Luke 9 is no exception. 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. 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. They will not understand Jesus prediction of his death and resurrection (18:31-34). Later, at Jesus ascension, a cloud will take Jesus out of their sight (Acts 1:9also written by Luke). Moses came to set the people of Israel free from slavery in Egypt. Mark, the shortest Gospel, gives the most complete account of this exorcism. Peter might be taking his idea for the three booths from the Feast of Tabernacles. But in our smallness, we think God might be like us but only a little better. Or as Buechner put it, Even with us something like this happens once in a while. 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). No such account appears in the Gospel of John, in which one might say that Jesus is somewhat transfigured as the transcendent Son of God on earth all the way through! And that brings us to our fourth possible reason for the Transfiguration: To me its hard to imagine seeing these two ancient biblical heroes from centuries past. In the preceding section, Jesus was with the larger group of disciples. His face was altered. She lit up the room, and we all knew that this was the person we were looking for.. Know this: The closer you walk with God, the brighter your path will be. If you look at all three Gospels: So essentially they were understandably terrified in the entire experience. As persons who have been privy to the company and mind of God, they are able to provide Jesus with divine revelation. Perhaps he is also tying it to the Feast of Tabernacles, where the Israelites present offerings for seven days and then have a holy convocation on the eighth day (Leviticus 23:36). 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). At the top of the mountain, they found themselves in the presence of God, who testified to the divine status of his son, Jesus. Finally, there is the cloud and the voice. It goes without saying they had no way to recognize them physically. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, and James, and John his brother, and leadeth them to a high mountain apart; 2. Luke, the first-century physician, describes the problem as demon-possession. The longer text tends to diminish the significance of the Transfiguration. They said it was as if a ring of light encircled her face. Its not what I expected to hear the Father say! And because his emphasis is upon the humanity of Jesus, and one of the greatest needs The disciples would have heard of them and read about them from the Scriptures. I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they couldnt (v. 40). But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. Jesus glorified like the sun. While Luke does not tell of Peters protest (see Matthew 16:22), it is clear that the disciples are not prepared to hear Jesus talk about suffering and death. Luke 9:28-36 - Center for Excellence in Preaching Not for nothing are they called Mountaintop Experiences! 30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and Im convinced every one of us would have responded similarly. WebMatthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 9:28-36 In this chapter we have, I. This is my beloved Son. One you try to capture with a camera. (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995), Evans, Craig A., New International Biblical Commentary: Luke (Peabody, MA, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1990), Farris, Stephen, in Van Harn, Roger (ed. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was Web28 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. This moment gave great assurance to all that the apostles spoke and lived for. The story ends with the self-imposed silence (9:36), whereas in the parallels it is Jesus who commands the three disciples to be silent (Mark 9:9//Matthew 17:9). 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. 40I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they couldnt.. Mark 9:2-8. This moment on the mountain with Jesus, Moses and Elijah tells us that yes, there truly is life beyond the grave. Biblical writers, attempting to describe Gods glory using human words, portrayed it as like devouring fire (Exodus 24:17). It would be too much for us. The event happens on a mountain, a place of special revelation. But the drama up there on that mountain seems to have been only partly intended to make an impression on the disciples. If we do not know Jesus, we should turn to him. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. Moses and Elijah spoke of (Jesus) departure (Greek: exodon), which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (v. 31). It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. The way of God for Jesus cannot bypass the cross. (and) a cloud came and overshadowed them Though this story in Luke 9 is quite unusual, even strange, it is a story that builds hope in us. And it speaks to us what Christ did a few months later in his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. 5:14). They will argue about which one of them is the greatest (9:46-48). Jesus was fully divine yet fully human. 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? Insights on preaching and sermon ideas, straight to your inbox. On the other side of the bookshelf weve got Jesus going up on Mount Herman. Childrens Sermons An experience the disciples never forgot. The Greek word that Matthew and Mark use is basically our word, metamorphosis. It means to be transformed. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen. Peter is an action-man! they saw his glory and heard the voice of God. 4. You shall listen to him (Deuteronomy 18:15). They know the mind and will of God. First, there are the disciplesPeter, James, and John. This passage is traditionally know as the Transfiguration, from the Greek term used by both Mark and Matthew to describe what happened to Jesus (metemorphotha, Mk 9:2-8, Mt 17:1-8).Since this term as adopted into English often carries connotations of a permanent and radical alteration, as in the 30 Suddenly they saw two men, The voice from the cloud interrupts so that Jesus never responds directly to Peters suggestion to build booths. 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. But on a different note: its always been a mystery to me how the disciples recognized Moses and Elijah. The prophecy of the Old Testament is realized in the presence of Moses and Elijah. The Transfiguration gives these three privileged disciples a preview of that glory. The story takes place about eight days after the Confession of Peter (9:18-20), Jesus first passion prediction (9:21-22), and his admonitions about following him (9:23-27). They confirm that this is the will of God for him. 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. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Or they find Jesus rhetoric merely baffling and bewildering (see what happens in Luke 9:45 after another direct prediction of betrayal). They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen (v. 36b). First Reading. But the disciples could have had no such visual associations with either Moses or Elijah. Have you ever seen such radiance as this in the faces of people youve known over the years? A cool one. 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). The disciples have survived their encounter with God! God is transcendent. From some frightening experience, we said or did something and we later wondered, Why did I do that?. 28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus * took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 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. They told no one of this astonishing moment. WebLuke 9:1-50 contain sundry particulars which together form the closing scenes of the Galilean ministry: the mission of the Twelve, the feeding of the thousands, the conversation on the Christ and the Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary. It is as if they have been presented, suddenly and without warning, with their final Examtheir Really Final Exam. With no human or earthly voices available to encourage Jesus, his Father steps in to provide new voices in the conversation. Luke says they were afraid when the cloud came upon them (Luke 9:34). Spiritual. Those words, aimed at the disciples, but probably most directly at Peter, are just as relevant to men and women today as they were then. What he says about discipleship is also to be heeded. Luke 9:28-36. This, however, also seems unlikely.). But there is something glorious, something heavenly that awaits them. The model for this encounter is Moses at Sinai (Exodus 19-32). But then we all often miss seeing this in each other as often as not. 9:30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. We are told that the appearance of Jesus was as bright as lightning. Now lightning is pretty bright. Ancient leaders of Israel appearing before their very eyes. triumph oer the shades of night; a Glimpse of Glory Luke 9:28-36 From some aspects this was the highest point in our Savior's earthly career. Lets make three tents: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah, not knowing what he said (v. 33). He heard with his own ears the voice from heaven, This is my Son, my Chosen One.. Christ has transformed more lives than we can count. Yes, the disciples themselves will suffer as they follow Jesus and proclaim him to the world. In this case this stunning revelation of glory took place well out of the public eye and then, even for those human eyes that did take it in, there was a mixture of confusion, sleepiness, and then reticence to speak of it in the future. This cloud came over them and they heard a voice, God himself, speaking to them. Commentary on Luke 9:28-36 [37-43] The transfiguration of Jesus follows immediately on the scene where Peter confesses Jesus to be the Christ, the Messiah (Luke 9:20). Peters hasty and ill-conceived words provoke a divine response, from God the Father Himself. Listen to him! 36When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was galtered, and hhis clothing became dazzling white. They are not really tracking all of what Jesus is saying, and so when Jesus speaks openly about his impending death, the disciples sometimes say nothing at all (note what happens after Luke 9:27: we fast-forward 8 whole days with no reported reactions whatsoever of the disciples to what Jesus had said). Moses and Elijah. That word, TRANSFIGURED, is obviously why we call this the Transfiguration. Listen to him! (v. 35). 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. When the voice came, Jesus was found alone (v. 36a). The accounts in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke are drawn from Marks, but there are some significant differences among them. They are happy to see Jesus glorified. He was the second A rather literal translation would be that the disciples were weighed down with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory.. His disciples, Peter, James and John, were privileged to see Christs glory on the Mount of Rev., the mountain. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep (v. 32a). Jesus gave the twelve power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases (9:1). WebJesus Heals a Centurions Servant. Yet in the Bible events like these sometimes play out rather differently than we think. What is it thats so apparent about those whove been in the presence of God? And likewise, we can have greater assurance that the words of the NT are from firsthand eyewitnesses. Anybody who manages to radiate the energy and light of a lightning bolt is mighty powerful and mighty bright. No, not exactly on a par with what happened to Jesus but still . Lukes account is closely related to the First Lesson, in which Moses, after being in the presence of God to receive the Ten Commandments, comes down from Mount Sinai, and the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God (Exodus 34:29). Strange. The committee interviewed several candidates, and each made a positive impression. 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). This is not an issue of cowardice. Peter never forgot this moment when he had a brief glimpse of the coming glory of Jesus Christ. This observance, known as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths, started as a harvest festival, but evolved into a reminder of their wanderings in the wildernessand their escape from slavery in Egyptand Gods continuing faithfulness to them. In you I am well pleased (3:22). However, these words are directed to the disciples rather than Jesus (as at the baptism). Master, it is good for us to be here. 28. an eight days after these sayingsincluding the day on which this was spoken and that of the Transfiguration. 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