The Transfiguration
Notes
Transcript
Transfiguration Sunday
These verses contain one of the most remarkable events in our Lord’s earthly ministry, —the event commonly called the transfiguration. It refers to the “remarkable transformation that once took place in the appearance of Jesus.”
God the Father came to answer the question “Who is Jesus?”
He answered the question by revealing Jesus’ glory to the disciples Peter, James and John and by saying: “This is my beloved Son, and I am full please with him.”
And the relevance of all this for us was summed in three simple words “listen to him.”
There are, no doubt, some mysterious things in the vision described here. So it must be. We are still in the body. Our senses know only material things. Our ideas and perceptions about glorified bodies and dead saints, are vague and imperfect. We must be content with to learn the practical lessons which the transfiguration is meant to teach us.
In the first place, we have in these verses the glory in which Christ and his people will appear when He comes the second time.
Jesus’ face shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white.
You may recall a similar incident that occurred in the Old Testament. Moses came down the Mountain having been in the presence of God and his face shone so much - reflecting the glory of God - that he had to wear a veil.
There can be little question that this was one main object of this wonderful vision. It was meant to encourage the disciples, by giving them a glimpse of good things yet to come.
That “face shining as the sun,” and that “raiment white as the light,” were intended to give the disciples some idea of the majesty in which Jesus will appear to the world, when He comes the second time, and all His saints with Him.
The corner of the veil was lifted up, to show them their master’s true dignity. They were taught that, if He did not yet appear to the world in the guise of a king, it was only because the time for putting on His royal apparel was not yet come. It is impossible to draw any other conclusion from St. Peter’s language, when writing on the subject.
He says, with distinct reference to the transfiguration, “We were eye-witnesses of his majesty.” (.)
We must have the coming glory of Christ and His people deeply impressed on our minds. We are sadly apt to forget it. There are few visible indications of it in the world. —We see not yet all things put under our Lord’s feet. Sin, unbelief, and superstition abound.
Thousands are practically saying, “We will not have this man to reign over us.”—It does not yet appear what His people shall be. Their crosses, their tribulations, their weaknesses, their conflicts, are all apparent. But there are few signs of their future reward.
Let us beware of giving way to doubts in this matter. Let us silence such doubts by reading over the history of the transfiguration.
There is laid up for Jesus, and all that believe on Him, such glory as the heart of man never conceived. It is not only promised, but part of it has actually been seen by three competent witnesses.
One of them says, “we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” (.) Surely we can believe what has been seen.
In the second place, we have in these verses, an unanswerable proof of the resurrection of the body, and the life after death.
Who is Jesus?
Another aspect of God the Father’s answer is that Jesus is the one who will replace the Old Covenant.
The Law and the Prophets have served their turn and pass away.
He, who is the fulfillment of both, alone remains.
A new era is on the horizon. The Old Covenant, represented by Moses and Elijah is going to pass away and the new Covenant is going to come, through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
This new covenant is a relationship with Jesus.
We are told that Moses and Elijah appeared visibly in glory with Christ. They were seen in a bodily form. They were heard talking with our Lord. Fourteen hundred and eighty years had rolled round, since Moses died and was buried. More than nine hundred years had passed away, since Elijah “went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” Yet here they are seen alive by Peter, James, and John!
Let us lay firm hold on this part of the vision. It deserves close attention.
We must all feel, if we ever think at all, that the state of the dead is a wonderful and mysterious subject.
One after another we bury them out of our sight. We lay them in their narrow beds, and see them no more, and their bodies become dust.
But will they really live again? Shall we really see them anymore? Will the grave really give back the dead at the last day? These are questions that will occasionally come across the minds of some, in spite of all the plainest statements in the word of God.
Now we have in the transfiguration the clearest evidence that the dead will rise again. We find two men appearing on earth, in their bodies, who had long been separate from the land of the living—and in them we have a pledge of the resurrection of all who are in Christ.
All that have ever lived upon earth will again be called to life. Not one will be found missing. There is no such thing as annihilation. All that have ever fallen asleep in Christ will be found in safe keeping—patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs—down to the humblest servant of God.
Though unseen to us, they all live to God. “He is not a God of the dead, but of the living.” (.) Their spirits live as surely as we live ourselves, and will appear hereafter in glorified bodies, as surely as Moses and Elijah in the mount.
These are deep thoughts! There is a resurrection, and some men may well tremble. There is a resurrection, and men like Paul may well rejoice.
Thirdly, we have in these verses a remarkable testimony to Christ’s infinite superiority over all that are born of woman.
The third significant event that happened at the Transfiguration was that God the Father told the disciples “Who Jesus is”
This is a point which is brought out strongly by the voice from heaven, which the disciples heard. Peter, bewildered by the heavenly vision, and not knowing what to say, proposed to build three tabernacles, one for Christ, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. He seemed in fact to place the lawgiver and the prophet side by side with his divine Master, as if all three were equal.
At once, we are told, the proposal was rebuked in a marked manner. —A cloud covered Moses and Elijah, and they were no more seen.
—A voice at the same time came forth from the cloud, repeating the solemn words, made use of at our Lord’s baptism, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: listen to Him.”
That voice was meant to teach Peter, that there was one there far greater than Moses or Elijah.
Moses was a faithful servant of God. Elijah was a bold witness for the truth. But Christ was far above either one or the other.
He was the Saviour to whom law and prophets were continually pointing. He was the true Prophet, whom all were commanded to hear. (.)
Moses and Elijah were great men in their day.
But Peter and his companions were to remember, that in nature, dignity, and office, they were far below Christ.—He was the true sun: they were the stars depending daily on His light.—He was the root: they were the branches.—He was the Master: they were the servants.—Their goodness was all derived: His was original and His own.—Let them honor Moses and the prophets, as holy men. But if they would be saved, they must take Christ alone for their Master, and glory only in Him. “Listen to Him.”
Let us see in these words the lesson to the whole Church of Christ. There is a constant tendency in human nature to “hear man.” Bishops, priests, deacons, popes, cardinals, councils, preachers, and independent ministers are continually exalted to a place which God never intended them to fill and made practically to usurp the honor of Christ.
Against this tendency let us all watch and be on our guard. Let these words of the vision ever ring in our ears, “Listen to Christ.”
It is interesting that God the Father did not say Listen to Jesus and Moses and Elijah.
He just simply said “Listen to Jesus.”
The best of men are only men at their very best. Patriarchs, prophets, and apostles—martyrs, fathers, reformers, puritans—all, all are sinners, who need a Saviour—holy, useful, honorable in their place—but sinners after all.
They must never be allowed to stand between us and Christ. He alone is “the Son, in whom the Father is well pleased.” He alone is sealed and appointed to give the bread of life.
He alone has the keys in His hands, “God over all, blessed forever.” Let us be sure that we hear His voice and follow Him.
Let us value all religious teaching just in proportion as it leads us to Jesus. There is no other way to God than through Jesus. We don’t have rules and regulations to keep to get to heaven. It is not a matter of being good. Rather it is a matter of coming through Christ.
Who do you think Jesus is?
If you believe what God the Father said, then the challenge is are we prepared to listen to what Jesus has to say in our lives. The sum and substance of saving religion is to “listen to Christ.”[1]
[1] J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on Matthew (New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1860), 204–209.