Only the High Priest is allowed to come into Gods presenceand he only on the Day of Atonement (Hebrews 9:7). Luke 9:28-36. These were not fables or tall tales. It lit up like a blazing light. Peter is an action-man! We can read about that in Luke 22 just hours before the Crucifixion. These ancient leaders of Israel had been gone for centuries. We are told that the appearance of Jesus was as bright as lightning. Now lightning is pretty bright. 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. 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. Later, however, they succeeded in healing everywhere (9:6). 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. You wouldve been too. 1. They were to do this that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. Elijah fled to Mount Horeb, and there God spoke to him in a sound of sheer silence (1 Kings 19:12, NRSV; RSV: a still small voice). Go another way! And youre hoping youre still alive. Commentators have wide speculation as to what Peter intended to stay. WebCommentary for Luke 9 . 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!. (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995), Evans, Craig A., New International Biblical Commentary: Luke (Peabody, MA, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1990), Farris, Stephen, in Van Harn, Roger (ed. 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. WebChrist shares Gods glory. 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. 4. In the Incarnation, the Son of God takes on human form and resides with us mortals on earth. Even Peter keeps his mouth shut. This post is excerpted from The Testimony of Luke, by S. Kent Brown, 472-482. 30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and He was the second This is my beloved Son. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. Its not like Moses had gotten his face onto the $1 bill or that Elijah had had his visage plastered all over the place in Israel the way we Americans do with Abraham Lincolns face. But there is something glorious, something heavenly that awaits them. Its not what I expected to hear the Father say! Marks Gospel says six days, and we are not sure why Luke changes it to eight. The disciples would have heard of them and read about them from the Scriptures. 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. 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. They are represented in this episode (as) foils to Jesus. His body was glorified. We know from Matthews and Marks Gospels Jesus told them to tell no one until after the resurrection. Biblical writers, attempting to describe Gods glory using human words, portrayed it as like devouring fire (Exodus 24:17). The father is desperate, but has not given up. Psalm 99. Commentary on Luke 9:28-36 [37-43] Lukes disciples need a revelatory experience in order to appreciate Jesus true identity and vocation. Luke 9:28-36 The Radiance of God (McLarty), Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father, All Rights Reserved | 1997-2023 Richard Niell Donovan. Commentary on Exodus 34:29-35. Mark 14:33 and Matt 26:37 tell us that they will also be present at Gethsemane. We dont die and then simply vanish. Jesus exodon leads us into the kingdom of God. They kept silent and in those days told no one of any of the things they had seen. And the story of the transfiguration in todays gospel (Luke 9:28-36) is the story of the sublime, absolute beauty. Probably, he just wants to do something. The point is that Gods glory is so overwhelming that humans arent engineered to be capable of experiencing it. 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. and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud (v. 34b). Moses had prophesied, Your God will raise up to you a prophet from the midst of you, of your brothers, like me. Jesus answers that in the next verse. 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. WebLuke 9:28-36. they saw his glory and heard the voice of God. To me, its one of the more remarkable biological events. They dont tell anyone what they have seen, and that is all right. Its honestly hard to explain and understand. WebThe Pulpit Commentary - Luke 7:46. 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. His constant praying shows his love for his Father in heavenand his confidence that his prayers and his worship were heard. Jesus is preparing His disciples and telling them that it is necessary for the Son of Man to suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and be killed and then raised up on the third day. Jesus reproach says that the disciples failure is due to their own faithlessness and perversityimplying lack of faith. Our bodies must be transformed. WebLuke 9:28 And it came to pass, about an eight days after those sayings About a week after he had declared the above things, at, or near to Caesarea Philippi. 1. Copyright 2007, Philip McLarty. Mark 9:6 says, he did not know what to say, for they were terrified., We might say he was out of his mind. Some of us might relate to this. Matthew and Mark say (Mt 17:1; Mr 9:2) "after six days," excluding these two days. As we might expect, the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle and the temple (Exodus 40:34; 1 Kings 8:11). And it also testifies to us of what Jesus Christ will do soon when he returns. This has been a mountaintop experience but not the kind about which persons write glowingly of sunrises, soft breezes, warm friends, music, and quiet time. This is my Son, my Chosen One. Look in your Bibles up at vs. 26 here in Luke 9. There is the voice from heaven, declaring that Jesus is Gods Son, recalling the same declaration at his baptism (3:22), followed by the saying that the disciples are to listen to Jesus (9:35). A few years ago, I had an elder in my church whod disappear every two or three months. This is the only Gospel to tell us what Moses and Elijah discuss with Jesus. Being exposed to the glory of God is an awesome and even terrifying experience. You shall listen to him (Deuteronomy 18:15). It happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met him (v. 37). This moment on the mountain with Jesus, Moses and Elijah tells us that yes, there truly is life beyond the grave. Ive read this many times and wondered, Why did this happen? What was the purpose? To the world, Jesus was simply the son of Joseph. 29. Since this part of my sermon commentary is about Questions, Ill just ask a few of the ones that come to my mind in this startlingly odd passage. triumph oer the shades of night; When the voice came, Jesus was found alone (v. 36a). Yet as Matt spoke of last week, he not only was 100% divine, he was 100% human with the frailties of humanity. Through the eyes of faith, we now see that the story of Jesus transfiguration is the story of a new covenant being established in Jesus Christ, a covenant that will be symbolized for all time, not by booths, but by the Cross of Calvary. If they were not there to encourage Jesus in the direction he had to go, I cannot think of what else they would have had to say about that departure. 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. An analogy might be coming into contact with a live high-voltage electrical line. Herod's terror at the growing greatness of our Lord Jesus, ver. Thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth: Show Me a token for good: Father, glorify Thy name.". What is some significance for us today from these words here in Luke 9?? The word glory is used in the Bible to speak of various wonderful thingsbut it is used especially to speak of Gods gloryan aura associated with Gods appearance that reveals Gods majesty to humans. Even now, its common for those who want to get in touch with the nearness of God to go to the mountains. Luke 1:4 that you may have certainty of what you have been taught.. And for the worshiping congregation, Lent begins on the following Wednesday. This Voice from the cloud seems to be articulating these very words, making the point that this long-awaited Prophetthe Messiah is here. On one side of the bookshelf weve got Moses going up on Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. It would be too much for us. 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. They went up onto the mountain to pray (v. 28c). In the Transfiguration, the earthly Jesus shares for a moment the company of two great and worthy residents of heaven, Moses and Elijah. Both of those portions of the Scriptures point ultimately to Jesus. Its not easy to do. Peter might be taking his idea for the three booths from the Feast of Tabernacles. The Jewish people expect Moses and Elijah to return to usher in the messianic era. Jesus is Gods beloved Son. 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. What he has said about himself and what is to happen is Gods will. Luke 9:28-36. ), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sundays Text. Sun of righteousness, arise, 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? That he will eventually be raised again bodily gets at both and assures us that the salvation about which Moses and Elijah showed up to discuss with Jesus is just the truest and grandest thing you could ever imagine! Scared out of their minds. The glorified Christ in Luke 9 is a taste of the glorified Christ after the resurrection. as the stars forever and ever (Daniel 12:3). The contrast between the mountaintop and the base of the mountain could not be sharper. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was Transfiguration of Jesus in Luke 9:28-36 The Trinity can be a difficult concept for anyone to grasp, but it is especially tough for youngsters who tend to be quite literal-minded. Hymn Lists. 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. Go on and at least try to establish an earthly kingdom. If the moment wasnt already astonishing, now two great men of God from centuries before appear with Jesus, right in front of the 3 disciples. When he returns down the mountain, his face literally shined for a time since he had been in Gods presence. The way Luke frames it, the whole dazzling event ends up being kind of sweet in its own way, as though the Fathersensing the apprehension of the Sonsent down some reinforcements to buck him up and help him make it across the finish line. An event like this has only a few parallels. Luke says, his clothing became white and dazzling Either expression, as Stephen Farris points out in The Lectionary Commentary, could be the loose equivalent of saying about a week later. Yet, as Farris also suggests, in Lukes context the eighth day could be a prefigurement of the resurrection as well. On the other side of the bookshelf weve got Jesus going up on Mount Herman. WebCommentary on Luke 9:28-36 (Read Luke 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. 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. Henry, Matthew. The Greek word that Matthew and Mark use is basically our word, metamorphosis. It means to be transformed. The Exodus from Egypt was the great salvation event of the OT, freeing Israel from bondage to the Egyptians. Certainly, their faith has waned more often than it has waxed. 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). Jesus exodon (death/resurrection) is the great salvation event of the NT, freeing believers from bondage to sin and death. In the preceding section, Jesus was with the larger group of disciples. They went up onto the mountain to pray, and great things happened. Its still there today in the church if only we dont just sleep through it. 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. So often we read incidents like this one in the Bible and we rarify them, put them up on a pedestal, and assume that if such a thing were to happen today and to us, it would change the world and shake up everything. The transfiguration of Jesus offers a glimpse of the Trinity, as well as a wild display of Gods glory and confirmation of who Christ is. There are many speculations why these two men appeared. God the Father and his Son and even the angels have a glory about them. 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? His glory shinedfor those with eyes to seejust as brightly when he talked to lonely prostitutes and outcast lepers, when he saved wayward tax collectors and offered forgiveness to people who had never heard a forgiving syllable their whole lives long up to that point. 29 As he was praying, Lets make three tents: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah, not knowing what he said. (1-9) The multitude miraculously fed. The commission Christ gave to his twelve apostles to go out for some time to preach the gospel, and confirm it by miracles, ver. Spark Inspiration: Well, Jesus took Peter, James and John up on the mountain to pray, and as he prayed, his appearance was changed his clothing became white and dazzling (9:29). 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. "Complete Commentary on Luke 9:36". And we must be resurrected, for 1 Corinthians 15 tells us that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. II. A rather literal translation would be that the disciples were weighed down with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory.. The model for this encounter is Moses at Sinai (Exodus 19-32). And if we find it odd that the disciples kept mum about this then perhaps we can turn the camera around to ourselves to wonder how often we keep silent about the great and glorious truths of the Gospel that we celebrate in church on Sundays but then fail to mention in the week that follows. WebLuke 9:28-36 Resume Prayer Some thoughts on today's scripture Jesus, like some of the key people in his Jewish faith, experiences a profound moment of encounter with God. 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. Every time they respond to Jesus predictions about suffering with indifference or with actions that tug another direction, Jesus must surely have heard the tempters voice whispering into his ear, See, even your friends dont buy it! Gone for centuries that the appearance of Jesus was with the nearness of God to go to glory... Kent Brown, 472-482 says six days, '' excluding these two days the Jewish people expect and... They are represented in this episode ( as ) foils to Jesus Father glorify! And Matt 26:37 tell us what Moses and Elijah to return to usher in the era... 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