Sunday,February 3, 2008 - The Glory of the Transfiguration

The Transfiguration (Matthew 17: 1-9)
The Season of Epiphany begins at Jesus’ Baptism and ends with Jesus’ Transfiguration with the same heavenly voice making Jesus known to the world.

The story begins with the mention of "six days later". What does it refer to? It is six days after Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi and Jesus’ first passion prediction… Why 6 days? Perhaps there is a connection with Moses and the mountain from Exodus 24:15-16: “Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud.” Matthew will make other stronger connections to Moses later. It also means that this event takes place on the seventh day! -- The climatic day of a new creation?

The Chosen Three = an inner circle among the Apostles? Jesus also takes the same three with him to the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37). The three who behold his heavenly glory also see his earthly agony [Hare, Matthew, p. 201]. In both cases, they, especially Peter, respond poorly. On the mountain Peter wants to build booths, and God has to interrupt him as we will see later. In the Garden, Jesus tells them to stay awake and pray, but they fall asleep three times. If these are the best and the top 3 disciples, perhaps there is hope for us who may fall asleep during sermons and prayer time, or react poorly to other situations in the church or in our daily life…

Matthew has placed special emphasis on “mountains”, where special, significant events take place: Jesus does his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (5:1); he went there to be alone to pray (14:23); it is where great crowds came to Jesus to be healed (15:29); where the risen Jesus meets the eleven disciples (28:16)

The only other place where a “high mountain” was mentioned in Matthew is when the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor and offered them to Jesus (4:8-9). Could similar temptations have been part of this mountaintop experience? Is it possible that Jesus has been tempted to stay on this mountain with all his glory and splendor rather than coming down to the “faithless and perverse generation” down below (17:17)? Could the force behind Peter’s desire to build three booths be a temptation to capture this glorious moment and avoid the painful cross?

What about our own mountain top experiences?
When and where have we encountered the glorified Christ - during times of teaching, learning, praying, healing and being healed? For us, the “mountains” may involve big crowds, bright lights, joyful singing, laughter, enthusiasm and energy, or it may be a quiet time of solitude and silence. Peter, James and John were certainly in for a great surprise. None of them would have expected what happened to them on this mountain -- neither Jesus’ transfiguration nor what happened afterwards. God is certainly a God of surprises! How each of us may be surprised when we encounter God?

Transfigured or transformed?
The Greek word metamorphoomai is translated to be “transfigured”. Paul also uses this word to talk about a transformation that is to take place within us:
Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

2Corinthians 3:18: “And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.”

Matthew tells us that Jesus’ face shone like the sun. This part of the transfiguration is not recorded in Mark. Moses had a shining face after his encounter with God (Exodus 34:29-35). Matthew emphasizes the “Moses-connection” as he puts Moses before Elijah. Mark has it the other way around. The presence of these two figures confirms the witness of the Law and the Prophets to Jesus. However, they are now superseded by Jesus, who remained alone at the end of this story.

Peter’s response on one hand is a response of faith and affirmation, calling Jesus “Lord” and said, “It is good that we are here.” On the other hand, he tries to capture that event with booths -- as in the Feast of Booths during which ancient Israelites remembered the special times of being led by God in the wilderness by means of the cloud and the fire (Lev. 23). He wants to lock up the experience of glory with Jesus in a box, and preserve it for ever.

The word for booth can mean a tent or temporary shelter. It can mean tabernacle as a place of worship (the dwelling place of God in the OT). It can also mean a house -- a permanent dwelling place. Why would these three need houses? These booths hearken back to the exodus and Peter’s attempt to enshrine or preserve or, at least, prolong this moment on the mountain. How often have we tried to enshrine certain religious experience and not wanting to move beyond them? How reluctant have we been to face the threats of change before us? Are we willing to come down from the spiritual highs of special moments of retreats and conferences? Do we want to keep all that to ourselves and not share it with others? -- Especially those who have not seen the light and shared our experience?

What is unique to Matthew is that while Peter was still talking, God interrupts him and pronounces to them the true identity of Jesus. This is the same voice and the same message given at Jesus’ Baptism: “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased!” But “Listen to him” is the command given at the end. Peter wants to build dwelling places for these glorious figures, but God simply wants him to listen… to what message? Could it be the passion prediction and the suffering that is to follow for Jesus? After all, Peter refused to listen to that six days earlier, and he rebuked Jesus for speaking such nonsense. The divine Sonship does not simply bring glory; it also invites a discipleship that leads to death on a cross.

“When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid.’ And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.” --these two verses are also unique only to Matthew. The story is as much about the transfiguration of the three disciples as that of Jesus. Being in direct contact with God does not produce a response of faith; the voice from the cloud creates overwhelming fear instead! “They fell on their faces” in fear and trembling. The only other time Matthew uses this same phrase “fall upon the face”, it is what Jesus does in the garden of Gethsemane (again) as he prays, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want” (Matt 26:39). Perhaps Jesus could have also been afraid of what he was about to face… Again, glory is not detached from suffering and agony! The cup of anguish brings us the cup of blessing in the end! This connection between the Transfiguration and the Garden of Gethsemane again reminds us that the glory of the resurrection is not possible without the suffering and the death on the cross. Easter is not possible without the cost of Good Friday. We are invited to begin our Lenten journey next week, heading toward the holy climax of the Christ Event.

In this case, what did Jesus do? He came to the cowering disciples and touched them. The same word will be used to describe how the risen Christ came to his disciples after the resurrection. The touch is a healing touch as in many cases throughout the Gospel. These terrified disciples were now raised by Jesus to a new life. They were transformed here just as they would be again after they had seen the resurrected Christ. They will be transformed from fearful and anxious cowards to brave, confident and spirited champions of the faith!

Ironically, it is not the “glowing”, glorified Jesus who did the “raising up”, but the down-to-earth, human Jesus who came, and touched, and spoke to the disciples. We all need such a healing touch. But we are also called to offer it to the world. We need to reach out and offer a healing and life-giving touch to the frightened, worried, anxious people with whom we come into contact, and assure them with words and actions that say, “Peace! The Lord is here with you. Do not be afraid!”

Transformation takes place when we encounter God in our lives, whether we like it or not. Mountaintop experiences change us as much as those down in the depressing valleys. Faced with the transfigured Christ Jesus, we too catch a glimpse of the glory, whether we are able to reflect this glory or not. We may not be able to shine like Jesus, yet we keep hearing consistent rumors that we can be “changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place”. In the mean time, our transformation and enlightenment also call us to be human channels of God’s healing grace, to bring new life and peace to all those who need it.

Glory and praise be to the Lord! Amen.
Fr Victor + (www.stjd.ca)