“The Ministry of Jesus: From Jordan to Pentecost” Part 4
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister
To view a simple online worship service of “Word, Communion and Prayer,” and please click on the the following link: "The Transfiguration of Jesus: His Identity and What It Means for the Church"
Summary: In the fourth lesson of the series "The Ministry of Jesus: From Jordon to Pentecost," we learn from Luke 9:28-36 (Matthew 17:1-13 & Mark 9:2-13) how the transfiguration of Jesus not only served to affirm His direction through the cross and ultimate exodus back to His Father but also reminds the apostles and the church that His identity as God's Son and Chosen should determine how we proclaim the Good News, care for one another, and deny ourselves as we follow Jesus.
(Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.)
• In this series, “The Ministry of Jesus: From the Jordan to Pentecost,” together we’ve learned from Jesus’ baptism, His temptations by Satan during His 40-day fast in the wilderness, and His miraculous feeding of 5,000 people with just two fish and five bun-sized loaves of bread.
• All of them in some way reveal to us Jesus’ true identity. Today’s account from Luke is no different.
• Parallel accounts are found in Matthew 17:1-13 and Mark 9:2-13.
Luke 9:28-36:
28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 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. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
• The disciples had experienced a tough week before Jesus took His inner circle of Peter, James, and John, up on the mountain to pray. Mark’s Gospel says Jesus took them up a “very high mountain.” We don’t know for certain but most scholars believe the mountain was probably Mount Hermon. At 9,200 feet, the snow-capped mountain was the tallest and most visible in Palestine. Peter had made his confession in Jesus as the Christ in Caesarea Philippi, which sat on the southwest slope of Mount Herman.
• They spent two days there; perhaps one day for their ascent and the next for their descent. No doubt they’d had meaningful fellowship and discussion during the hike. But Jesus wanted to pray on the mountain. There is something about being on a high mountain that causes one to feel closer to heaven.
• Have you noticed how Jesus had a habit of slipping off with His disciples or by Himself to be alone with His Father for silence, solitude and prayer?
• The three disciples, perhaps exhausted from their challenging week, not to mention their climb up the mountain, had fallen asleep. We can’t blame them, really.
29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white.
• “altered” = literally: “became different”
• Mark 9:2-3: 2 …And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.
• “transfigured” = “to change into another form” (Same as the renewing of the Christian’s mind in Romans 12:2)
• The transfiguration and alteration happened to Jesus. He didn’t do it Himself. Was Jesus temporarily transformed back into a measure of His heavenly glory? When did this happen? While He was praying!
30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory…
• There they were! Having been gone from this earth for centuries Moses and Elijah, the supreme representatives of the Law and all of the prophets, were visibly speaking with Jesus! The two greatest spiritual heroes to the Jews right there with Jesus, appearing in glory! Whatever their appearing in glory means it had to be magnificent!
• Remember, Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai. (Exodus 19:16-24) Elijah had an experience with God on Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:4-18) Moses and Elijah both left this earth in unique ways. God buried Moses and his grave was never found (Deuteronomy 34:5-6). Elijah was whisked away in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11).
• But what was topic of their conversation?
They…spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
• “departure” = “exodus” which is the word the New Living Translation Bible uses:
• V. 31b, NLT: And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.
• Certainly, the conversation would have included Jesus’ brief “exodus” through His death, but also on through to His resurrection from the dead and His ascension back to the right hand of His Father. This was no small talk. It was not about Elijah or Moses. It was about what was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.
• In the capital of Israel, all that the Law and the prophets pointed to was to happen: Immanuel, the Christ, Son of David, the Prophet, the High Priest, and the King, the Lamb of God “who takes away the sins of the world” would fulfill God’s purpose for Israel and accomplish the earthly mission the Father had given Him.
• R.C. Foster: “The conversation with Moses and Elijah showed that the projected death of Christ was in harmony with the law and the prophets.” –R.C. Foster, Studies in the Life of Christ, p. 735
• I believe that a big part of why Moses and Elijah appeared was to affirm to Jesus that He was on track to accomplishing what He’d been sent here to do!
• “It was as if the princes of Israel’s life and thought and religion told Jesus to go on.” –William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke, p. 123
• Perhaps Moses and Elijah were giving Jesus a kind of pep talk to help Him get through what was to happen between then and His ascension back to His Father.
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.
• Can you imagine being asleep outside, high on a mountain, and waking up not only to such a brilliance of light but to see with your Leader perhaps the two highest esteemed leaders of Israel’s history at that time?
33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.
• Mark 9:6: For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified.
• As Jody Owens said, “Peter never thought about not saying anything.”
• “Peter was the kind of person who felt called upon to answer whenever he heard anything which interested him.” –R.C. Foster, Studies in the Life of Christ, p. 733
34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.
• Can you put yourself in their place? Your Lord is conversing with Moses and Elijah. The glory of Jesus brilliant. You are high on the side of a mountain and you are enveloped by a cloud. Could you see anything?
• But wait, there’s more:
35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”
• Matthew17:5:… a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (See Jesus’ baptism, Matthew 3:17.)
• At this point we find in Matthew 17:6: When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
• Matthew 17:7-8: 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
• There would be no tents set up for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. Jesus is the One who is supreme over Moses, Elijah and all others. He is the One to whom they must listen and He has a purpose yet to fulfill.
• Mark 9:9-10: 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean.
And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
• “Jesus could set out to Jerusalem now, certain that at least one little group of men knew who he was, certain that what he was doing was the consummation of all the life and thought and work of his nation, and certain that God approved of the step that he was taking.” –William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke, p. 124
• Let’s focus a few moments on the Father’s words to His Son:
V. 35: And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”
• Jesus’ identity is central to the passage and all of Luke 9. Who is He?
• Herod had been curious: Luke 9:9: Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.
• Peter had correctly confessed Jesus as the Christ about a week earlier: Luke 9:18-22: 18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
• And now the Father proclaims from out of the cloud: “This is my Son…”
• Psalm 2:6-7: 6 “As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son…
• The Royal Son who by His power had provided healing and food for God’s children.
…my Chosen One…
• Jesus the “Chosen” = Isaiah 42:1: Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations. = Suffering Servant of Isaiah 52:13-53:12.
• Jesus is the One chosen to suffer as a servant for mankind.
…listen to him!”
• Moses declared in Deuteronomy 18:15: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen…”
• At the earlier feeding of the 5000: John 6:14: When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
• Jesus is the promised Prophet to whom we are to listen, trust and obey.
A Few Applications:
• “[T]he marks which…will characterize the church, if it is being true to Christ, are indeed his own distinguishing marks. For he is the Prophet who is to be heard and heeded: that is why the church, if it is to carry on his work, is to be a preaching church. He is the royal Son, who with his wealth and power provides for all the needs of his people: that is why his church must exercise the same ministry and be a community in which members are likewise concerned with one another’s needs, caring and nourishing and building up. He is the Chosen, the Servant, who treads the path of suffering: that is why all those who wish to be his disciples must similarly take up the cross and deny themselves.”—Michael Wilcock, The Message of Luke
• We are to proclaim the Good News of Jesus:
• Luke 9:1-6: And he called the twelve together …2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal…6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
• Acts 8:4: Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
• 2 Peter 1:16-18: 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
• We are to learn to care for one another as a family.
• Luke 9:13-16: 13 But he said to [the apostles], “You give them something to eat… 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
• Acts 4:34-35: 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
We are to deny ourselves and follow Jesus.
• Luke 9:23-26: 23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
• Acts 14:21-23: 21 [Paul and Barnabas]… returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
“The message, the family, the cross—is this how we see the life of the church to which we belong? Does it follow the example of its evangelizing, caring, suffering Lord? And when it proclaims Christ, is he seen to be that kind of a Lord?” –Michael Wilcock, The Message of Luke, P. 110
• We are to be people of prayer. Just as Jesus was completely reliant on God the Father in His ministry as demonstrated by His prayer life, so should we.
• Mark C. Black points out that this is the fifth time Luke shows Jesus at prayer (baptism, after healing, before choosing disciples, before Peter’s confession. Luke, p. 193