Our Lord’s Transfiguration is a like a preview at the cinema, before the featured presentation. You glimpse a smidgen, enough to tug at you later to go to the movie. That’s what the Transfiguration is—a sneak peek, a glimpse of Jesus’ glory as the Son of God, a coming attraction for the kingdom He brings in His dying and rising.
Before His Transfiguration, Jesus said: “Some standing here will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:27). And nothing happens. Jesus gives them six days to think about what He said. To whom does Jesus refer? When will this happen, and where? And what will happen, whenever this event takes place?
Matthew and Mark tell us it took place six days later. Luke says eight. Hmm, what’s going on? Eight days is new-creation talk. God created the first creation in six days. He rested on the seventh. The eighth day is the first day of the new creation when Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead. But that’s also when He creates the new heaven and earth. So, the Transfiguration is a preview of the new creation.
Jesus went up a mountain to pray with three disciples: Peter, James, and John. The Law demanded two or three witnesses to verify a fact. Jesus is making sure that future generations can trust that His Transfiguration took place. Jesus gives Peter, James, and John an exclusive privilege and gift. He will reveal His divine glory to them before He dies, rises, and returns to heaven. They will be His witnesses.
Peter later wrote:
We were eyewitnesses of his majesty. Jesus received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We heard this voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. [2 Peter 1:17-18]
While Jesus was praying, His face changed in appearance, and His clothing became dazzling white. What was going on with His shining face and shimmering robes? The Creed we confess every week tells us. Jesus is God of God, Light of Light, and true God of true God.
Jesus gives us an “epiphany,” an appearance. His divinity, His goodness, is shining through His humanity, causing His face and clothing to glow with an earthly brightness. He shows us again that He is a man—but not only a man. Jesus’ divine nature and His glory as God’s Son no longer hides deep within His humanity.
Moses and Elijah didn’t shine like Jesus. Now, they did appear in glory, Jesus’ glory, not their own. They were as the moon is to the sun. They reflected His glory but had none of their own. Jesus stands alone. He is unique. He is the shining One.
Jesus’ light came from within Himself, as every cell of His humanity blazed with the glory of God. Earlier, God revealed Himself in such a way, but in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Later, the tabernacle and the Temple became the place where God chose to reveal His glory.
And now, before three disciples, God reveals His presence, but on the mountain. Prophet Isaiah spoke of this mountain, the mountain where God would unmask His glory to the Gentiles, and they would flock to the Lord.
Moses and Elijah both appeared with Jesus. They represented the Torah, which is the Law, and the Prophets. On Sinai, God gave His Law through Moses. Elijah was the leading prophet. And here they both appear with the glorified Jesus.
Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. Moses and Elijah pointed to Jesus as Old-Covenant previews. And here they were, in this final sneak peek that Jesus reveals to His disciples. And now, the one who fulfills the Law and Prophets was standing, radiant with glory—and Moses and Elijah in glory with Him. Jesus IS giving a sneak preview of the resurrection when those long dead will rise in His glory.
St. Luke reports that they were talking with Jesus about His departure, which He was about to carry out in Jerusalem. Luke used the word, “exodus.” They were talking about His exodus—and who’s better to talk about that than Moses?
Moses led Israel on an exodus from slavery to freedom. But Jesus’ exodus is greater. His “exodus” is His “passover” from death into life. Jesus parts the sea of death as He tramples Death underfoot in His dying. His exodus brings humanity out of slavery to Sin and Death into freedom and life.
Jesus’ death on a cross, His resurrection from the dead, and His ascension 40 days later is the “exodus.” He takes the world, the created order, and our humanity, from death into life and glory.
The Transfiguration is a preparation for that. Jesus, who gleams like the sun, who radiates God’s glory on the mountain, will be the same Jesus who hangs dead on the cross, bearing the sin of the world. You need to make that hard connection. The mountain of Transfiguration shows Jesus to be the Son of God. Calvary, the mountain of His cross, reveals Him as Savior of the world.
Peter, James, and John almost missed the entire event. They were in a deep sleep. Sleep? How can someone be asleep on a mountain with Jesus? How can you be weighed down with sleep in the Divine Service? Jesus is also here, with life and salvation. So, they were heavy with sleep.
When they woke up, they got an eyeful: Jesus was aglow; Moses and Elijah were standing next to Him. That’ll wake up your eyes in a hurry! Peter bursts out, “Master, it’s good we’re here.” He was glad to experience such a stunning event.
When the vision of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah enters Peter’s eyes, he does what so many in this world want to do. He wants to preserve the moment. Peter tries to capture the moment, the way some are always taking a selfie at some event. But Peter wants to build three tents: One for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for Jesus.
We also want to save the “religious moment,” the ecstatic experience. The emotion, the vision, whatever: we want such a powerful experience to be the norm. We want to memorialize the hilltop. We’re like junkies, chasing after that peak, mountaintop experience.
Peter didn’t know what he was saying. Perhaps, fear formed his words, or sleepiness confused his thinking. Either way, visions like this defy words and our ability to understand them as we should. Just then, a cloud came. The cloud that once filled the Temple surrounded them. The cloud now covered the glory. The Father then preached from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to him!”
The same voice spoke earlier at Jesus’ baptism, identifying Him as the Messiah. Again the Father speaks, being clear to Jesus’ disciples and us: Jesus is unique! No one else is like Him. He is greater than Moses, Elijah, and any other religious guru, sage, or leader who ever walked the face of this earth.
A cloud and the Father’s voice: the cloud obscures and hides the glory. The voice declares, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to him!” Only He has the words of eternal life. For He is God’s Son. His words are Spirit, and they are life. Listen to Him.
And then only Jesus: no Moses, Elijah, or the Father’s voice. The cloud was gone; the shining had stopped. Only the ordinary looking Jesus was before them once more.
Moses was impressive, but he cannot save you. His commandments are serious, all 10 of them. But they cannot save you. Elijah was notable, the father of the prophets, whom God honored in a special way. God whisked him into heaven in a fiery chariot. But Elijah can’t save you. Moses and Elijah can only point to Jesus—as the Father also pointed to His Son. “Listen to Him!” Only Jesus saves you.
Our Lord’s Transfiguration underscores His utter uniqueness. He’s unlike anyone else. He is greater than Moses on his mountain. He is greater than Elijah in his glory. He alone is God in human flesh. He alone is the chosen, elect Son. He alone is the Christ, the anointed servant of God who suffers for the sin of the world. He alone is the Savior. He can pull you from your grave of death, lift you up to His holy mountain, and give you a glory that is not your own.
Visions don’t create faith. Visions don’t turn the heart. Visions don’t forgive sin or raise us from death. A bright shining Jesus may be a spectacular sight, but a dazzling sight won’t save you. Only a God with a soul and body, with bone and flesh, gives you His salvation. And only Jesus is such a God. He keeps the Law, without flaw, for you. Only He goes down to your death to pull you up from the grave and give you eternal life. Only Jesus has the words of eternal life.
Today, we got a sneak peek on the mountain, the glimpse of what is yet to come and what now is by faith. This glory is yours in Christ. This same Jesus, who shone in glory, is the One, who died in darkness. But He didn’t stay in the dust of death. Jesus rose, mighty in power. And now He comes to you enshrined, tabernacled in the bread and wine. Receive Him, trust Him, for only in Him do you have eternal life. Amen.
