2331AFC080423 – The Way Out
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Daniel 7:14 –
14 To him was given dominion
and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one
that shall never be destroyed.
Psalm 97:9 –
9 For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
2 Peter 1:16-17 – 16 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 had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved,[a] with whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 17:1-3 – 1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him. This coming Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. An account of this event is in all three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and each account varies slightly from the others. Today we will look into this event and mention some things that sort of slide right by when we listen to this chronicle from the life of Jesus. We’ll use the core questions of journalism – where, why, who, when, what, how – along the way.
Where did the transfiguration happen? The best answer is we don’t know for certain; but,
there are two locations which fit the description in the Gospels. The location with the oldest tradition is Mount Tabor. It’s a fairly low mountain – only about 1,800 ft – but it stands alone on the plain of Esdraelon near Nazareth. It was an important landmark on a trade route called The Way of the Sea at the western edge of the Jezreel Valley. Though not very tall, it provided a panoramic view of the surrounding lands. Another location frequently cited by scholars is Mount Hermon. In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, we read “he took them (Peter, James, and John) up a high mountain.” Mount Hermon is around 9,232 feet in elevation, so that certainly qualifies as higher than Mount Tabor. Ultimately we’re not sure where the event actually took place; what is important is that it did happen and it has many lessons to teach us.
Why was Jesus transfigured? And what does that mean anyway? Perhaps another word will help: Transformed. He was, as we say, “robed in Glory.” As the Psalmist said in our second Key Verse, “For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth.” His face and body radiated the Sh’khinah Glory (← Check it out!) of El Shaddai-Olam. He looked very much like the Ancient One and the Son of Man in Daniel’s vision in the 7th Chapter of the Book of Daniel. He was transfigured in a way that demonstrated his Holiness as the Only Begotten Son. His transfiguration was the final preparation for his next pathway – the Road to Golgotha.
Who was with Jesus when this event occurred? We see in all three Gospel that the Apostles Peter, James, and John went with him. These three men had disclosed their willingness to 
be martyred for the Kingdom. Jesus shared this essential moment in his life to help strengthen them for what was just days away. But there were other persons there, too. Moses and Elijah appeared alongside him and they, too, were radiating the Glory of Eternity. They represent the Law and the Prophets, and with Jesus in the center, all met together, in, and with him. Can you recall who else was there? Yes! The Holy Trinity! St. Thomas Aquinas has said, “The whole Trinity appeared: the Father in the voice; the Son in the man; the Spirit in the shining cloud.” All of this was a bit much for The Apostle Peter. He and his comrades fell to the ground and hid their faces.
After they sneaked a peek, The Apostle Peter suggests they build three “booths,” (it was the Festival of Sukkot ← click link for details) one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Then they really had a “come to Jesus moment.” A shining cloud came over them and a booming voice from within the cloud said, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED; LISTEN TO HIM.” Jesus then led them back down the mountain and told them not to disclose this event to anyone “until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
When did all this happen? If we consult a parallel Gospels example (← Check it out!), we see that Matthew and Mark say, “six days later,” and Luke says “about eight days later.” Later than what? This event takes place right after Jesus was in the region of Caesarea Philippi. It occurs right after Jesus asks the Disciples “Who do they say that I am?” It is right at the point in Jesus’ life that he begins telling them about his true Mission: He will undergo tremendous suffering, be killed, and be raised to life three days later. (See Matthew 16:21-23) In that conversation, The Apostle Peter comes forward and declares they believe he is the Messiah. How right he was! Just “around a week later,” we’ll say, Peter is standing in the presence of the Messiah, the Law and the Prophets, the Holy Trinity, and the Sons of Thunder.
What were Jesus, Moses, and Elijah discussing? We only have a statement in Matthew and Mark that the three were speaking to one another. In the Gospel of Luke, however, we have some additional – and very revealing – information. Here’s the passage: Luke 9:28-31 – 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. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. This is very important information, and once again we’re going to turn to the original Greek to help clarify why it is good to know.
What is meant by “his departure?” The Greek word used here is – ἔξοδον exodon from ἔξοδος (exodos) {ex’-od-os}. Does that look familiar – a bit like exodus? Yes, Jesus was preparing for his Exodus from his life of ministry to his Life of Salvation. You’ll recall that after he left the area of Damascus, he “set his face resolutely toward Jerusalem.” Now he has ascended a high and holy mountain with three well-trusted disciples and shown forth the Glory of his heritage as the Only Begotten Son of God. His departure from this world will be agonizing for him and all who Love him. Ah, but the Joy that awaits them in The Promise! Even now, more and more is being revealed by God about the Absolutely Perfect Plan he has been unfolding for millennia. At the center of that plan is God’s original intention for the earthlings he created – Eternal Life with HIM – YOLO-F.
How did The Transfiguration affect Peter, James, and John, The Sons of Zebedee? James was executed by Herod Agrippa – the first Apostle to be martyred. John, the Belovéd Disciple, is thought to have been the youngest. After the Assumption of Mary, he relocated to the region of Ephesus where he was the Bishop over the church founded there by The Apostle Paul. It is believed he was in Ephesus when he wrote the three epistles credited to him. He is also credited with the narrative Gospel of John and The Revelation of Jesus Christ (often misnamed “Revelations”). Peter, as the Bishop of Rome, was eventually crucified upside down by the Romans. The Transfiguration affected him immensely throughout his life. As he neared the end of his life, he said this in our Key Verse from 2 Peter: 16 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 had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” Peter’s time was near, yet he still wrote and spoke encouragingly to his parishioners. He who had seen the Light of Christ on the mountaintop knew that such Glory awaits all who profess the name of Jesus. Just up the page from that quote is this: 2 Peter 1:12-15 – 12 Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory, 14 since I know that my death will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure (exodon) you may be able at any time to recall these things. Dearly Belovéd, let us all pray that The Transfiguration makes us more and more like the Apostles Peter, James, and John.
Christian Fundamentalist, Christian Evangelical, Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, “Protestant,” Universalist, Mormon, or even just “Religion-
Curious,” whatever your particular persuasion, you have been called to hear, and by hearing you are called to faith, and by faith you are called to accept the Gift of Love in Christ Jesus. Did you know you can be the voice through which The Word is heard? It is often said, “Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read.” Beloved, consider making your life an audio-book as well as a pop-up action book. Whatever your calling in Christ, honor the Giver by accepting – and sharing – the Gift of The Living Word. “Now hear ye the Word of the Lord.” He is calling! If you listen, you will hear; if you hear, Faith is just a “yes” away. With The Apostle Peter, I also say, “as long as I am in this body” I will continue to shine a little light on the Word so as to call out in encouragement to all of us on our departure (exodon) homeward. God bless each of you always and all ways. On The Way Out, we remember that we are commanded by God to look toward the Son and LISTEN TO HIM.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!
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Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
