Matthew 17:1-9 The Transfiguration
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We began Lent last Sunday with the image of the desert. Now on the Second Sunday of Lent, the Church always has one of the Gospel versions of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain.
There is another account in the Scriptures of a mountain in a desert: and Mount Sinai in the desert of the Exodus.
In the time of Moses, the Hebrews, God’s People, were slaves in Egypt. They endured the typical oppression, cruelty, and degradation of slavery. God heard his People’s cry and raised up Moses to eventually lead his People out of Egypt. They went dry-shod through the Red Sea and into the desert to journey to the Promised Land (the Land of Canaan; See Article HERE).
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| Mt. Sinai |
While in the desert the people came to Mt. Sinai, which Moses climbed to meet with God and receive the Law of the Covenant which God was making with the Israelites: God says "You shall be my people and I will be your God." (Exodus 6:7) The Commandments tell the Israelites how to live the Covenant. This entire Exodus experience is the core salvation event of Israel, renewed in the annual Passover Supper (For more on the Passover see HERE).
Mountains are places of encountering God and receiving guidance or instruction from the Lord.
Moses had lived in the desert prior to becoming the leader of God’s people. On Mount Horeb (also known as Mt. Sinai) he encountered God in the Burning Bush. There God gave him his vocation to lead the people out of Egypt’s slavery to the Promised Band. Much later, the Prophet Elijah, who had been challenging Israel’s infidelity to the Covenant, went to the same Mt. Horeb and received renewed strength and direction (See 1 kings 19:1-18 HERE).
Finally, some bible scholars assert that the Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as a new Moses. Thus we would expect to find parallels between Jesus and Moses. For example, both are transfigured on a mountain (when Moses returned from Mt. Sinai with the Commandments, his face shone. See Exodus 34:29-30 HERE). However, Jesus is more than just a new Moses: he is as the Son of God greater than Moses (cf with Jesus being greater than Solomon or the Prophet Jonah HERE) and fulfills the First Covenant (the Old Covenant) renewed through Moses.
"Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves." (Matthew17:1)
and led them up a high mountain by themselves." (Matthew17:1)
We do not know why Jesus chose these three disciples from the Twelve to go up the mountain with him. The choice of Peter makes sense because Peter would be the Chief of the Apostles. (See Matthew 16:) But preceding this event of the Transfiguration, Jesus had begun to teach his Apostles that he would suffer and die (See Matthew 16:). This offended Peter who did not understand a "Suffering Messiah."
Some of the early Church Fathers (Teachers) said that Jesus took these disciples to witness his Transfiguration so as to strengthen their faith when it would be tested by the scandal of the Cross by giving them a foretaste of the transformation and glory of the Resurrection.
"And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light." (Matthew17:2)
and his clothes became white as light." (Matthew17:2)
The element most associated with God is probably light. In the Creed when we profess that Jesus is divine and we say he is "God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God."
Author Gregory Wolfe compares the light shining from the transfigured and glorified Christ with how God appeared to Moses in the Burning Bush:
"The Transfiguration hearkens back to Moses’ own encounter with the divine in the form of the burning bush, and it looks forward to the mysterious post-Resurrection body of Jesus. In each instance, glory is experienced as a transformation that does not consume or destroy what is being transformed. The ordinary becomes extraordinary without becoming something wholly other." "Transfiguration" Image Journal Issue 27 (Article HERE)
"And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him." (Matthew17:3)
The simplest explanation for why Moses and Elijah appear in this story is that they sum up the Law and the Prophets of the First Testament. Again, this would fit into Matthew’s agenda to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises and of the Law and Prophets teaching .
Elijah appears rather than one of the other prophets (such as Isaiah) possibly because he was going to come again before the Messiah came: "See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes" (Malachi 4:5) After the Transfiguration in Matthew’s Gospel, in a discussion with Jesus, the disciple’s conclude that John the Baptist fulfills this "appearance" of Elijah as the Forerunner of the Messiah. (See 17:13)
Spiritual writer Fr. Romano Guardini gives another possible reason Moses and Elijah appear to Jesus. Moses had to suffer many trials and opposition even from his own people to lead them to freedom. Elijah experienced opposition and persecution in his ministry, trying to turn the Israelites from sin and idolatry. Perhaps both are encouraging Jesus to stay strong in his coming Passion. Jesus will share this strength with his disciples as we shall see.
"Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, 'Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.'" (Matthew17:4)
If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.'" (Matthew17:4)
Scripture scholars are divided as to what exactly Peter is proposing other than to "pitch camp" and stay on the mountain top. There is the temptation when we have an uplifting spiritual experience to prolong it for as long as we can; but sooner or later, in this life, the exaltation shall come to a conclusion. This part of the Paschal Mystery in our lives. We must be aware that in this life we will experience both the mountain and the desert or the valley; there is the Cross and there is the Resurrection played out thousands of times in our lives. We cannot live on the mountain top in this life, but our daily experience of prayer is at least a small "lifting up of our hearts" to bask in the Light of God.
There is also a sense in Peter’s proposal that he may be equating Jesus with Moses and Elijah by proposing the three dwellings, one for each. If there is a hint of this, Peter is corrected by what happens next.
"While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a Voice that said, '
'This is my Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.'" (Matthew17:5)
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a Voice that said, '
'This is my Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.'" (Matthew17:5)
The bright cloud seems to refer to the Cloud which accompanied the Israelites in the desert in their Exodus from Egypt. "By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night." (Exodus 13:21)This "bright cloud" is associated with God’s Presence and Glory, the Shekinah of the Lord (cf. 2 Chronicles 7:1-3).
In the Gospel of Luke’s account of the Transfiguration, this cloud overshadows the disciples. Luke uses a very specific Greek verb for "overshadow" which is used only one other time in the New Testament: The Angel says to Mary at the Annunciation: "The Holy pirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." (Luke 1:35)
So, just as the Holy Spirit is Present at the baptism of Jesus, so here as well. Once again the identity of Jesusas the beloved Son of God is declared as at his Baptism; however, the Voice of God the Father also says "Listen to him." In light of Peter’s possible equating Jesus with Moses and Elijah, the emphasis may be: "Listen to him." There is support for this because at the end of the vision they will see "Jesus alone [or only]," Moses and Elijah have withdrawn.
There are many "voices" in our world, some claiming absolute attention on our part. There are countless temptations. The One we are to listen to absolutely is Jesus, Son of God, who is the Word of God Incarnate.
"He, your Teacher [the Lord] will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher.
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’" (Isaiah 30:20-21)
"When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
"Rise, and do not be afraid."
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone." (Matthew17:7-8)
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
"Rise, and do not be afraid."
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone." (Matthew17:7-8)
When Jesus touches someone, it is usually to heal them. But what is this touch, this healing to do here? It is to give the disciples courage. Jesus tells them to "Rise," a word which has Resurrection overtones, and he tells them "Do not be afraid," which is also the vocabulary of the easter appearances. jesus heals fear to give courage.
"As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them, "Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." (Matthew17:9)
Here is further support that this Transfiguration event is a foretaste of the Resurrection. The vision will be understood when Jesus is truly glorified in the Resurrection from the dead. The disciples must now go back down the mountain to face the challenges of ministry (See Matthew 17:14-21)
The function of the Transfiguration in the Season of Lent: As we go through the dying aspects of life and its suffering, we are reminded that there is no Cross without the Resurrection. Lent will lead to Easter and our fidelity to God in suffering will lead to our glorification. Regardless, jesus is there to touch us and encourage us.
