This is My Beloved Son: A Meditation on Luke 9, for the Sunday of the Transfiguration

And it came to pass about eight days after these

sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into

a mountain to pray.  And as he prayed, the fashion of

his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white

and glistering.  And, behold, there talked with him

two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who

appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should

accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and they that

were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were

awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with

him.  And it came to pass, as they departed from him,

Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here:

and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for

Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.

While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed

them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying,

This is my beloved Son: hear him.

And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone.

The feast of the Transfiguration marks a transition from the light and joy of Christmas and Epiphany, to the Lenten walk toward the Cross.  At this literal mountain top experience, Jesus’ disciples are given a vision which would sustain them through a coming time of great darkness and fear.  While Jesus did not need the confirmation of this vision to accomplish the work He was pressing toward at Calvary, He knew His disciples did.

And what specifically did His disciples learn from this vision?  It is interesting to note first that Jesus did not invite all His disciples to the mountain—only the chief disciples, who were Peter, John, and James.  After previously teaching His disciples not to wrangle and bicker about who was to be greatest in the kingdom of God, Jesus does in fact establish order among His followers—an order of service and sacrifice which would continue even after His earthly ministry was complete.  Peter, James, and John would receive this special revelation so as to strengthen both themselves and their brethren, and not to become lords over them.

And what did they see?  Jesus was transformed in their sight to reveal His divine glory, and was conversing with both Elijah and Moses about the work of the Vicarious Atonement He was heading toward.  Both Moses and Elijah were in fact alive and in God’s fellowship in heaven, still actively aware of what was transpiring on earth, and in full cooperation with Jesus’ mission to save the world from sin, death, hell, and the power of the devil.  The disciples see that there is no division between Moses (the great law-giver and author of the Pentateuch,) and Elijah (the great prophet who conquered during the great contest with the prophets of Baal and was eventually swept up to heaven in a fiery chariot.)  Rather, Moses and Elijah (the living icons of both the Law and the Prophets) point to Jesus.  While Moses and Elijah shine with heavenly glory, it is a lesser glory reflecting the great and undiminished glory of Jesus.

Confused, Peter tries to establish equity between Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, by proposing booths to revere them all.  God the Father corrects Peter by taking Moses and Elijah back to heaven, and leaving only Jesus in their sight, while declaring:  This is My beloved Son, hear Him!  For all the glory of the heavenly host, from the holy angels to the saints and martyrs, prophets and apostles, there is still only one voice we should cling to:  Jesus Christ.  True prophets all point to Jesus; true apostles are all sent by Jesus to point others to Jesus; true saints live by grace through faith in Jesus; true martyrs confess Jesus through suffering even unto death; true angels bear the Word of Jesus, and work according to His will in heaven and earth.  In all of Holy Scripture, and the entire history of the people of God from the Creation to the Last Day, Jesus is the center and summit of everything.

This is true, because only Jesus is fully God and fully man, uniting in His one indivisible Person the Most Holy Trinity with the whole human race.  Only Jesus, fully God from before the beginning of time, and yet born of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a particular time and place, could be nailed to the Cross in both His natures to satisfy the just wrath of a holy God against a sinful and fallen world.  Only Jesus could bear the eternal punishment of every wicked soul that would ever walk the face of the earth, and rise again victorious on the third day.  Only Jesus could posses all authority in heaven and earth to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins to the whole creation, and to give that authority to His Apostles and their pastoral successors in every generation of the Church.  Only Jesus’ Word could make the demons flee, storm the gates of hell and death, granting eternal life to all who would repent and believe His Holy Gospel.  Only Jesus would ascend into heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, until the time was fulfilled for Him to return and judge the living and the dead.  Only Jesus could be the true vine into whom all who would be grafted by grace through faith would live forever.  Only Jesus could be the way, the truth, and the life for all people of every tribe and tongue.  Only Jesus.

For all the glitter and glamour of our times; all the distractions of electronics or drugs or sex; for all the vanities of celebrity and political theater; for all the pomp and tradition of church and state; for all the suffering and death of broken families and broken nations; for all the false prophets and wicked deceivers both inside and outside the Church; for all the misguided hopes and aspirations of sinful people; for all the clutter and confusion and distraction of this fallen world, there is still only one focus given for all to see, hear, believe, and live:  Only Jesus.  Hear the Word of God pierce your own cloud of confusion, pride, sorrow, or despair:  This is My beloved Son, hear Him!  For He comes to seek and to save you, and give you what He knows you need to walk the path before you.  Amen.