Luke 9:28-36

The Transfiguration

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

Jesus regularly retreated from the hustle and bustle to spend time with God. He was having one of these quiet moments with Peter, James and John accompanying him, when something miraculous happened. As Peter, James and John watched, Moses and Elijah appeared and started having a conversation with Jesus.

There’s a lot we don’t understand about the Transfiguration. Surely Jesus didn’t need Moses and Elijah to give him advice when he had the ear of the Father himself? Was their presence there more for the Jewish people’s benefit than for Jesus’? Either way, the three disciples got to see the glorious transformation take place, and Jesus holding court with Elijah and Moses. They may have only been half awake, but they knew they were witnessing something special – so much so, Peter even suggested building a memorial there – “three dwellings: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah”.

If the appearance of Moses and Elijah wasn’t earth-shattering enough, God then upped the ante by chipping in himself – engulfing them in a cloud and declaring loudly, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” It’s no wonder the disciples were silent; how would you even begin to explain all that to someone who wasn’t there to see it?

Blessings as we stand in awe of the transfigured Jesus, our Lord and our Savior.  Be safe!  Be well!  The Spirit has come!

To Ponder:

• Try to imagine the conversation Jesus was having with Moses and Elijah. What sort of things do you think they said to each other?
• The word “glory” appears a few times in today’s passage. What comes to mind when you think of God’s glory?