WebLuke 9:28-36. Here Peter strikes out. 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. As inner prayer, you pray a simple, repeated WebChrist shares Gods glory. As one prepares to preach on this text, it is important to bear in mind that the Transfiguration of Our Lord is a Christological festival, not so much an occasion for moralism (that we all have mountain top experiences, but must come down). Luke says they were afraid when the cloud came upon them (Luke 9:34). 1. To have mountaintop experiences it is not enough to go up on a mountain; one must go up on a mountain to pray (Knox, 174). His disciples, Peter, James and John, were privileged to see Christs glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (9:28-36). Even now, its common for those who want to get in touch with the nearness of God to go to the mountains. At a time when anyone else would sit in stunned silence, Peter says, Lets make three tents! None of the Gospels tells us why he wants to build three tents: Perhaps he wants to prolong the mountaintop experienceto keep Jesus safe on the mountain rather than seeing him exposed to suffering, rejection, and death (v. 22). 30Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31who appeared in glory, and spoke of his departure (Greek: exodon), which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. These ancient leaders of Israel had been gone for centuries. 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). 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). 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. Finally, there is the cloud and the voice. What were Peter, John, and James thinking about this stunning scene before them? that he took with him Peter, John, and James, Moses spoke words of a coming prophet. Copyright 2007, Philip McLarty. 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. 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? 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. Every once and so often, something so touching, so incandescent, so alive transfigures the human face that its almost beyond bearing. (From Beyond Words by Frederick Buechner, Harper San Francisco 2004). To twenty-first century ears, the symptoms sound like epilepsy. Im convinced every one of us would have responded similarly. 34While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud. He considers Peters proposal foolish, but doesnt tell us why: One possibility is that Peter is trying to prolong the mountaintop experienceto keep Jesus safe on the mountain rather than seeing him exposed to suffering, rejection, and death (v. 22). A bolt of lightning is one of the most powerful forces on planet earth, discharging 1,000,000,000,000,000 watts of electricity (thats 1 trillion if you dont want to count up all the zeroes) at a temperature of 20,000 degrees centigrade (which is considerably hotter than even the surface of the sun). A few years ago, I had an elder in my church whod disappear every two or three months. That Jesus did indeed go on to suffer and die is testament to his true divinity. The voice from the clouds echoes the voice from heaven at Jesus baptismYou are my beloved Son. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good that we are here. Our bodies must be transformed. His constant praying shows his love for his Father in heavenand his confidence that his prayers and his worship were heard. Perhaps because Israel is the people of the Law and the Prophets, and Moses was the great lawgiver, and Elijah the great prophet. And it matters. While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently (v. 42a). and those who turn many to righteousness The glory was there. 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. 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 scripture lessons from the Old and New Testaments this morning are like bookends. Several times over the years, Ive prayed that I could see an angel. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father (v. 42b). Loud cries and tears. When he returns down the mountain, his face literally shined for a time since he had been in Gods presence. He says something that seems to make no sense: Let us set up tents for you, Moses and Elijah., Why did he say this? Used by permission. 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. It is not what you would expect. It would be too much for us. Or Isaiah the prophet who, in Isaiah 6, had this heavenly vision of God in full display of his glory and majesty. Throughout the scriptures, light is a symbol of God, so that whenever we come into the presence of God, were filled with the light of Gods love, and, like a prism, the radiance of God is reflected and refracted through us to illumine and enlighten others. Representing the Israel of old, they disappear, leaving Jesus alone (Fitzmyer, 795). 28. an eight days after these sayingsincluding the day on which this was spoken and that of the Transfiguration. Now, heres Jesus on Mount Herman. This, however, also seems unlikely.). Jesus spoke of returning with power and great glory (Luke 21:27). 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. In this one, they are groggy but sufficiently awake to see what was happening. That Jesus perhaps needed this boost is testament to his true humanity. Sermon Commentary for Sunday, February 7, 2016. If we do not know Jesus, we should turn to him. If that is our view, we are badly, badly mistaken. To have Jesus entire body and clothing lit up like the sun, and to see two ancient biblical heroes appearing out of the past.well, whats the only response but amazement and fear? 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. There the new exodus takes place, the new event of redemption for all the world. Moses face shone so brightly that he found it necessary to wear a veil to shield people from the glare (Exodus 34:29-35). He was the second Adam and had not sinned. However, I think they must go together. Jesus glorified like the sun. Like in Star Wars when Yoda appears as a ghost before Luke Skywalker. But other times he swings at the pitch, completely whiffs, and strikes out. He places great hope in Jesus. And it also testifies to us of what Jesus Christ will do soon when he returns. Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:1-17). 38Behold, a man from the crowd called out, saying, Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 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. For all of us, let us seek to know the glory of God that we might experience the wonder and awe and fear of knowing him. 13:43), And in his Letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes, Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. (Eph. It Behold, a spirit takes him, he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams, and it hardly departs from him, bruising him severely (v. 39). 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. Luke 9:28-36 - Center for Excellence in Preaching Not for nothing are they called Mountaintop Experiences! Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah (v. 30). Prayer is a transfiguring, transforming duty, which makes the face to shine. 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). They dont tell anyone what they have seen, and that is all right. Luke places Johns name ahead of James here and in the story of Jairus daughter, perhaps because Peter and John will be so closely linked later in Lukes writings (22:8; Acts 3:1-10; 4:1-22; 8:14-25) (Culpepper, 205). 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! 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. But the drama up there on that mountain seems to have been only partly intended to make an impression on the disciples. Peter will refer to it as the holy mountain (2 Peter 1:18). Moses had prophesied, Your God will raise up to you a prophet from the midst of you, of your brothers, like me. (In more cheeky moments Ive wondered about these two men sporting Hello! 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. The event happens on a mountain, a place of special revelation. Its something I think about only if Im watching a sci-fi movie. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. The Jewish people expect Moses and Elijah to return to usher in the messianic era. In the Bible, when a story takes us up to a 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. Anybody who manages to radiate the energy and light of a lightning bolt is mighty powerful and mighty bright. 3233 Burton St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546, All written content on this site, unless labelled otherwise, is the copyright property of the center for excellence in preaching / respective content author(s), The Center for Excellence in Preaching is a resource from Calvin Theological Seminary. (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. Why should they have problems with this demon? And the people should listen to him. To glimpse his majesty and power. Commentary on Luke 9:28-36 [37-43] Lukes disciples need a revelatory experience in order to appreciate Jesus true identity and vocation. May we meditate on the reality of this passage. And finally, to what extent is the radiance of God visible in your life today? Not for nothing are they called Mountaintop Experiences! You shall listen to him (Deuteronomy 18:15). Everything was easy for him. But as Matt talked about last week, theres a bit of mystery here. 37It happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met him. He saw and heard ancient leaders of Israel Moses and Elijah. Master, it is good for us to be here. Look in your Bibles up at vs. 26 here in Luke 9. The prophet Elijah challenged the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18). (and) a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 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). Hymn Lists. Rev., the mountain. When a storm threatened their boat, Jesus asked, Where is your faith? (8:25). But the drama up there on that mountain seems to have been only partly intended to make an impression on the disciples. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. Jesus was fully divine yet fully human. 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 Like my elder years ago, wed likely come back refreshed and renewed and revived in the Spirit. Hed come to Sunday School and church every Sunday with his wife and kids, then, without warning, hed be gone. When you get a moment, take a close look in the mirror. that he took with him Peter, John, and James (v. 28b). The booths recall the Feast of Booths, one of the three major festivals of the Jewish faith. We need to listen to him. 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. He had talked previously about his forthcoming suffering and death. Should the preacher make use of the short text, relating the Transfiguration alone (9:28-36) or use the long text, telling not only the story of the Transfiguration but also relating the story of an exorcism (Luke 9:28-43)? The first step to such a prayer is stillness and silence, or what should have been Peters response on the mountain. The Gospel accounts call it, The Transfiguration. Our Bible passage this morning is in Luke 9. We cant deal with it. Later, after the resurrection, he will make it clear that his death was necessary so that he might enter into his glory (Luke 24:26). They still exist. To me, its one of the more remarkable biological events. 30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and If we have any skepticism in us, this story is so unusual I can understand how we might be skeptical and wonder, Did that really happen?. The glorified Christ in Luke 9 is a taste of the glorified Christ after the resurrection. Even Peter keeps his mouth shut. (10-17) Peter's testimony to Christ, Self-denial enjoined. 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. WebLuke 9 The Feeding of the Five Thousand A. Matthew and Mark say (Mt 17:1; Mr 9:2) "after six days," excluding these two days. Our confidence in Christ is strengthened by this testimony. Luke 9:28-36. The father is desperate, but has not given up. The rest of the event seems to have taken place for Jesus edification. Out of the group of 12 disciples, these three were ones Jesus focused even more on. The reading was from the Gospel according to Luke: The Transfiguration. A cloud covered the mountaintop, and from the cloud came a voice saying, This is my beloved Son. Talk to someone you trust about this. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. 3 (Downers Grove, Illinois, Intervarsity Press, 1994), Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; McCann, J. Clinton; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSVYear C (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994), Craddock, Fred B., Interpretation: Luke (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1990), Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holliday, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, C (Valley Forge: Trinity Press, 1994), Culpepper, R. Alan, The New Interpreters Bible, Volume IX. 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). All that is within Luke 9:31-33 is distinctive. Lukes disclosure concerning the conversation is highly significant for his account. We can read about that in Luke 22 just hours before the Crucifixion. The contrast between the mountaintop and the base of the mountain could not be sharper. Our bodies will be glorious. Luke clearly understands Jesus to be a new Moses. 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