It wouldn't even be one week before three of those who were listening to Jesus say this would witness Jesus' words coming to pass. Peter, James and John went with Jesus "up a high mountain where they were all alone." There Jesus was "transfigured" before them.
In the Greek, the word for "transfigured" comes from "metamorphao," the same word we get "metamorphosis" from. It literally means to change into another form. So, right in front of these three disciples, Jesus changed into another form. It wasn't that who he was changed, but what he appeared to be was altered.
I have a hard time wrapping my mind around this. John Mark tells us that "his clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them." Aside from what his clothes looked like, however, this account is pretty vague. It makes me wonder about what John Mark had in mind here (remember, Bible writers tend to explain current reality in the language of the people's history). When Moses was taken alone to the top of Sinai, he saw the glory of God and came off the mountain shining so brightly that the people couldn't even look at him directly. Then it was, "The LORD (YHWH), the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God..." (Exodus 34:6). He took the unpronounceable, totally transcendent name of God in that instance. Was Jesus was revealing to these three disciples who he truly was... the One and the same God that appeared before Moses, the One and the same who was at the beginning, through whom the world was made, the One and the same who both gave Moses the Law and was even now fulfilling it? What a powerful moment!
Elijah and Moses appeared there, talking with Jesus. It's as if they were there confirming to these three that this was indeed the true identity of Jesus. The glory of God was really there, on earth, in the form of a man. While Moses and Elijah were taken into heaven (Moses after his death, while Elijah never tasted death), Jesus came down from heaven. It strikes me that these three disciples actually witnessed here, at the end of the story, the condescension of Jesus... the glory and power that he gave up! They bore witness to the glory and power of the God's kingdom, and what Jesus gave up for them!
I can't blame Peter for what he said. Whenever, in Israel's history, God's power and glory was revealed, the people would set up memorial stones to remind them of what was witnessed. In the heat of the moment, Peter was no more able to process what he was seeing than Moses was on the top of Sinai. I have a funny picture in my mind of Moses standing there with Jesus, watching Peter, and thinking, "Yeah, I was pretty clueless on how to handle this too!" There's nothing that will ever truly memorialize a first-hand witness of God. You can memorialize something he did. Israel did so when they finally entered the Promised Land. Jacob did so after dreaming of a ladder ascending to heaven. But the very glory and presence of God? There are not enough stones in the world.
The part of the story I love most comes next. The cloud appears (kind of like a cloud that led, shaded, and illuminated Israel in the desert?). It covers them and speaks to them (sound anything like Sinai... only even closer?). It says, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"
The Father speaks and identifies Jesus. This is the same Jesus that says to the disciples, "I'll establish my church using you, and building it with those who don't believe!" This is the same Jesus that says to his followers, "My path includes rejection, suffering, and death, but ends with resurrection!" And here is the Father, revealing His Son as the One and Only Jesus, the One who walked with them in the flesh. Listen to him! Follow him! As you can see, Jesus' glory and power is far greater than any suffering you might experience, because the world's got nothing on him!
Finally, once again, they saw no one but Jesus. The fullness and glory of God right there in the flesh, incarnate with them. Transcendent, yet human.
I have seen what God can do. I have seen his miracles. All serve as reminders of who Jesus is and what he can do. I have seen hundreds fed and supplied with just a few donations. I have seen a friend brought back from the brink of death. Memories of these things mean something incredible to me.
But God's glory? The transcendent Jesus? Can't say that I've seen it like this before! If I did, I think I'd remember it. But suffice it to say that faith leads me to the conclusion I think Jesus was driving for that day. He is God! He is the one and the same YHWH, Name above all names! He is Creator and King, the full embodiment of the Father, full of Holy Spirit, transcendent in glory, yet incarnate in the flesh. To believe anything less of Him is to cheapen Jesus, and to cheapen Jesus is to nullify everything He has done.
Jesus, You are ALL! You are King of kings, Lord of lords, Creator, and Name above all names! You are the glory of God in the flesh, incarnate Messiah, my only chance! Reveal Your self to me so that my self dies in Your presence. Raise to life my true self, alive in You alone, so that You will be revealed in me today.
Father, walk with me! Holy Spirit, fill me! Fling laboring harvesters into Your harvest field... beginning with me!
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