eFollowingJesusMar3 - Transfiguration (read Matthew 17:1-8)
On a hilltop (Mt. Tabor? Mt. Meron?), the disciples were awestruck by a profound experience of Jesus' glory. Jesus was transfigured (the Greek is metamorphosis!); they were dazzled not merely by the sight of a shimmering, glowing Jesus, but also Moses and Elijah, who've been dead for centuries. The same voice heard at Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3:17) echoes: "This is my beloved Son."
The story has symbolic power: Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah). More importantly, this transfiguration is God's answer to the preceding, gloomy announcement that Jesus would suffer and die. Yes, God enters into our mortality; we never suffer alone. But God doesn't embrace our mortality just to wallow around in it with us. God would raise Jesus from the dead, and God came down to do something about our suffering, to transform us into something glorious - shimmering, heavenly selves enjoying the company of saints long departed from earth.
And our metamorphosis isn't just for the distant future. We are changed now - and it all hinges on whether we do as God's voice from heaven declared: "Listen to him!"
Lord, thank you for the hope of a glorious metamorphosis. We will listen to You.
James
james@mpumc.org
Here is the full text of Matthew 17:1-27 - 1: And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. 2: And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. 3: And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4: And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." 5: He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." 6: When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe. 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. 9: And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead." 10: And the disciples asked him, "Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?" 11: He replied, "Elijah does come, and he is to restore all things; 12: but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not know him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of man will suffer at their hands." 13: Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. 14: And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and kneeling before him said, 15: "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16: And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him." 17: And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me." 18: And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. 19: Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" 20: He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." 22: As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, 23: and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day." And they were greatly distressed. 24: When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, "Does not your teacher pay the tax?" 25: He said, "Yes." And when he came home, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from others?" 26: And when he said, "From others," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. 27: However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel; take that and give it to them for me and for yourself."
The full eFollowingJesus series (thus far!) may be found on our web site.
