Introduction to the Readings and our Theme – The Transfiguration of Jesus

The Transfiguration of Jesus is featured on the last Sunday of the Season of Epiphany, a season recalling how God’s presence and ways have been revealed in Jesus Christ. The focus has been upon Jesus, not upon us. TiS 319 vs has these words penned by William Bright:-

Look, Father, look on his anointed face, and only look on us as found in him.

During Epiphany we have read about the visit of the Wise Men to the Christ Child; the Baptism of Jesus and God’s voice declaring Jesus as the ‘Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased’; then John the Baptist declaring Jesus to be the ‘Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the World’. We then read of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, especially his teaching. For the past two Sundays we have heard some key passages from the Sermon on the Mount. Today – we have three readings:

Exodus 24:12 – 18.  Moses on Mount Sinai receives the tablets of the Law, and experiences the glory of the Lord God (shown in his face when he came down the mountain).

2 Peter 1:16 – 21.  Peter recalls the Transfiguration of Jesus and the affirmation concerning Jesus, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with him I am well pleased”.

Matthew 17:1 – 9 (10 – 13).  An account of the Transfiguration of Jesus, including the affirmation from God concerning Jesus, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with him I am well pleased” including the words: “Listen to him”.

Peculiar to Matthew (cf Mark and Luke) is: “with whom I am well pleased”

Which mountain?  Mount Tabor (in southern Galilee) is the likely location. However, some scholars have suggested Mount Hermon because of its greater height and its proximity to Caesarea Philippi – which was mentioned in the previous chapter (Matthew 16:13).

NOTE:  The Revised Common Lectionary includes the Matthew reading only to verse nine; whereas the full passage goes to verse 13 – which includes discussion between Jesus and the disciples concerning Elijah and John the Baptist on the decent from the mountain.

Consider this image in your mind – The Sydney Harbour Bridge: On each side of the harbour there are twin towers, and in the middle is an arch with the high point at the centre to provide strength.  Today we are commencing an eight-day period that bridges the church’s seasons of Epiphany and Lent. In the middle of the arched span is a high point. This is marked as Ash Wednesday – the turning point in the journey following Jesus. This coming week we will turn our attention from Epiphany (revelation about Jesus) to Lent, and to the way of the cross. We change our liturgical colour from Green to Purple, and our mood from affirmation and inspiration, to discipleship the hard way – the Way of the Cross.

Post Script. One of the heavily populated cities impacted by the recent earthquakes in the south eastern coastal area of Türkiye (ie Turkey) is Antakya, which is partly located on the site of the ancient Syrian city of Antioch. It was at Antioch in northern Syria that the term ‘Christians’ was first used (Acts 11:26). Antioch was also the launching place of some early Christian missions. Antioch is probably the centre where refugee Jewish Christians gathered in community, and for whom Matthew’s Gospel was composed and read for the first time.

Sermon   A précis of a sermon prepared by the Rev Dr Barry Brown, 19 February 2023.

While at Rosebud for a few days recently I did some reading about a Native-American story-teller I had heard about some time ago. Black Elk (1863 – 1950) was a Native American holy man and story teller. In later life he converted to Christianity and became a Roman Catholic catechist. However, he continued to practice his people’s ceremonies. Early in his life he had had a vision that profoundly affected his whole life. This vision was of a mystical meeting with a number of his ‘grandfathers’ who provided him guidance that remained with him for the rest of his life. It has been reported that on many occasions, when telling the sacred stories of his people, Black Elk would commence the story by saying: “I’m not quite sure that it actually happened this way; but I know it is true”.

Today’s story of the Transfiguration of Jesus is one that requires our active imagination. It is a story that defies normal human reasoning; yet it is one that has profound religious truth. The main persons in the mystical encounter, in addition to the Lord God, are Jesus, Moses and Elijah. Moses lived almost 13 centuries before Jesus; and Elijah at least eight centuries.

Moses              c 1250 BCE (middle of 13^th Century BCE)       LAW

Elijah               c 850 BCE (9^th Century BCE)                            PROPHETS

Jesus                c 25 CE (by our modern calendar)

This story is more a Christophany than a theophany – it is a revelation-affirmation of Jesus as the Christ (Messiah), the Beloved Son of God.

The key words are – “This is my Son, my Beloved, with him I am well pleased” including the words: “Listen to him”. It brings to mind again the words heard at Jesus’ baptism.

The words Listen to him – is of particular importance as it refers to Jesus as teacher, the God-given interpreter of the Law and the Prophets (represented by Moses and Elijah).

In Biblical understanding the ‘word‘ from God holds more sway than the mystery of a vision.

For Matthew, the most ‘Jewish’ of the NT Gospels, it is important to emphasise that Jesus’ ministry and teaching is not only consistent with Hebrew tradition, but its fulfilment and its pinnacle.  In this sense, the Transfiguration story authenticates Jesus as the preeminent interpreter of the Law and the Prophets so revered by the Jewish people.

This is shown in the way in which Jesus, especially in Matthew’s Gospel, is recorded as the authoritative teacher, saying: “You have heard that it was said… But I say to you…”. In last week’s Gospel reading from the Sermon on the Mount we heard these words from Jesus four times; four out of the six times in the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew is seeking less to explain a mysterious event than to interpret a sacred encounter.

1. It is a confirmation of the words first heard at the Baptism of Jesus;
2. It is a confirmation of Peter’s affirmation in the previous chapter (Matthew 16:16) “You are the Christ/Messiah, the Son of the living God”).
3. It is an introduction, preparation and anticipation of the events of the Passion and Resurrection towards which the narrative now moves.

The second part of the story (Matthew 17:10 – 14, left out in the Revised Common 6ectionary .readings) identifies the recent ministry of John the Baptist with Elijah. This is likely to mean that in a similar way to John having been a ‘new Elijah’ (or ‘Elijah returned’), Jesus is the ‘new Moses’.  This is not a mere human understanding or insight, it is a revelation from God concerning God’s ‘Son, the Beloved’.

And this is the essential insight for understanding both the horror of the Crucifixion and the mystery of the Resurrection – to which we soon turn in the Season of Lent, and then celebrate in the mystery of the Resurrection at Easter – a season that demands 50 days of joyous celebration.

Earlier I acknowledged that today’s readings and message is primarily about Jesus, the Beloved Son. Indeed, the Season of Epiphany has focussed primarily upon Jesus. But this does not mean we are forgotten. For it is precisely in and through Jesus, God’s Beloved, that our deepest and most profound needs are met. And so we might well pray or sing:

Look, Father, look on his anointed face, and only look on us as found in him.   (TiS 519 v2).

 

PRAYER OF RESPONSE

God of covenant grace,

the cloud of your splendour

and the fire of your love

revealed your Beloved Son on mountain heights.

Transform also our lives in his image;

write your law of love on our hearts,

and make us proclaimers of your glory,

that we may lead other into your presence. Amen