March 15 – Luke 9:28-36

Main Focus: Transfiguration

Questions about Jesus’ identity abound in the first 9 chapters of Luke. Peter says rightly in Luke 9:20, “He is the Christ of God.” Now, here in vv 28-36 the question is decisively answered by God Himself. The transfiguration provides for us a glimpse of the future glory of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, at his second coming. It likewise gives a glimpse into the reality that Christ is the Son of God, sent by the Father for the salvation of his people.

As background to the transfiguration, we must consider the many theophanies recorded in sacred Scripture. Our English term theophany finds its roots in the Greek word for “God” (theos) and the Greek verb “to appear” (phainein); thus, we can see that theophany basically means “an appearance of God.” Theophanies were visible manifestations of the Creator and were usually granted to central figures in the Almighty’s redemptive plan. We can think, for example, of God’s appearance to Abraham as a “smoking fire pot” and “flaming torch” (Gen. 15), as well as Moses’ vision of the Lord in the burning bush (Ex. 3). The transfiguration, we will see, stands in this tradition, but Jesus the Christ exceeds all previous theophanies, expressing as He does the fullest revelation of who God is.

The transfiguration confirms Jesus’ appointment as a special messenger of God: like Moses and Elijah who received revelation from God on Mount Sinai, also, Jesus also meets with God on a mountain. Yet Jesus is greater than these because the Father’s declarations about Him make Him the object of revelation, not merely its recipient. Also, Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets, respectively. Their appearance with Christ confirms His fulfillment of the old covenant revelation found in the Old Testament.

As a way of response, Peter says, let us make three tents and he was saying that, the Father pronounces “this is my Son, my Chosen One,” The cloud is a manifestation of God’s presence. The Father says, listen to him! Listen to him means to give attention to Jesus’ teaching above all else, even above the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) of the OT (not that they are any less the Word of God, but that Jesus’ teaching supersedes and rightly interprets the OT for the new age of the kingdom of God and the new covenant). Jesus is not merely equal to Moses and Elijah; he is far greater.