On Sunday, 6th August, we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is one of the most important and significant events in the Gospels of Mathew, Mark and Luke.
In the Gospel of Mark (Ch9:1-10) we read that “Jesus took with him Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain”. Jesus took His disciples up that mountain to encounter God; to enter into the mystery of God and also to reveal to them His Divine Son ship. Till that time Jesus had only shown them, in a sense, the veil of His humanity. They saw Him eat, drink, get tired. Now He is showing them, not only that He is fully human, but that He is also a Divine person. He is the Glorious Son of God.
Before their eyes Jesus was transfigured in appearances. His face shone like the sun, with His own light – a metamorphosis – a change on the outside because of the inside. His garments became radiantly white, like a metal that is polished to a gleam that is almost blinding – so bright! The disciples were literally witnessing the Glory of Jesus!
There appeared two important figures of the Old Testament – Moses and Elijah; they conversed with Jesus. Peter did not know what to say, so he said, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”. Then a cloud overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him”. Suddenly they looked around and they saw no one, only Jesus.
The question often asked is, “Why Moses and Elijah?” There are lots of saints and prophets – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Isaiah, Jeremiah, maybe David. Why is it Moses and Elijah? The under spread interpretation is that Moses is the Giver of the Law and Elijah is one of the most significant Prophets. This shows that Jesus is the fulfillment of both, the Law and the Prophet.
But there is more to it, which Scripture Scholars explain as follows. Moses and Elijah are 2 persons in the Old Testament who received theophanies (i.e personal encounter with God) on a mountain.
We know that when Moses came down from the mountain, his face shone with the glory of having been in the presence of God. It is a reflected glory of God whom he encountered on the mountain. When Jesus is transfigured His face shines with His own light. So Jesus is both similar to Moses but greater than Moses because He is being revealed as the Divine Son of God. The voice says from the cloud, “This is my Beloved Son, listen to Him”.
In Exodus 33 (vs.18 onwards) Moses has a theophany on Mt. Sinai when he says to God, “Let me see your Glory. I want to see your face.” God says to him, “You cannot see my face, because man cannot see me and live”. God added, “See this place near me, you shall stand on the rock and when my glory passes, I will put you in the hollow of the rock and cover you with my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
Again, in 1 Kings 19 (vs 9 onwards) Elijah goes up to Mt. Horeb – the same as Moses, which is just another name for Mt. Sinai. Elijah came to a cave and stayed in it. The word of Yahweh came to him, “Go up and stand on the mountain waiting for Yahweh”. And Yahweh passed by. First, a windstorm that rent the mountain; but Yahweh was not in the wind. Then an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake. A fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire. After the fire, a murmur of a gentle breeze. When Elijah perceived it, he covered his face with his cloak, went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. He did not see the face of God.
So what happens at the Transfiguration? Moses and Elijah are finally able to see in Jesus, the face of God whose face they could not see on Mt. Sinai, now that God has become man, in a sense. This is the answer to the prayer of Moses, “Let me see your glory. I want to see your face”. In other words, in Jesus Christ, God now has a human face. Moses and Elijah who longed to see God’s face finally got the opportunity. Who also got the opportunity? Jesus’ 3 most intimate companions – Peter, James & John!
The significance of the Transfiguration is that, Jesus is the presence of God on earth. He is the Son of God. He is the image of the unseen God. He is the Radiance of God’s Glory; the Name above all names. He humbled Himself by being obedient to death, death on the Cross. May every knee bend and every tongue proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father.
Do we recognise Jesus as the presence of God in the world? Is He the God of our heart? Are we willing to follow Him, to listen to Him? May God grace you to say YES.
-J. Rodrigues