From transfiguration through triumphal entry richard neitzel holzapfel, thomas a. The transfiguration of christ and creation kindle edition. As elizabeth struthers malbon notes, the mountain is figuratively the meeting place between god and humans, 45 and, therefore, it is the ideal landscape for an epiphany or theophany. The transfiguration about eight days after jesus said this, he took peter, john and james with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. The transfiguration is significant because it was the glorification of the body of jesus.
This passage is traditionally know as the transfiguration, from the greek term used by both mark and matthew to describe what happened to jesus metemorphotha, mk 9. Why were moses and elijah on the mount of transfiguration. There is a tradition which connects the transfiguration with mount tabor, but that is unlikely. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.
Hermon was an adumbration and a presentation of the ultimate, sublime, triumphal victory of our lord at the end of the age. Matthew 17 commentary william barclays daily study bible. Jan 02, 2020 mount hermon is a much higher mountain, almost 10,000 feet, and it is closer to caesarea philippi where the previous events in matthew 16 took place. The roman catholic tradition identifies it as mount tabor, south of the region of galilee, on the northern edge of the jezreel valley. Transfigured hermeneutics transfiguration and exodus. I want you to listen today with your mind as well as your heart. The true meaning of the transfiguration is discussed, and how jesus saw it as opposed to how the three apostles saw it. Transfiguration, by fra angelico the christian century. But the mount of transfiguration was holy, not because of a connection with the holy city, but because the transfiguration took place there. Bruce says of the transfiguration of christ that it is one portion of the word of god which he would prefer to pass over in silence. The transfiguration of jesus is a story told in the new testament when jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant in glory upon a mountain. This biblical event appears in each of the gospel books as an important moment in the life of jesus and evidence of his divinity. At sinai, the mediator of the old covenantmoseswas. At sinai, the mediator of the old covenantmoseswas established.
Often in connection with their belief that elijah is in heaven, people reference the transfiguration when elijah and moses appeared to be speaking with yeshua. The transfiguration by titian in his paintings, the anatomist finds form. The transfiguration of the lord lectio divina is an authentic source of christian spirituality recommended by our rule. It is connected in one way or another to many other events in the stories about him and plays a central theological role because it. While praying, his personal appearance was changed into a glorified form, and his clothing. Each of the synoptic gospels contains an account of the transfiguration matthew 17. Our synoptic authors make brief mention ofin reality it is scarcely more than an allusion towhat happened on thecontinue reading. On this occasion his body underwent a change in form, a metamorphosis, so that it shone as brightly as the sun. Moses was the great lawgiver of the people of israel. You see, our lord in the days of his flesh was disowned, disavowed, destroyed. What was the meaning and importance of the transfiguration.
The voice of god the father gave further confirmation of the calling and sonship of jesus. The transfiguration probably happened on mount hermon, 14 or so miles from caesarea philippi, a mountain that is so high that, on a clear day, it can be seen from the dead sea. The transfiguration is amazing but what can we learn. For these reasons, some scholars feel that mount hermon is a more likely candidate to be the mount of transfiguration. What preachers get wrong and peter gets right about the. What we see in this passage is the holy light, that which is given from above. It confirms jesus appointment as a special messenger of god. The earliest identification of the mount of transfiguration as tabor is by origen in the 3rd century. What happened at the mysterious event known as the transfiguration. Others think it has its roots in an actual visionary event of some kind.
Study the bible online using commentary on the transfiguration. Torah clubs have the option of following the main study track commentary, shadows of the messiah. The transfiguration is this sunday, a scene that many preachers color me guilty get wrong, but peter no matter how many times we make him the patsy in the story gets right. The church of the transfiguration is located atop mount tabor. One of the most helpful books to have on the gospels is alfred. The mount of transfiguration reformed bible studies. Mount tabor 575 metres or 1,886 feet high is the traditional location. The transfiguration bible story study guide the divinity of jesus christ was unveiled in the transfiguration. It confers upon us and the disciples peter, james and john the knowledge of the messiah, the christ. Whether your church has ten pews or a thousand seats, a praise band or a pipe organ, oneroomsunday school or a network of small groups, a huge staff or just you. The transfiguration occurred with jesus and three of his disciples peter, james, and john. Today we will ascend another peak in the life and ministry of our lord and savior jesus christ. Wherever it came from, the transfiguration is a highly symbolic story.
Though tradition locates the transfiguration on mount tabor there is little to confirm this view and modern critics favor mount hermon. He means that prophecy is more sure than an eye or earwitness account. Bible scholars think the likely location of the transfiguration was mount hermon, a 9,200 feet snowcapped mountain, the runoff of which flows into several streams which merge into the jordan river. Some scholars say the transfiguration episode is really an account of jesus resurrection which was moved to a different part of the gospels. Introduction in one of the great christian classics of the 19th century, the training of the twelve, dr. It is absolutely amazing to let our imaginations wander to consider what the disciples actually witnessed. Jesus calls himself the son of man, a title we discussed in yesterdays commentary. Tiziano vecelli anglicized as titian is one of the greatest painters of. Jesus walks apart from them, covering his head to pray.
Elijah fled to mount horeb, and there god spoke to him in a sound of sheer. And of course, moses was there because he represented the law of god, but jesus took the law and kept it perfectly, as the prophets foretold, and brought the grace of god, which is apart from the law. Records of the transfiguration are found in matthew 17. Let us first look at the scene where this time of glory came to jesus and his three chosen disciples. Ministry matters is a community of resources for church leaders. In this excerpt, warren wiersbe shares some lessons from christs transfiguration. In matthew 16, jesus tells the disciples that he will be killed and raised to life verse 21. The transfiguration is described by matthew, mark, and luke, with the most detailed account given by luke. He represented all the prophets who wrote about him. Thats why elijah appeared on the mount of transfiguration with jesus. Let us make three tabernacles, one for you, one for moses and one for elijah. We have a partial account in the gospel of matthew of what happened on the mount of transfiguration, but we are clearly missing some things that happened here.
Jun 25, 2019 1 and he said unto them, verily i say unto you, that there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of god come with power. The roman catholic tradition identifies it as mount tabor, south of the. Two men, moses and elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with jesus. Elijah was an outstanding figure in the old testament. At the transfiguration the lord sent moses and elijah to talk with jesus concerning his sufferings and death. To take this a step further, where the king abides in any person or where a person is in christ, the kingdom is also present.
Dec 29, 2014 are moses and elijah currently in heaven, and what was the purpose of the transfiguration. The great moment of caesarea philippi was followed by the great hour on the mount of transfiguration. We thus may have the key to understanding jesus mysterious statement just before the transfiguration. At the time of the transfiguration, jesus earthly ministry was coming to a close. The disciples, on the mount of transfiguration, were participating in an event that marked a key transition in the history of the lords people. The whole summary of the law and the prophets was given by jesus himself. It would make sense for the transfiguration to take place in that region where jesus had been ministering and where peter made his confession. We are going to probe into some of the deep things of god. Mount hermon about 9,300 feet, 2,835 meters is high. Patrick henry reardon the transfiguration of christ. The transfiguration of christ by andreas andreopoulos this book is a remarkable journey into an orthodox understanding of the transfiguration of christ found in the gospel narratives. The members of jesus inner circle peter, james, and john, were eyewitnesses to the transfiguration. In the book of acts, the message of the kingdom is inextricably tied to the central being in that kingdom acts 8.
More than one student of his gospel, however, has explained the absence of the transfiguration in john by remarking that jesus is always transfigured in what john wrote. Salts lectionary commentary for epiphany 6, based on the revised common lectionary, year b, epiphany 6b. The marginal reference says, which is more sure than what we heard. And, look you, moses and elijah appeared to them, talking with him. When moses came down from the mount with the two tables of stone and saw. Jesus had gone there to seek the approval of god for the decisive step he was about to take. Jesus takes john, james and peter up a hill to pray. There have been several suggestions for the location of the mount of transfiguration. Dec 15, 2018 at jesus transfiguration, the lord appeared in his true form as the son of god and the disciples saw his preexistent glory. Tabor is not a high mountain, its elevation above the sea being but 1,748 feet.
This event, known as the transfiguration, has long been regarded as one of the most important events in jesus life. Our synoptic authors make brief mention ofin reality it is scarcely more than an. Transfigured hermeneutics transfiguration and exodus the gospel accounts of the transfiguration also echo events at sinai in the book of exodus written by alastair roberts. The transfiguration was a statement about the authority of jesus. A question about the transfiguration commentary for june 14, 2009 moses and elijah are not alive a question was asked regarding the state of the dead relative to moses and elijah appearing with jesus on the mount of transfiguration. Not one word of the old testament scriptures will be unfulfilled. Three sukkot on mount transfiguration disciples torah. Tabor as the site of the transfiguration, but this is unquestionably a mistake. An alternative explanation is to understand the mount of transfiguration as symbolic topography in the gospels. This deep dive into the torah employs jewish commentary and ancient christian texts to reveal messiah in the books of moses. Dahl, associate professor of church history and doctrine, brigham young university.
He had acknowledged that he was the messiah and predicted his death and resurrection. A tradition dating from the fourth century fixes upon mt. Of course, moses and elijah each had been dead for many centuries. The transfiguration the event in the earthly life of christ which marks the culminating point in his public ministry, and stands midway between the temptation in the wilderness and the agony in gethsemane, matthew 17. For the past number of weeks our pastor led us up to a mount and we hear the first part of the sermon on the mount, where we specifically stopped and pondered the beatitudes found in matthew 5. This revelation is referenced in a passage in the apostle pauls message to phillippi.
It also probably took place at night because earlier we have read that the disciples were weighed down with sleep. After six days jesus took with him peter and james and john, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. He said we are to love god above all and then love our neighbor as ourselves, and from the parable of the good samaritan, we know that our neighbor is anyone in need, so why did jesus bring elijah and moses to the mount of transfiguration. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. Luke 9 commentary william barclays daily study bible. When one considers the various individuals and groups involved, it paints a marvelous picture of jesus coming kingdom. Moses, elijah, john the baptist, and perhaps others appeared to peter, james, and john on the mount of transfiguration, where the keys of the kingdom of heaven matt. The transfiguration we shall be as glorious as jesus was on the mount of transfiguration. On that mountain it was demonstrated that it is now jesus alone who has authority over men.
Jun 23, 2011 jesus takes john, james and peter up a hill to pray. The transfiguration of jesus is a story told in the new testament when jesus is transfigured. The transfiguration was the glorification of the human body of jesus. Weight of evidence is in favor of hermon as the mount of transfiguration, though nothing that may be called decisive is known in the matter. But if we regard him as including the day of the sayings and also the day of the transfiguration, and the other two as excluding these days, then the three statements tally exactly. The mount of transfiguration is the mountain upon which jesus was transfigured matthew 17, mark 9, luke 9. All of the law and prophets point to christ and are fulfilled in christ luke 24. In this wise and beautifully written book, john gatta leads us up the mount of transfiguration where, drawing on literature, music, science, art, and a rich trinitarian theology, he helps us enter anew into the astonishing promise that christs glorification holds for us and for the whole creation. Jesus, whose glory was veiled in flesh, became unveiled to those 3 disciples and they beheld his glory. And the apostle john taught us the same lesson, when he said,we know that when he. Instead of choosing angels to converse with his son, god chose those who had themselves experienced the trials of earth. Three weeks on the sermon on the mount led us to yet another mountain, this time the mount of transfiguration.
Sinai, matthews jesus will hear gods voice directing the prophet and the. With the help of assistants, he painted more than 40 frescoes at san marco, most of them depicting scenes of christs crucifixion. At the foot of the mountain were the remainder of jesus disciples and the multitudes. What happened on the mount of transfiguration we can never know, but we do know that something tremendous did happen. Free subscribers can search and share thousands of articles and resources. The other view, and probably more likely one, is that mount hermon is the site of the transfiguration. At the end, youll find more information about the recently released wiersbe study bible. Moses and elijah served only a temporary purpose in the plan of god cf. Peter refers to what he, james, and john saw and heard on the mount of transfiguration, when god said, this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased.
Mark distinctly tells us that after his descent from the mount, jesus and the apostles departed and went through galilee. We therefore practice it every day, so that we may develop a deep and genuine love for it, and so that we may grow in the surpassing knowledge of christ. While a dominican monk at san marcos monastery in florence, fra angelico 951455 was commissioned to paint frescoes in the meeting rooms and dormitory cells of the lay brothers, novices, and clergy. In the final analysis, we simply do not know what mountain is the mount of. Who appeared to peter, james, and john on the mount of. While praying, his personal appearance was changed into a glorified form, and his clothing became dazzling white. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to. As i noted a few weeks back, the mountain is not just a vivid location for this scene but also one imbued with theological significance.
Matthew 17 the mount of transfiguration lds scripture. Hermon, on the contrary, is the highest mountain in palestine. The transfiguration reflections on the sunday lectionary. We can now apply this principle to christs statements. Understanding the transfiguration are moses and elijah in. Transfiguration, mount of definition and meaning bible. The transfiguration of jesus christ was a powerful demonstration of his divine nature and manifestation of his glory, which jesus possessed prior to coming to earth in the human body. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light. About a week after jesus plainly told his disciples that he would suffer, be killed, and be raised to life luke 9. The transfiguration of our lord is hard to understand. For mark, the transfiguration is in many ways the mother of all epiphany stories. John, though a witness to the lords transfiguration, does not narrate that scene, as did matthew, mark, and luke. From these narratives we gather that jesus went with his disciples from bethsaida to the neighborhood of caesarea philippi, where peters memorable confession was made. Mount tabor and mount hermon seem like the most likely candidatesbut some scholars think that it might have been the mount of olives, which was on the outskirts of jerusalem.
Often in connection with their belief that elijah is in heaven, people reference the transfiguration when. Even during the byzantine era, eusebius, the bishop of caesarea and church historian, suggested that the transfiguration should be associated with mount hermon near caesarea philippi. It was a celestial pageant, which was witnessed by saint peter, saint james and saint john. What was the significance of jesus transfiguration. He was a great prophet and his appearance with moses on the mount of transfiguration testified that jesus fulfilled the prophets, as well as the law. In preparation for the transfiguration of our lord in year c, one has to make an. The sixteenth chapter of the book of matthew closes with our lord, saying, verily, truly, i say unto you, there be some standing here, who shall not taste of death, till they see the son of man coming in his kingdom. Excerpts about the transfiguration of christ, from origens commentary on the gospel of matthew. Message from heaven at mount transfiguration the cloud of glory and the transfiguration. The transfiguration is a christological festival in the church year, which means that the story of the transfiguration deserves attention on its own. Occupied mount tabor does not seem like an appropriate place for the private, mystical revelation of the transfiguration. The longer text tends to diminish the significance of the transfiguration.
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