Once upon a time Jesus took a couple friends up on a mountaintop. There, he was changed, or, in Christianese, “transfigured.”
The text says he led them up a high mountain by themselves. He took them to a remote place which was far removed. It was likely a somewhat difficult journey. Jesus was teaching them a practical lesson on seeking things above, and calling them to go up wherever he is. He wanted intimacy, privacy, and exclusivity with those whom he had chosen. Not everyone got to see this. Only those whom Jesus hand-picked (Peter, James, and John) were brought up to this place to see his glory.
In a moment, Jesus changed before their eyes. They finally saw him for who he was; unveiled. His appearance went from normal Jewish guy to bright, shining, radiant, white light. He was revealing to these guys his deity. What his humanity had concealed, he gave in the form of a glimpse to a few whom he had chosen. Jesus showed them his glory for their good.
When he was changed, Moses and Elijah appeared with him. Moses represented the Old Testament law, and Elijah represented the Old Testament prophets. Luke 24:44 reminds us that everything, yes, literally everything that was written in the Old Testament was written about Jesus. He came to fulfill the whole of the law and the prophets through successfully living out the law of loving God and loving others (Matthew 5:17, 22:40, Galatians 5:14).
“Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” ~Luke 24:44-47
Here, we find that Christ not only confirms that all of the Old Testament was written about him specifically, but that apart from his enlightenment, no one can rightly understand the Scriptures. And a right understanding of the Scriptures only leads Jesus Christ and his followers to one, single place in this world: suffering. Suffering. A taking up of His cross; our cross.
Nevertheless, when Peter saw the transfigured Christ, he said, “It is good that we are here.” Peter was thankful that God allowed him this amazing spiritual privilege. His impromptu house building is indicative of his desire to do something – anything – to serve and give Christ the honor due him.
I often wonder if all churches are just that. A feeble, mostly fool-hardy attempt to just do a job for Jesus. While our intentions are just, I wonder why we are always trying to jail Jesus. All we humans ever think to do is build a box; tie up a tent; hand make a house for a guy the whole show is about; a God who does not dwell in a house built by human hands (Acts 17:24).
We know it was while Peter was still speaking about his wishful woodwork that God makes it clear that doing good is about one thing and one thing only: glorifying his Son, Jesus Christ.
Moses and Elijah disappear in the light of his glory; his power; his authority; his righteousness. Jesus Christ stands alone. He stands alone. And, often, so will we when we follow him fully – first, in suffering; later, in glory.
It was the voice of God which identified Jesus, who is the Word of God. The voice of God identified the Word of God. Apart from the voice of God, we see not, know not, love not, obey not the Word of God. Apart from the Spirit of God, we cannot know Christ. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing.
“This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” ~John 6:65
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. We cannot truly hear unless Jesus Christ takes us, leads us, and enables us.
When the disciples heard the voice of God, they fell on their faces, terrified. Terrified. It is in this moment that these men, who were so willing to follow Jesus at the expense of leaving behind almost every aspect of their former lives, realize that God is not to be trifled with. They saw Christ standing alone in radiant, transfigured glory.
“Our God is in the heavens; he does whatsoever he pleases.” ~Psalm 115:3
He does whatsoever he pleases. Has that ever terrified you? I mean really, really terrified you? Because you don’t have to hear a voice out of heaven audibly to be altogether terrified at the revelation that God does indeed do whatsoever he pleases.
I remember swimming in a triathlon once. I’d done many previous to this one. I’d done many in open water before this one. This race was a minimal number of laps in a pool. Easy-peasy. I was even pregnant when I competed in this particular race. It wasn’t a difficult race. But as I began to swim, my goggles broke. Not wanting to waste time fixing them, I threw them out of the pool. No problemo. I’ve swam without eye-wear lots of times.
As the laps went on, I found it more and more difficult to keep my bearings. I couldn’t see at all, and I began to have irrational fears. Terrifying, irrational fears. The singular fear in my mind as I swam blind was knowing in my heart that God could and would do whatsoever he pleased – that moment, that day, that year, or the next, or the next, or the next. And I couldn’t see it, or know it, or prepare for it in any way other than to know Him. I knew him then and I know him now, but that thought is still absolutely terrifying to me. God is. I have zero doubt. ZERO. God is and God does whatsoever he pleases. Terrifying.
So I know what these disciples were feeling when they saw Jesus for who He truly was, and heard God’s voice loud and clear. God is. God does whatsoever he pleases. And there’s nothing you can do about it. Nothing.
I also remember a time where my oldest daughter was memorizing this particular Psalm. She was probably 7 years old. And she just said, “Mom, isn’t God kind of selfish? Doesn’t he teach us to think about what other people want? Why does he just do what he wants?”
“I don’t know, I guess because he’s God,” I replied. “So he always does what is right and just and what is best for everyone. But even if he didn’t, he has the authority to do whatever he wants because it’s all his. He’s God. We’re not.”
Hard truths for humans. Terrifying truths for humans. And they all culminate into one, big, terrifying truth that every hardened heart, every sinful rebel, every grieving soul, and every doubting disciple does not want to deal with: The created cannot control circumstances. The Creator alone controls all of His Creation – of which we creatures are only a part.
Terrifying, but true. Terrifying if we swim blind. Terrifying if we see God for who he really is without seeing God for who he really is.
Who will rescue us from this body of death? This body that hammers down houses calling them holy while not so candidly just crying out for control?
“But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise, and have no fear.’ And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.” ~Matthew 17:7
When Jesus touches us, we change. We change from holy house-building control freaks to I-see-only-a-Savior Jesus freaks.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know, I know He holds the future,
Life is worth the living just because He lives.
When the way the disciples saw and experienced Jesus changed, their fear was gone. Their fear of the unknown coupled with their unworthiness was eradicated and all they saw was a supernatural, all-sufficient Savior.
Wouldn’t it be nice to keep that mountaintop perspective all the time? Perhaps Paul did it most perfectly – even though he wasn’t there for the picture show that day. We know Peter periodically forgot what he had learned because he went around piercing ears and pretending he did not personally know Jesus at all. But we can hardly blame him when we really consider this passage.
Jesus took them.
Jesus led them.
Jesus was changed before them.
Jesus touched them.
Guess who’s doing the deeds in these dudes’ dark and dull hearts and lives? Clearly, it isn’t they themselves. We need a Savior. We need a Savior to take us, lead us, change us, and touch us.
Tent-building and tent-making have their place, but they often leave men terrified in their own toiling. One touch from the true vine will take us to a place of transfiguration.
“Through the infirmity of the flesh, we often frighten ourselves with that wherewith we should encourage ourselves. Observe, after they had an express command from heaven to hear Christ, the first word they had from him was, “Be not afraid,” hear that. Christ’s errand into the world was to give comfort to good people, that being delivered out of the hands of their enemies, they might serve God without fear.” ~Matthew Henry
[…] Matthew 17:1-8 The Terrifying Transfiguration […]
[…] Matthew 17:1-8 The Terrifying Transfiguration […]
[…] Matthew 17:1-8 The Terrifying Transfiguration […]