Transfiguration

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 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.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Matthew 17:1-9 (NRSV)

Six days later, three of them saw that glory. Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light. Then they realized that Moses and Elijah were also there in deep conversation with him.
Peter broke in, “Master, this is a great moment! What would you think if I built three memorials here on the mountain—one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah?”
While he was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: “This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him.”
When the disciples heard it, they fell flat on their faces, scared to death. But Jesus came over and touched them. “Don’t be afraid.” When they opened their eyes and looked around all they saw was Jesus, only Jesus.
Coming down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy. “Don’t breathe a word of what you’ve seen. After the Son of Man is raised from the dead, you are free to talk.”

Matthew 17:1-9 (The Message)

This Sunday, February 19, is Transfiguration Sunday. In the church, we traditionally celebrate and observe the moment when Jesus was “transfigured” on the mountaintop in front of the disciples Peter, James and John while having a conversation with the prophets Moses and Elijah. We often reflect on such themes as the glory of Christ, what it is to be on the mountaintop and why we cannot stay there all the time, and other things.

I have included two versions of the Matthean account of the transfiguration in this week’s post. The first is from the New Revised Standard Version translation of the Bible. The second is from a version prepared by Eugene Peterson, commonly referred to as a paraphrase, known as The Message. The reason I include The Message version is because I think it clarifies for us the effect that transfiguration has on us. James and John couldn’t speak at all. Peter wanted to say something but was so awestruck that all he could say was something ridiculous. They couldn’t just stay up there on that mountain forever. Eventually, they had to go back down.

The Transfiguration is the revelation of the eternal glory of the second person of the Trinity. During Christ’s ministry on earth, his eternal glory was mostly hidden. Now, on the mountain, Christ the Redeemer is fully on display. No masks, no smoke and mirrors. This, this, is Christ the King.

The revelation of the eternal glory of the Christ is a transformative experience. As Peterson paraphrases in verse 2, Jesus’ “appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes.” The NRSV goes into more detail about that change. The point is, there was transformation involved.

We are transformed by the glory of the Christ. We are transformed from the inside out. It is not a surface-level change. It is not simply a mask or so much smoke and mirrors. We are not putting on a costume and pretending to be someone we are not. We come to worship on the mountaintop, to be reminded of and replenished by the glorious grace of our Lord, and then we are sent back down into the valley to live as truly and fully transformed people of God, to show forth the eternal glory of the Savior of the World to all of the people, that they may also be transformed.

As I write this, we are only six days away from Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. May we contemplate during these days our own transformation as disciples of Christ and how we will keep a holy Lent so that the glory of Christ can be fully witnessed by others and that they, too, may be transformed by the grace of God from the inside out.