Lesson Focus:
We
are called to listen and to obey the voice of God as made known to us through
the person of Jesus Christ even when it is hard or causes us fear.
Lesson Outcomes:
Through this lessons students should:
1.
Identify Jesus as the full revelation of the
nature of God.
2.
Understand that Jesus represents a continuation
of what God has been doing from Old Testament times onward.
3.
Understand that Jesus, as the revelation of who
God is, should be listened to even when it is hard or impractical.
Catch up on the story:
We
have reached the middle of Matthew’s gospel.
Jesus is currently in the region of Galilee teaching, preaching and
doing miraculous things. After moving on
from the area around Caesarea Philippi, Jesus begins to explain that he must
make his way toward Jerusalem where he will suffer and die. As we hear from Peter in 16:22, the idea that
Jesus must suffer and die does not fit well with the disciples’ understanding
of Jesus as Messiah. Jesus will have
none of Peter’s temptations. Truly,
Jesus declares, if anyone wants to follow him, he or she must take up their own
cross of self-denial.
At
the same time, however, the question of Jesus’ identity is never very far away
in Matthew’s gospel. Characters in the
story are constantly seeking to discover just who this Jesus is. Matthew, for his part, is clear about who Jesus
is and, to that end, places stories which help answer this question all throughout
his narrative. The Transfiguration is
one of those stories.
The Text:
As
with most texts, the only way to understand the Transfiguration is to
understand it in its immediate context and within the context of Matthew’s
gospel as a whole. Let us start with the
immediate context beginning in chapter 16.
Jesus asks his followers a simple question. The question is, “Who do people say that the
Son of Man is?” The purpose behind
Jesus’ question is the desire to begin a discussion about who Jesus is, what he
has come to do and how he will do it.
Peter answers rightly proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son
of the Living God. For Matthew, this
question of Jesus’ identity is at the forefront of the gospel. Peter has answered correctly, but fails to
grasp exactly what that means for Jesus and his followers. Peter displays his flawed understanding of
Jesus’ identity as he rebukes Jesus for saying that he must go to Jerusalem to
suffer and die. He understands the Messiah to be someone who will defeat God’s
enemies militarily (i.e., the Romans), not someone who will suffer and
die. Truly, though, Jesus declares that
anyone who wants to become his follower must practice self-denial as he has and
as he will in his upcoming suffering and death.
At
the beginning of chapter 17 we are given a time marker. It is six days since Jesus has had the
above-discussed conversation with his disciples. Jesus gathers his inner circle of followers,
Peter, James and John, and climbs up to the top of a mountain. There has been lots of discussion amongst
scholars as to which mountain this is.
The actual mountain on which the Transfiguration took place is
inconsequential. What matters is that
this event takes place on a mountain.
All through Israel’s history God reveals himself in special ways on
mountaintops. God gave the law on Mount Sinai. The Temple was built on Mount
Zion. Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew’s first readers would have anticipated that something remarkable
was about to happen.
Once they reach the top of
the mountain something remarkable does indeed happen. Jesus’ appearance begins to change. Jesus’ face begins to shine as bright as the
sun and his clothes become dazzling white.
At this point we should be reminded of another story containing another
characters whose face glows, which is Moses.
After the Exodus, Moses goes up to the top of Mount Sinai to receive the
Law. Because of his proximity to God,
Moses’ face begins to glow and continues to glow even after he has returned to
the camp. Whereas Moses’ transformation
is a result of his encounter with God, Jesus’ transfiguration (metemorphothe
- to take on a different
physical form or appearance—‘to change in appearance.’)[1] is
merely a revealing of who Jesus is on the inside. As Jesus’ appearance changes the disciples
get of glimpse of Jesus in his full glory.
Jesus divinity is here reinforced.
I
suppose we would have a neat and memorable story if things were to end just
with the transfiguration, but the story does not stop there. As Peter, James and John stand gawking at
their friend’s changed appearance, suddenly two other figures appear. They are Moses and Elijah, two of Israel’s
most important leaders. What could be
the significance of the appearance of Moses and Elijah? Bruner believes that Moses and Elijah perform
two important services. First, they
announce the continuity between Israel’s history (the Law and the Prophets) and
Jesus. In Matthew’s gospel there has
been a tension between the religious authorities, who style Jesus as a Law
breaker, and Jesus who has been offering the fullest interpretation of the Law
by saying things like “You’ve heard it said…But I say to you…” Moses and Elijah would not be conversing with
Jesus in this way if Jesus were opposed to the Law. Second, it provides a discontinuity and a
hierarchy between the Old Testament and Jesus.
While the Old Testament and the Law were trying to achieve the same
things as Jesus, that is, enabling God’s people to live truly as God’s people,
Jesus stands above Moses and Elijah and all they represent.[2]
As
Jesus, Moses and Elijah are standing there a bright cloud descends on the
mountain. From this cloud God begins to
speak, echoing words we have already heard at Jesus’ baptism earlier in
Matthew’s gospel, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased;
listen to him!” If we were to inspect
the original Greek we would find a definite article (the) before the word,
Son. Whenever a definite article appears
in this way it specifies that what follows the “the” is the only thing of that
kind. So, God says that Jesus is “the”
Son, the only Son. Even though Moses and
Elijah are there with Jesus, God is not speaking of them as if to say, “Here
are my sons, listen to them!” No, God is
singling out Jesus. Moses and Elijah
were good, and we should not forget them or throw them out (or the Old
Testament), but this is Jesus, the Son
of God. The voice then adds a second
phrase, which is not uttered at Jesus’ baptism, “listen to him!” The word used here is akouo, which means to “listen
or pay attention to a person, with resulting conformity to what is advised or
commanded—‘to pay attention to and obey.’”[3] Akouo is also plural in this case and as
such can be translated as, “You all, listen to and obey him!” In other words, God is urging Peter, James
and John –and us too!– to not only listen to the words and teaching of Jesus
but also to obey what he commands.
In the context of
the Transfiguration it becomes clear that the things that Jesus has done, how
he has healed and taught, how he has interpreted the Law for God’s people, have
been pleasing to God. Even Jesus’ turn
toward Jerusalem where he will suffer and die is pleasing to God because of
Jesus’ steadfast obedience. Jesus is
doing and being all that God wants him to do and be. Now we are being called to listen and obey,
even when what Jesus commands and does is difficult for us to understand or
challenging for us to live out in our own lives. Remember, Jesus has just
called his disciples to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow him
(16:24). In 17:4, Peter’s desire to stay on the mountain and build three
dwelling places for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah seems to reflect his reluctance to
participate in self-denial and suffering. Peter wants to stay on the mountain
where he can experience Jesus’ glory and power for himself. He does not realize
that Jesus’ glory and power will be revealed definitively only on the other
side of his suffering and death on a cross. Peter wants a Messiah who is
glorified and powerful; not one who is suffering and dying.
Peter, James and
John hear God’s voice and they fall to the ground in fear. Then, just as quickly as the experience
began, it is over. Jesus, seeing his
friends afraid, walks over to them and touches them. The very same person who was just a moment
ago glowing with the glory of God, the same person who created the universe,
now bends down to touch and help these men to their feet. Bruner describes the significance of the
touch likes this, “Everything is in that little seventh verse, and in some ways
this little grab-and-lift at the end of the Transfiguration… Jesus shines not
just to shine, not just to impress, not even in the final analysis just to make
us obedient or trembling, but especially to help us up, to put us on our feet,
to enable us to breathe again so that we can
be obedient to his Word, [so we] can ‘Listen
to him.’”[4]
So What?
The
question of Jesus’ identity is at the forefront of this passage. If Jesus is just some guy then all that he
says and does is really of no consequence.
If Jesus is who Matthew says he is, it has major implications for how we
are to live. All through Matthew there
are disputes between the religious leaders and Jesus about his identity. Most religious leaders question his authority
to interpret the Law. In the
Transfiguration Matthew undeniably depicts Jesus as God’s Son. Not only that, but Jesus as God’s Son is
doing everything the Father in heaven has sent him to do, even down to
suffering and death. God is pleased with
Jesus and commands that we listen and obey him.
The
point is this, Jesus is who he claims to be and so we are called to follow and
obey. Only Jesus does not leave us to
our own devices to listen and obey.
Listening to and obeying the words and commands of Jesus is hard and, at
times, terrifying. Loving our enemies,
turning the other cheek, responding with love, all of those responses can be so
hard. But, Jesus reaches down to us as
we are face down paralyzed by fear of following and he lifts us up. We can listen and obey Jesus because he is
there urging us to not be afraid, cheering us on as we seek to follow in the
path that he blazed for us.
Critical Discussion
Questions:
- What does God look like in this text/Who is God in this text/What is God doing in this text?
- God is revealing himself to us in a special way in this text. God announces his pleasure with Jesus because he has been so completely obedient, obedient even in suffering.
- Jesus is the only way through which we can understand what it means to be a follower of God’s law.
- What does holiness/salvation look like in this text?
- Our holiness is deeply connected to our careful listening to what Jesus has to say to us. Our growth in grace depends on our ability to hear and obey Jesus. At the same time, Jesus reaches down to us, grabs ahold of us and encourages us to obey. Jesus does not leave us to grow by ourselves, but gives us the help we need.
- How does an encounter with this story shape who we are and who we should become?
- It is no doubt that Peter, James and John were changed by this encounter with God. This passage should encourage our faith. Yes, Jesus is the Son of God and yes we should do what he says, even when that means denying ourselves and sharing in his suffering.
Specific Discussion
Questions:
Read the text aloud. Then, read the text to yourself
quietly. Read it slowly, as if you were
very unfamiliar with the story.
1.
What other stories from the Old Testament might the
Transfiguration remind you of?
2.
Read Matthew16:13-28.
How is this passage connected to the passage concerning the
Transfiguration?
3.
Why do Moses and Elijah make an appearance at the
Transfiguration? Can you describe how the Old Testament is in continuity with
the New Testament?
4.
Look at verse 4. Why do you think Peter wants to stay
on the mountain and build three dwelling places for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah?
What are the parallels between Peter’s response here and our own responses to
Jesus? Do we ever prefer to stay on the mountain and experience Jesus in his
glory instead of going down the mountain to follow Jesus in his death? If so,
explain how.
5.
Why would God need to proclaim that Jesus is his Son
and that he is pleased with him?
6.
Peter, James and John’s response to this encounter with
Jesus is one of fear. Why were they
afraid?
7.
Discuss a time in your life when you listened to Jesus
and obeyed even though it was very hard to do that.
[1] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene
Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the
New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies,
1996), 586.
[2] Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew:
A Commentary: The Churchbook, Matthew 13-28, Revised & enlarged edition
(Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004), 168.
[3] Louw and Nida, 466.
[4] Bruner, 179.
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