. Though its hard for us to grasp what happened here when Moses and Elijah appeared, to see them would have been sort of a pledge to the disciples of their own immortality. This is more a theological than a geographical statement. The reading was from the Gospel according to Luke: The Transfiguration. They are left with Jesus and silence. Insights on preaching and sermon ideas, straight to your inbox. They will not understand Jesus prediction of his death and resurrection (18:31-34). They confirm that this is the will of God for him. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. Throughout this chapter, the question has been, Who is this? Now God provides the answer. (and) a voice came out of the cloud, saying, Dayspring from on high, be near; It builds faith, that all weve been taught is absolutely true. He was the second You and I in these bodies.we have an expiration date. That date is not stamped on us like on the can of beans, but its there. Hymn Lists. Its to sing with Charles Wesley, Christ whose glory fills the skies, when, however, they had thoroughly awakened, And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. His clothing became dazzling white. This scene challenges our comprehension, but something heavenly was happening here. They know the mind and will of God. Were not told why, although it was not unusual for Jesus to pull these 3 aside. God the Father and his Son and even the angels have a glory about them. A few verses later, at 9:51, Luke writes that Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem, where all that has been spoken of will take place for him. I admired him for that, and wished I could be a little more like him to break away periodically, disappear, go up on a mountain and spend time alone with God in prayer. Luke, the first-century physician, describes the problem as demon-possession. The apostle Paul notes that all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), but then says, We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). And his resurrected guarantees our resurrection. The voice from the clouds echoes the voice from heaven at Jesus baptismYou are my beloved Son. He says something that seems to make no sense: Let us set up tents for you, Moses and Elijah., Why did he say this? We can go home today and live for Jesus and work for him because its all true. 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. You shall listen to him (Deuteronomy 18:15). The event takes place about eight days later (9:28), rather than after six (Mark 9:2; Matt 17:1); there appears to be no particular significance for the change. Jesus glorified like the sun. But other times he swings at the pitch, completely whiffs, and strikes out. Spiritual. Well, Peter as usual is the first one to speak up. Lectionary Reflections Luke 9:28-36 February 10, 2013. While it has been common to think of them as representing the law and the prophets, which is not to be discounted, there may be more important things about them in this story. Luke says that this epiphany on the mountaintop took place eight days after Peters famous confession of Jesus as the Christ. Lazarus is described as having fallen asleep. To me, its one of the more remarkable biological events. So it is possible that this little detail on the timing of the Transfiguration could be a hint pointing toward Easter and the glory that awaited Jesus also then. God is not our Cosmic Buddy to whom we give the Bro handshake and hug. There is something so glorious about God and his kingdom that we will melt when confronted with it. Moses and Elijah? Jesus has just announced to the disciples that he must (Greek: deiimplying the will of God) suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up (v. 22). And this is where Id like to end simply by saying that for us to celebrate the transfiguration of Jesus is to renew our commitment to him, to recognize him as the Son of God and the Lord and Savior of our lives. In parallel accounts of this we are told that Jesus tells them to keep it under wraps but not here: they just dont say anything. Nothing has worked. These ancient leaders of Israel had been gone for centuries. Jesus had recently spoken of his coming glory to the disciples. Second, how could these disciples walk away from this event and yet, as verse 36 informs us, tell no one what they saw and experienced? (and) a cloud came and overshadowed them 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was galtered, and hhis clothing became dazzling white. Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah (v. 30). And Terrifying. God speaks of Jesus as his Chosen One, for Jesus has accepted his role. 28. an eight days after these sayingsincluding the day on which this was spoken and that of the Transfiguration. It is not in vain. These were not fables or tall tales. Thirty years later, Peter wrote with words of awe about this day on the mountain. It happened about eight days after these sayings (v. 28a). Mark, the shortest Gospel, gives the most complete account of this exorcism. Hebrews 10:31 ESV It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Second, Moses and Elijah are present. The disciples kept What we are about to read is an unusual story. The apostles sent forth. Third, how can it be, following on one of the most dazzling visual spectacles that ever took place on this planet, that the bottom line from God the Father is Listen to him. Listen? A cloud covered the mountaintop, and from the cloud came a voice saying, This is my beloved Son. Jesus exodon (death/resurrection) is the great salvation event of the NT, freeing believers from bondage to sin and death. Or Isaiah the prophet who, in Isaiah 6, had this heavenly vision of God in full display of his glory and majesty. WebLuke 9:28-36. 3. Christ, the true, the only light, We cant deal with it. We are told that the appearance of Jesus was as bright as lightning. Now lightning is pretty bright. And just like that, it was over. 1-6. Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! Luke 9:28-36 Transfiguration of the Lord You can tell when someone is really listening to you, writes Amanda Ripley in High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out.. As a journalist, Amanda listens to people for a living. Yes, the disciples themselves will suffer as they follow Jesus and proclaim him to the world. At this point in Lukes story, Jesus and the disciples are on the way into the abyss of Jesus passion. Perhaps someone in this room. 29 As he was praying, Peter wanted to build three booths, but Jesus said no. At the conclusion of his splendid chapter on the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of our bodies, Paul magnificently concludes: 1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Were not told, but it seems that maybe the true image of God, the image of the Son, the spittin image of the Son who was his Father all over againmaybe this is what shone through in a way the disciples managed to miss seeing most days. WebCommentary, explanation and study verse by verse of Luke 9:28-36 by Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary. The apostles are sent to preach and heal. Used by permission. Like my elder years ago, wed likely come back refreshed and renewed and revived in the Spirit. When I was out in Odessa, we decided to call an associate pastor. And it also testifies to us of what Jesus Christ will do soon when he returns. Luke 9:28-36 - Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary. Prayer is a transfiguring, transforming duty, which makes the face to shine. There are many speculations why these two men appeared. If we do not know Jesus, we should turn to him. In the Bible, when a story takes us up to a mountaintop, its a fair bet that something dramatic is going to happenindeed, its a fair bet that something deeply revelatory is going to happen. This is not an issue of cowardice. First Reading. The prophet Elijah challenged the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18). WebCommentary on the Texts Luke 9:28-36. The first step to such a prayer is stillness and silence, or what should have been Peters response on the mountain. Or as Buechner put it, Even with us something like this happens once in a while. A SUBSCRIBER SAYS: Dear Dick, I would just like to say how much I appreciate your ministry. Here we have Jesus at the top of the mountain being transfigured, receiving the visits of Moses and Elijah and they are talking Continue It goes without saying they had no way to recognize them physically. The two festivals complement each other in striking ways. We lead busy lives. Jesus understands our suffering because he suffered greatly in his days on the earth. They still exist. The booths recall the Feast of Booths, one of the three major festivals of the Jewish faith. God promises that the day will come when his glory will fill all the earth (Numbers 14:21). 2 Now a centurion had a servant 1 who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. Hope that Jesus is who he claims to be. If we have any skepticism in us, this story is so unusual I can understand how we might be skeptical and wonder, Did that really happen?. And we must be resurrected, for 1 Corinthians 15 tells us that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The father has sought help from Jesus disciples (v. 40), and has surely availed himself of other potential remedies as well. If weve taken any biology class, weve heard of this word. Plus, weve got this little voice deep down inside of us that keeps telling us how important we are and how the world might fall apart if we werent here to keep it running smoothly. Indeed, by their very demeanor and words, they are actually tugging Jesus another direction! Even Peter keeps his mouth shut. (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952), Green, Joel B., The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997), Hendriksen, William, New Testament Commentary: Luke (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978), Nickle, Keith F., Preaching the Gospel of Luke (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2000), Nolland, John, Word Biblical Commentary: Luke 9:2118:34, Vol. Luke starts with the accounts of Mark and Matthew, which list Peter and James and John (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2 and 14:33), and changes the order of the names. scatter all my unbelief; This moment on the mountain with Jesus, Moses and Elijah tells us that yes, there truly is life beyond the grave. This is at the heart of our Christian faith. Spark Inspiration: On one side of the bookshelf We do not want to face him without having our sins paid for by him. Luke 1:4 that you may have certainty of what you have been taught.. Mark 9:2-8. that he took with him Peter, John, and James, Perhaps an analogy to explain this is that to see a bolt of lightning strike the earth a mile away and to hear the rumbling thunder is one experience. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. In his prayerful agony, as he felt the weight of his impending suffering on the Cross, Jesus sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke 9 is no exception. 19-20). 33It happened, as they were parting from him, that Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here. From some frightening experience, we said or did something and we later wondered, Why did I do that?. For Moses died 1400 years earlier, and Elijah was taken into heaven 800 years earlier, and here they are now in front of Peter, James, and John alive and in glory. This is simply the contrast of the smallness of our humanity before the might and power and glory of Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth. ; Capharnam : La pricope de Jsus dans la synagogue de Capharnam correspond au dbut du ministre public de Jsus dans le rcit du Nouveau Testament [8]. Jesus answers that in the next verse. Jesus has come to reveal God and redeem humanity. Web9:28-36 Christ's transfiguration was a specimen of that glory in which he will come to judge the world; and was an encouragement to his disciples to suffer for him. There was a young woman in our church several years ago who, whenever she got up to speak or sing, had a certain aura about her. It would be too much for us. No, not exactly on a par with what happened to Jesus but still . Jesus himself metamorphosed into some radically different. We need to listen to him. Certainly, their faith has waned more often than it has waxed. Its still there today in the church if only we dont just sleep through it. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, As persons who have been privy to the company and mind of God, they are able to provide Jesus with divine revelation. WebChrist shares Gods glory. The saying of Peter would then mean that, since the messianic age is here, the group should camp out permanently on the mountain. A thousand sparks to inspire you and your congregation! And was transfigured before them: and his face shone as the sun, and his garments became white as the light.3. Maybe this reminds us, as we in this Year C Lectionary cycle are on the cusp of the Season of Lent, that we need to listen really closely to what Jesus says from the cross whenhaving given the last full measure of his own devotion to this broken worldhe cries out, It is accomplished!. Peter might be taking his idea for the three booths from the Feast of Tabernacles. II. There was tangible evidence that the grave is not the end., J. Oswald Sanders, The Incomparable Christ. But maybe behind these questions something of the core truth of the gospel starts to come out. They have been on mountains to receive revelation; they are expected to appear at the coming of the messianic age (see Deuteronomy 18:15 concerning Moses; Malachi 4:5 concerning Elijah); and both had been taken into heaven and thereby were privileged to know God face-to-face and to know his will. Biblical writers, attempting to describe Gods glory using human words, portrayed it as like devouring fire (Exodus 24:17). (Luke 9:37-38) The glory of the mountaintop was short-lived, at best. So his need for prayer may not have been that much different than ours. Luke 9:28-36. The Gospel accounts call it, The Transfiguration. Our Bible passage this morning is in Luke 9. Jesus was crucified on Mount Calvary and ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives. While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently (v. 42a). 3 (Downers Grove, Illinois, Intervarsity Press, 1994), Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; McCann, J. Clinton; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSVYear C (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994), Craddock, Fred B., Interpretation: Luke (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1990), Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holliday, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, C (Valley Forge: Trinity Press, 1994), Culpepper, R. Alan, The New Interpreters Bible, Volume IX. As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling (v. 29). Only 3 disciples went with him. To twenty-first century ears, the symptoms sound like epilepsy. And if it seems odd to hear God the Father follow up this visual display with advice that has to do with listening and not looking, maybe thats because we, too, are often overly fixated on outward fame and power and glory as the world defines all those things and maybe that gets in the way of our truly listening to what Jesus says about humility and sacrifice and being servants of the lowest of the low in also our societies yet today. Listen to him! (v. 35). The moderator of the committee told me later, It was as if someone turned on the lights. See Gill on Matthew 17:1. Some commentators even say that the preacher needs to choose one or the other. But in our smallness, we think God might be like us but only a little better. The Great Prophet. Moses came to set the people of Israel free from slavery in Egypt. Click here to listen to this lesson. Luke 9:28-36 Commentary. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. WebThe gospel in Luke 9:28-36 is a reminder that Jesus in His divinity still goes through a lot of trials to save us. The committee interviewed several candidates, and each made a positive impression. 30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and The Bible has a more remarkable story of a metamorphosis. (1-9) The multitude miraculously fed. WebLuke 9:28-36 - Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary HomeCommentaries ReaderRelatedVerse Bible CommentsHomeCommentaries The Transfiguration. Psalm 99. All that Peter taught and wrote about for more than 3 decades was founded upon eyewitness experiences he and the other apostles had. To have mountaintop experiences it is not enough to go up on a mountain; one must go up on a mountain to pray (Knox, 174). Yet we are told that for a time during this epiphany of glory, the disciples were sleepy! In nature, metamorphosis is astonishing. Peters hasty and ill-conceived words provoke a divine response, from God the Father Himself. Commentators have long pointed out that Moses represented the Sinai Covenant/Law (as well as the Exodus) and that Elijah represented the prophetic voice of the Old Testament as well as Gods covenant faithfulness in sending servants to continue speaking to and ministering to even a wayward Israel. 41Jesus answered, Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?
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