Text: Matthew 17:1-9
In our story today, Jesus' body and clothes shine brighter than the sun as he has a conversation with the long-dead Old Testament figures of Moses and Elijah in the setting of a holy mountain top experience. Traditionally the transfiguration has been accepted as a historical event but there are problems with this interpretation. Beyond the miraculous nature of the entire event other questions linger such as how did the disciples recognize the two figures as Elijah and Moses? I suppose it could have an intuitive inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I guess it would have to be that as we may assume the disciples had never seen a photograph or video of Elijah and Moses since such technology is not known to have existed at that period in history.
Also, although history does sometimes present astounding parallels, how can a factual episode exhibit so many similarities to an event in the life of Moses? Several commentators think the transfiguration story comes from a visionary experience of the disciples. They wonder if perhaps God gave the disciples a group hallucination or vision. As far as plausibility, Jesus is not the only person in history to have appeared to be 'lit up' so to speak. Many Christian saints appeared radiant at one time or another, including Saints Dominic, Francis of Assisi, Antony of Padua, Catherine of Siena, Francis of Paola, Francis Xavier, Philip Neri, and Bernadette. Within the past century the well known British writer and mystic, Evelyn Underhill, was once, according to an eye-witnesses, transfigured by light. There are also accounts of people enveloped by light that have no religious relationship at all. So the metaphysical mystery of the transfiguration remains.
What we do know is that the transfiguration of Christ continues to have symbolical meaning to the church. The symbolic meaning of the transfiguration is especially evident as we consider it within its literary context in the Gospel According to Matthew.
There we find that the transfiguration narrative has a remarkable twin of sorts in the account of Jesus' execution. In the one, a private epiphany, an exalted Jesus, with garments glistening, stands on a high mountain and is flanked by two religious giant from the past. All is light. In the other, a public spectacle, a humiliated Jesus, who clothes have been torn from him and divided, is lifted upon a cross and flanked by two common, convicted criminals. All is darkness.
It is truly striking that in both the transfiguration and the execution those looking on are overcome by fear, and that in both instances Jesus is confessed by others to be the Son of God. In this confession lays the unity between the two radically disparate events, transfiguration and crucifixion. As God's Son, it is Jesus' lot to participate in the polarities, indeed the whole gamut, of human experience. This is because the Son of God is the Messiah, and that means the eschatological man, in whom the eschatological pattern of suffering-vindication, tribulation-salvation must play itself out. Therefore in fulfilling the prophets and their ancient oracles of doom and consolation, Jesus is humiliated and exalted, surrounded by saints and ringed by sinners, clothed with light and yet wrapped in a garment of darkness. (The International Critical Commentary: Matthew, Volume II, Davies and Allison, 706)
In The International Critical Commentary, Davies and Allision offer these comparisons and contrasts between Jesus transfiguration and his execution.
The transfiguration is a private epiphany. The execution is a public spectacle.
The transfiguration is diffused with light. The execution is covered with darkness.
The epiphany leads to Jesus' glorification. The execution leads to Jesus' humiliation.
In the transfiguration, Jesus stands between Moses and Elijah. In the execution, Jesus hangs suspended between two thiefs.
Jesus is up on the mountain in the transfiguration. Jesus is up on the cross in the execution.
Jesus takes others with him to the transfiguration. Jesus is taken by others to the execution.
There are onlookers at the transfiguration (three disciples are named). There are onlookers at the execution (three women are named).
Jesus is confessed as the Son of God at the transfiguration. Jesus is confessed as the Son of God at the execution.
Elijah is present at the transfiguration. One of the people at the execution says, "Let us see whether Elijah will come."
'They were afraid' at the transfiguration. 'They were afraid' at the execution.
Jesus' garments glisten at the transfiguration. Jesus' garments are torn and taken away at the execution.
'After six days' Jesus led disciples up to the mountain of transfiguration. 'From the sixth hour there was darkness' when Jesus was executed. (The International Critical Commentary: Matthew, Volume II, Davies and Allison, 706)
As you can tell, in its literary construction Matthew intends for the transfiguration of Jesus to be book ended by his execution. The Transfiguration is the lens through which we view the execution of Christ. The one without the other loses meaning and power. Transfiguration challenges us to see Jesus for who he really is rather than for whom we would like him to be. The transfigured Jesus is more than we had bargained for or hoped for. He is above and beyond the call of duty. He is beyond human. He is also divine. That's who Jesus is in this story.
We are right there in this story too in the person of Peter. Peter represents us. Notice what Peter does. When he sees Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus his mind begins to work in overdrive and of course he immediately sticks his foot in his mouth so to speak. Peter says 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." (vs 4) Imagine the gall of a fisherman wanting to build three dwellings for a carpenter's son. Peter witnesses this fantastic transformation. Look at what he does. He sees Jesus, his OWN Jesus, standing between Moses and Elijah. Peter sees the potential here for great things. In his subconscious mind, Peter starts singing that song by Peter Gabriel called "Big Time … I'm on my way I'm making it … Big Time … I'm gonna make it big SOME DAY." Here are the lyrics to the song in Peter's mind as he gazes upon Moses and Elijah during the transfiguration of Jesus.
I'm on my way I'm making it, Huh!
I've got to make it show yeah, Hey!
So much larger than life
I'm gonna watch it growing
Hey hey hey heyyyyyyy
The place where I come from is a small town
They think so small, they use small words
But not me, I'm smarter than that,
I worked it out
I'll be stretching my mouth to let those big words come right out
I've had enough, I'm getting out
To the city, the big big city
I'll be a big noise with all the big boys, so much stuff I will own
And I will pray to a big god, as I kneel in the big church
Big Time, I'm on my way I'm making it, big time, oh yes
Big time, I've got to make it show yeah, big time
Big time, so much larger than life
Big time, I'm gonna watch it growing, big time
Ho ohh ohh, oh oh, ho ohh ohh, oh ohhh
My parties have all the big names and I greet them with the whitest smile
Tell them how my life is one big adventure and always they're amazed When I show them 'round my house to my bed
I had it made like a mountain rage with a snow white pillow for my big fat head
And my heaven will be a big heaven,
And I will walk through the front door
Big Time, I'm on my way i'm making it, big time, Huh!
Big time, I've got to make it show yeah, big time
Big time, so much larger than life
Big time, I'm gonna watch it growing, big time
Big time, my car is getting bigger Big time, my house is getting bigger
Big time, my eyes are getting bigger
And my mouuuth
Big time, my dinner's getting bigger
Big time, and my bank account
Big time, look at my circumstance
Big time, and the bulge in my big big big big big big big big big big big big big big big, hi there ... (Peter Gabriel, "Big Time")
As usual, Peter appreciates Jesus for what he can do for Peter. Or, to put it in 2011 terms, Peter thinks, "Maybe we could build a booth here and make it a holy site. Let's charge admission: $2.50 per person or $5.00 per family. This could be HUGE. We could be RICH. If it happened Peter would be thinking along these lines. Where's my iPhone? I've got to get a photo with Jesus, Moses and Elijah in it! Oh wait, let me do a five second video so you can see how they interact. Hey, we could create a website called "Pillars of Creation" and feature Jesus, Moses and Elijah. Jesus could film a video series called "Parable of the Day" and I could produce a more practical video series about "Your Best Life Begins Today." Oh wait, we'll make it a subscription website. Judas can handle the financing. After we achieve profitability, we'll do an Initial Public Offering of our stock. That will finance Jesus political aspirations. He can run for President of the Sanhedrin. Eventually he will take on King Herod. This is how Peter's mind was racing standing up on that holy mountain during Jesus transfiguration.
Peter was not transfigured by this event and neither are we. We hear the story of Jesus transfiguration and subsequent execution and we think what a wonderful example he is but we don't make the final connection of the story which is the connection between YOU and YOUR OWN transfiguration. If we were transfigured we would bring our few loaves and fishes to Jesus and he would multiply them a thousand fold and feed a multitude. If we were transfigured we would be like the little boy who had such a great time at church he asked his dad, "Daddy, daddy, can we stay after noon today at church, just this once?" Instead, we listen to the benediction and visit briefly on the porch or a linger for a while in Fellowship Hall when brunch is served as it is today. Have we been transfigured? I don't think so. Not by a long shot.
While Peter 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!" Listen to Jesus. That is where we start. That is step number one in the process of our own transfiguration. Listen to Jesus. I will talk more about listening to Jesus in the Ash Wednesday sermon this week. This theme of listening to Jesus will be continued. It is the foundation of our discipleship.
Our intial reaction to God's voice may be fear. When the disciples heard God's voice, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." (vs 6-8) God doesn't want to scare us. Jesus does not want to be like a boot camp trainer of whom we are afraid. He wants to be our brother, our guide, our example. He wants that kind of intimate relationship with us. And when the disciples looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. (vs. 8) That kind of focus on Jesus alone is the next step in our spiritual journey. After we learn to listen to God in prayer step two in our own transfiguration is that we learn to look up to no one except Jesus.
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." (vs. 9) Jesus knows we disciples are not ready to own it. So he encourages the disciples not to mention the transfiguration once they come down off the mountain.
We are well aware of our human nature. We know how we smell and what we like to eat. We know how our mind gets trapped in endless cycles of minuitae. But we are less well acquainted with the divine ball of life force energy that emanates from the core of our being. We rarely take inventory of the vast resources that are available to us in each moment for our own transfiguration. Let us explore Christ's energy within us during this Lenten season. May Jesus transfiguration lead to our own transfiguration and may Jesus' execution lead to our own execution of our sinful natures. That is our goal for this Lenten season. Our own transfiguration is the one that counts. May this Lenten season be a time for each of us to ponder the mystery of our own divinity and our own humanity. May this be a season when we explore both the smooth and the rough edges around the themes of transfiguration and execution.
