His constant praying shows his love for his Father in heavenand his confidence that his prayers and his worship were heard. What were Peter, John, and James thinking about this stunning scene before them? Metamorphosis is when an ugly, crawly creature like a caterpillar undergoes a complete transformation and comes out radically different. The disciples will neither listen well nor carry out their tasks faithfullyuntil after the resurrection. The voice from the clouds echoes the voice from heaven at Jesus baptismYou are my beloved Son. WebBethsade : Marc 8:22-26 [19] inclut le rcit de la gurison de "l'aveugle de Bethsade" [20]. daystar in my heart appear., Visit, then, this soul of mine; I have been retired for 3 years but still preach nearly every week. The Greek word that Matthew and Mark use is basically our word, metamorphosis. It means to be transformed. 28 dNow about eight days after these sayings he took with him ePeter and John and James and fwent up on the mountain to pray. (In more cheeky moments Ive wondered about these two men sporting Hello! And yet, wed all do well to spend a little time on a mountaintop every once in a while. they saw his glory and heard the voice of God. and those who turn many to righteousness 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 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. Amen. 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 Gospel accounts call it, The Transfiguration. Our Bible passage this morning is in Luke 9. The voice from the cloud interrupts so that Jesus never responds directly to Peters suggestion to build booths. 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. (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. They speak then of Jesus exodus from this world through his suffering, death, and resurrection into heaven, the place where they dwell with God. In the Transfiguration, the human shares in divine glory. 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. If weve taken any biology class, weve heard of this word. As Jesus prepares to make his final trek toward Jerusalem (see Luke 9:51), he is talking increasingly about suffering, betrayal, and death. 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). Deuteronomy 18:15 ESV The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothersit is to him you shall listen. Whatever the potential outcome, they feel unworthy to stand in Gods presenceunprepared to meet their Makervulnerable. a Glimpse of Glory Luke 9:28-36 From some aspects this was the highest point in our Savior's earthly career. 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. Jesus prayed to God, and as he prayed, his appearance was changed, his raiment became dazzling white. And then he was joined by none other than Moses and Elijah representing, of course, the Law and the Prophets of the Jewish faith. WebCommentary on the Texts Luke 9:28-36. Luke 9:28-36 - Center for Excellence in Preaching Not for nothing are they called Mountaintop Experiences! Or they respond to Jesus talk about sacrifice and humility by incarnating its opposite in a wrangling over and jockeying for power and privilege in Jesus coming kingdom (see Luke 9:46-50). WebMatthew Henry Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - . Several times over the years, Ive prayed that I could see an angel. There is hardly anything else quite like it in the entire Bible. And I do not fault them at all. Jesus exodon leads us into the kingdom of God. WebLuke 9:28 Context Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers (28-36) And it came to pass.--See Notes on Matthew 17:1-13, and Mark 9:2-13. This word, exodon, provides another parallel with Moses, who led the Exodus from Egypt. Clearly, he was bathed in the light of Gods presence. Yet he suffered without ever sinning. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. to prayfor the period He had now reached was a critical and anxious one. 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. Used by permission. Luke 9:28-36, Seeing Jesus Glory. All that Peter taught and wrote about for more than 3 decades was founded upon eyewitness experiences he and the other apostles had. Its easy to find a time-lapse video of this strange looking caterpillar forming a chrysalis, and then a couple weeks later opening up to display this butterfly. 2. But its a whole other experience to have that same bolt of lightning strike the tree in your backyard when youre standing in the window 30 feet away. He says something that seems to make no sense: Let us set up tents for you, Moses and Elijah., Why did he say this? Its not easy to do. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. More importantly, it marked a renewal of Gods covenant with Israel. Matthew says they were terrified when the Voice spoke to them (Matt 17:6). In the Incarnation, the divine partakes of the human condition. On the other side of the bookshelf weve got Jesus going up on Mount Herman. ), which the WEB has updated. Prayer is a transfiguring, transforming duty, which makes the face to shine. The scripture lessons from the Old and New Testaments this morning are like bookends. 3. 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. 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. Lets make three tents: An event like this has only a few parallels. And we must be resurrected, for 1 Corinthians 15 tells us that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The demon makes a desperate last attempt to control the boy. Alarming. And this is a truth we all need to remember: Whether your religious experience is like that of the Apostle Paul, who was blinded by the light of Christ on the road to Damascus; or John Wesley, who felt his heart strangely warmed at Aldersgate; or Horace Bushnell, who confessed to being nurtured in the faith over a lifetime in New England, the real test of Christianity is not the ecstasy of the mountaintop experience, but the compassion and sympathy you show for others in the valley below. Changed into another form. Moreover, the disciples of Jesus are to listen to him. 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. Only the High Priest is allowed to come into Gods presenceand he only on the Day of Atonement (Hebrews 9:7). Hope that Jesus is who he claims to be. Lets make three tents: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah, not knowing what he said (v. 33). To me it defies explanation. Luke 9:2223 ESV The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And he said to all, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.. As for the transfiguration of Jesus, it represents a turning point in his life: No longer would he continue his ministry in Galilee, his hour had come. He saw and heard ancient leaders of Israel Moses and Elijah. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. But, as one particular candidate came into the room, the whole ambiance of the room changed. Mark 14:33 and Matt 26:37 tell us that they will also be present at Gethsemane. These recognized giants of the faith come to point Jesus in the direction he needs to go and to encourage him that down that path lies the salvation of the world. It was a thanksgiving celebration. . 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. Christ has transformed more lives than we can count. Nothing has worked. Jerusalem will be the place of his death, but it will also be the place of his resurrection and his ascensionevents that will reveal his glory. The crowd, having just seen the childs convulsions, cannot help but be impressed with the miracle of this healing. Methinks, as I steal by His side, I hear from Him these plaintive sounds, "Lord, who hath believed Our report? WebLuke 9:28-36. This future glory of Christ when he comes again to earth soon is displayed for a short time on this mountaintop experience. The saying of Peter would then mean that, since the messianic age is here, the group should camp out permanently on the mountain. There was no reason, therefore, that He should Luke 9:28 - G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible As He sent His apostles out, He gave them power and authority. Jesus was glorified, changed from a mere mortal into a glorified, heavenly state. This is at the heart of our Christian faith. Action is both his strength and his weakness. Luke 9:28-36 The Transfiguration: The Coming Glory Metamorphosis. 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. The exodon about which Moses and Elijah are speaking here is Jesus death, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (v. 31). 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. Our confidence in Christ is strengthened by this testimony. No restraint! Fill me, radiancy divine; The prophecy of the Old Testament is realized in the presence of Moses and Elijah. The face of the man walking with his child in the park, of a woman baking bread, of sometimes even the most unlikely person listen to a concert or standing barefoot in the sand watching the waves roll in, or just have a beer at a Saturday baseball game in July. 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. Its honestly hard to explain and understand. How many broken hearts and broken lives could be avoided if we would just listen to him! The glory was there. Test of true discipleship (Matthew 16:24-28; Mark 8:34-1; Luke 9:23-27) Immediately after telling his disciples of his coming suffering and death, Jesus told them they had to be prepared for similar treatment. Indeed, by their very demeanor and words, they are actually tugging Jesus another direction! God promises that the day will come when his glory will fill all the earth (Numbers 14:21). To see Gods glory provokes an intense response. 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. Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:1-17). Dont doubt him. "Hermon, which is indeed the centre of all the Promised Land, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt; the mount of fruitfulness, from which the springs of Jordan descended to the valleys of Israel. They promise us health, wealth, and happiness, but seldom live up to their promises and often lead people toward ruin. In other words, long about the time Jesus could use all the support he could get, the disciples are simply unavailable to him in any meaningful way. Cry out for mercy. They are amazed at what they see. 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. As noted above, these words form another connection with Moses, who told the people, Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from the midst of you, of your brothers, like me. Biblical Commentary We looked earlier at Peters words in his second letter. Sun of righteousness, arise, Look in your Bibles up at vs. 26 here in Luke 9. There the new exodus takes place, the new event of redemption for all the world. 40I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they couldnt.. 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. 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). Later, at Jesus ascension, a cloud will take Jesus out of their sight (Acts 1:9also written by Luke). Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! 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. Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? So whats up with that? 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. Lukes disclosure concerning the conversation is highly significant for his account. They went up onto the mountain to pray, and great things happened. a mountainnot Tabor, according to long tradition, with which the facts ill comport, but some one near the lake. David Oliver-Holder; Luke; Only stories or art can articulate what is beyond measure or experiment or explanation. The moment is over! Here we have Jesus at the top of the mountain being transfigured, receiving the visits of Moses and Elijah and they are talking Continue 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). Even Peter keeps his mouth shut. 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. The glory of the Lord was revealed at his birth (Luke 2:9). Why Moses and Elijah? The family lineage depends on this child. It Im convinced every one of us would have responded similarly. 33It happened, as they were parting from him, that Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here. 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. 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? But who can adequately translate those "strong cryings and tears?" Every second reading for Transfiguration from 2 Corinthians comes after the next. As inner prayer, you pray a simple, repeated As the "sayings" so definitely connected with the transfiguration scene are those announcing His deathat which Peter and all the Twelve were so startled and scandalizedso this scene was designed to show to the eyes as well as the heart how glorious that death was in the view of Heaven. But how could anyone be drowsy, even briefly, when such a spectacle was right in front of them? That means there truly is life after the grave. Peter never forgot this moment when he had a brief glimpse of the coming glory of Jesus Christ. 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. (18-27) The transfiguration. And it speaks to us what Christ did a few months later in his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. 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. A cool one. Go on and at least try to establish an earthly kingdom. 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).
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