 |
| Transfiguration of Jesus |
Peter
wrote about it in 2 Peter 1:16-18. He had seen the Majesty and beheld the Glory
on the mountain, and it made the truth of Scripture surer for him than anything.
He had seen it with his own eyes. Peter was writing about the Transfiguration,
the passage we will study in this message.
Contextual Notes:
The Transfiguration with its
prediction of glory is the natural sequel to the previous passage with its prediction
of suffering, bringing to light the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
When Jesus had revealed to his disciples what he would soon face, then they saw
his glory. In Matthew and Mark, the Transfiguration is seen as a preview of
Jesus’ Second Coming glory, but in Luke, the emphasis is on the heavenly glory Jesus
will receive at his exaltation to God’s right hand. Perhaps this is why the
Transfiguration happens at this time in Jesus’ ministry. Just after Peter’s
confession of Jesus’ Messiahship (Luke 9:18-20), Jesus reveals for the first
time to the disciples the true suffering role of the Messiah (Luke 9:21-22) and
calls them to cross-bearing discipleship (Luke 9:23-27). The Transfiguration is
an encouragement and hope for the disciples for the dark days ahead.
Key Truth: Luke
wrote Luke 9:28-36 to teach believers that God gives us the
encouragement of His Glory to hold on and trust Him through difficult
experiences.
Key Application: Today I
want to show you what God’s Word says about .
Pray and Read:
Luke 9:28-36
Sermon Points:
1. God
gives us the encouragement of His Glory to hold on and trust Him through
difficult experiences (Luke 9:28-36)
Exposition:
1.
GOD GIVES US THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF
HIS GLORY TO HOLD ON AND TRUST HIM THROUGH DIFFICULT EXPERIENCES (Luke 9:28-36)
a.
Eight
days after Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ of God, Jesus takes Peter,
James, and John up a mountain for prayer. Again, Luke shows Jesus praying at a
significant point in Jesus’ ministry. Suddenly his appearance is transfigured
with glory, with two visitors, Moses and Elijah talking with him.
b.
What is the Transfiguration? The word transfiguration means to
change form or appearance. It is taken from the Latin translation of the Greek
verb used in Mark 9:2 (metamorphoo)
from which we get metamorphosis. The Transfiguration is the lifting of the veil
over Jesus’ person for the benefit of Peter, James, and John to have a glimpse
of his true glory, the glory He had before he came to earth and the glory to
which he would return after his resurrection.
c. Luke
9:28 – up onto a mountain to pray:
None of the Gospels record the site of the Transfiguration, but Mount Tabor in
southern Galilee or Mount Hermon near Caesarea Philippi are traditional sites. In
the Bible, mountains are often places of God’s revelation. Moses received God’s
law on Mount Sinai/Horeb. On Mount Carmel, Elijah saw the manifestation of God’s
power over the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18)
d. Luke
9:29 – His face changed: Like the face of
Moses which glowed from the Glory when he came down from Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:17;
34:29), Jesus face changes in the Presence. Paul points out that Moses’ glory
faded, but the glory of Christ which we will receive is eternal (2 Cor
3:17-18). His clothes became bright:
Like the clothes of angels and other heavenly beings, Jesus’ clothes glowed
with the reflection of the Glory.
e. APPLICATION: Is that true of me and you and
people we know? When we are spending time in the presence of God regularly, our
face changes. It changes from angry, upset, irritated, and critical to a
contentment despite the circumstances, a joy despite the sorrow, a new perspective
with better priorities informed of Scripture rather than the complaining and
politics of the office and family. So what does your face say about how much
time you are spending in the presence of God?
f.
Luke 9:30 – Moses and Elijah: Why
these two? They
signify the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) confirming Jesus’ fulfillment
of the OT Scriptures. Luke seems to make the point at the end of his Gospel in
the post-Resurrection appearance of Christ on the Emmaus Road where Jesus began
with the Law and the Prophets to explain to them how all these things must
occur to fulfill the Scripture (Luke 24:27).[1]
Both Moses and Elijah were known for their powerful miracles, and Jesus’
miracles recall their works: Moses, the quail and manna are recalled in the feeding
of the 5000 and Elijah is recalled in the raising of the widow’s son. Moses
once asked to see God’s glory on a mountain, but his request was denied by God
then. But his face shone so that he had to veil his face to protect the people
(Exodus 33:12-23; 34:29-35). Now, however, Moses’ request is granted, and he
sees the glory of the Lord. Elijah stood to see the Presence of the Lord on
Mount Horeb but only heard God’s quiet voice (1 Kings 19). Both men’s lives also
ended unusually. Moses died alone, and God buried him in an unknown location on
Mount Nebo and carried him to glory (Deut 34:6), and Elijah went into God’s
glory in a fiery chariot without having to die (2 Kings 2:11; Malachi 4:5).
g.
Luke 9:31 – his departure: The Greek word (exodos) is our transliterated word exodus. It would be fulfilled at
Jerusalem. It can refer as a euphemism for death. Luke alone among the
Evangelists tells us the topic of conversation among the three is Jesus’
exodus, a term which probably refers to the entire event of Jesus’ death,
resurrection, and ascension (Acts 2:33). Moses, who led the people to
deliverance from Egypt in the first Exodus, now speaks with Him who will bring
a New Exodus of deliverance from sin.
h.
Luke 9:33 – Three shelters: Peter interrupts and wants to build
three tabernacles like are used during the Feast of Tabernacles (Exodus 25:9; Lev
23:43). Scholars have puzzled over Peter’s statement. Was he wanting to
celebrate God’s sudden presence? Did he want to make the experience permanent? Henry
Blackaby says Peter’s statement proves he was the first proto-Baptist. As soon
as God moved, he wanted to build a building! Perhaps Blackaby was closest to what
Luke meant, because Luke notes, “He did not know what he was saying.” Peter was
notorious for speaking whatever came to mind. Sometimes, like at Luke 9:20, he
was right on. Sometimes, like here, he didn’t know what he was talking about. I
wonder if Luke has inserted some humor here. In the midst of a completely sublime
event, Peter jumps up and says something ridiculous (I sure know how to do that
well myself!), and the surprise juxtaposition of the sublime and the ridiculous
is funny. Unfortunately, many Bible scholars, without any sense of humor,
perhaps miss the humor.
i.
Still,
Peter was saying something he should not have, and God the Father Himself
corrected it. Peter was ignorantly offering equal honor to Moses, Elijah, and
Jesus. God then speaks from heaven, proclaiming the uniqueness of His Son and His
Divine approval of Him just as He did when Jesus was baptized and he fully
embraced his mission, knowing what it would involve: his suffering, death,
burial, and resurrection.
j.
Luke 9:34 – A Cloud appeared: The overshadowing cloud is a
familiar OT symbol of God’s Presence. In Exodus 24:16, God’s voice called to
Moses “from within the cloud” at Mount Sinai (e.g., Exod 13:21-22; 14:19-20; 16:10;
19:9, 16; 40:34; Lev 16:2; 2 Chron 5:13). The disciples’ fear parallels the
fear of the Israelites at Mount Sinai, a common reaction to a heavenly
visitation or divine act of power.
k.
Luke 9:35 – A voice came from the
cloud: God gives
the same message as at baptism, identifying Jesus as both the Messiah and the
Suffering Servant. The Father quotes from Psalm 2:7 “This is My Son” (the
uniquely related to the Father but also the Messiah descended from David) and
Isaiah 42:1 “whom I have chosen” (which Luke will use again at Luke 23:35) and
adds, “listen to Him” (Deut 18:15, where God warns Israel to heed the “prophet
like Moses,” the new Moses to come; Acts 3:22-23). God calls us to listening
faith. All these allusions point to a figure who is the Suffering Servant and
the Davidic King of the End Times.
l.
Luke 9:36 – Jesus was alone. The Law (Moses) and the Prophets
(Elijah) are fulfilled in the Christ of God.
m. APPLICATION:
The Transfiguration
encourages us in two areas that I see. First pursuing God’s plan is always
best, even if there are difficulties and painful experiences. Second, it is
best for us to stick with God’s plan. It may be painful now, but in the end it
will turn out for God’s glory and for our good.
Invitation:
[1] Later
Luke mentions the Law, the Prophets, and Psalms, the three-parts of the Hebrew
OT (Luke 24:44), but between here and there he adds information about Psalm
110:1 at Luke 20:41-42. Luke also makes a verbal connection between Luke 9:22 and
Luke 24:20-21.
No comments:
Post a Comment