Have You Seen Jesus?
Introduction: I hope you’re not too startled by my sermon title today. I’m really not looking for those who have seen a vision or encountered an apparition of Jesus. If you have, that’s OK, but if you haven’t, that’s OK, too. Rather what I’m asking is, “Have you seen Jesus for who He really is? Have you seen Him in all His glory as the one and only Son of God?”
Do you know something? Peter, James, and John, the inner circle of the twelve disciples, spent two years around Jesus, but even they hadn’t seen Him for who He was until the incident we are going to study this morning. It is my prayer that some of you will see Jesus for the first time today, and that the rest of us will see Him in a new light.
Turn with me to our Scripture text for today, Luke 9:28-36:
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and told no one at that time what they had seen.
My outline is very brief and simple: Preparation, Transfiguration, Suggestion, Vindication, and Interpretation.
Preparation
What led up to the rather amazing incident of Jesus’ transfiguration?
The time: Luke tells us it is about eight days after Jesus spoke the words just preceding verse 28. It is rather unusual for the Gospel writers to be so specific regarding timing; usually they are quite vague. In this ninth chapter, for example, we see a real lack of precision regarding timing. In verse 1, “When Jesus had called the Twelve together;” verse 10, “When the apostles returned;” verse 18, “Once when Jesus was praying ….” But when we come to verse 28 it says, “About eight days after Jesus said this….” Interestingly, Matthew and Mark each do the same, only they say it was six days. But obviously, six can be “about eight,” depending on when you start counting and when you stop. I might say, “We will gather for worship again in about eight days.” If today and next Sunday are both counted, that’s eight. But if you count only the days in between, it’s six.
Now why am I even bothering even to mention the days noted for us here? Because I think there’s a reason all three Gospel writers specify the number of days that elapse between the time Jesus spoke the previous discourse and the transfiguration. Back up with me to verse 27, where following His discourse on the demanding prerequisites of discipleship, Jesus says: “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” There are literally dozens of interpretations as to what this means, and some of those interpretations conclude that Jesus was just flat wrong. He promised the second coming would happen before those who were listening to Him had all died, and obviously it didn’t, so He was wrong.
But the fact that the promise of verse 27 is followed immediately in Matthew, Mark, and Luke by reference to a specific number of days between the promise and the transfiguration gives us a clear hint that the promise of verse 27 and the transfiguration are intimately related. “Some of you who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” And, about eight days later the promise is fulfilled as some of them, namely three, do see the Kingdom of God.
In other words, the transfiguration was, in a very real sense, a preview of the coming Kingdom. Three of Jesus’ disciples are given the enormous privilege of seeing something no one else had ever seen – a glimpse of the glory Christ had before the incarnation and the glory which would be restored to Him after the cross. True, they would see it only briefly, but they would see it.
The people: Those who experience this event are Peter, James, and John. Why these three? Well, they were Jesus’ closest companions. We learn from the Scriptures that Jesus had varying levels of relationships. He preached to the great crowds. Among them were seventy who became His prayer team and His ministers. Among the seventy there were twelve who became His apostles. And among the apostles there were three who went with Him almost everywhere He went. Among the three, apparently His closest friend was John.
The place: The place was a mountain, but we have no way of knowing which one. If you go to Israel, the guide will tell you which one, but he’s just guessing.
The purpose: Jesus was on the mountain for prayer. Jesus never took any step without the approval of His Father. Since He has set His sights on Calvary, as seen in the previous paragraph, I suspect He is praying for strength and courage, and perhaps even a confirmation from His Father. If so, His prayer is certainly answered. It is answered by God by means of the Transfiguration.
Transfiguration
Luke tells us, “As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.” Matthew and Mark use a word in Greek to describe this change, which word is known to nearly all of us; it is the word metamorphosis.
The metamorphosis. The dictionary defines metamorphosis as “a marked and abrupt change in the form or structure of an animal, such as a butterfly or a frog, a striking alteration in appearance.” When a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, it is the same life in a completely different form. That’s what happens here. It’s still Jesus, but the form is radically new. Matthew tells us His face shines as the sun, not because light is falling on Him, but because His deity is allowed to break through for a moment. Mark adds that His clothing is whiter than any earthly laundryman could make it. Even Tide with bleach couldn’t do what the transfiguration does to Jesus’ clothes. Friends, what is going on here?
The purpose. The point of the transfiguration is to show the disciples that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. He once lived in dazzling glory, worshipped by angels, enjoying the splendors of Heaven. But He gave that all up to become one of us. His glory and majesty were veiled in the womb of a virgin and then in the body of a baby, and then in the quiet life of a carpenter. He was different, of course, from His friends and neighbors, because He did not sin. But He was like them in every other respect. He was fully man and fully God, but His deity was hidden, and people did not recognize Him for who He was.
It was at His baptism that God the Father first broke the silence and identified Jesus as His Son. You will recall that when He was baptized, as recorded in Luke 3, Heaven opened up, and the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove. And a voice came from Heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). Suddenly some people began to take notice that this thirty-something carpenter from Nazareth had words of wisdom beyond anything they had ever heard. And He was able to perform miracles beyond anything they had ever seen. But still they weren’t sure where His power came from. He left the fingerprints of God on everything He touched, but still they didn’t know what to do with Him.
Let’s not be too harsh on these early followers. If you had never heard of such a ridiculous notion as the incarnation (God coming in human form), would you be quick to identify someone you had recently met, even someone who was exceptionally moral, bright, and powerful, as God? Someone who looked like you, ate like you, slept like you, got tired like you, and put His pants on one leg at a time like you? God?!?
It is quite understandable that Jesus was an enigma to His disciples. So here God gives to Jesus’ three closest disciples a glimpse into another dimension of the nature of His Son. He desires to erase the enigma from their minds by showing them that the reason Jesus is so different is that He is God. The transfiguration is God’s way of letting Peter, James, and John know who Jesus really is.
In addition, however, the disciples need to know the very important truth that “glory” and “cross” are not incompatible. Jesus has just told them that He is on His way to Jerusalem to die. In verse 22 of this chapter He says, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the establishment religious leaders, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” I’m sure they don’t understand why this must be the case. If He is the Messiah, the One who has come to deliver His people, why would He have to die? What good will that do?
And this talk about resurrection was beyond their comprehension. They had seen resuscitations from the dead, such as Jesus had done for the daughter of Jairus in the previous chapter. That was astounding, but when she came back to life, she was still the same person in the same body, and she would die again someday. Jesus is promising something greater – He will come back to life, never to die again. How are they to understand something they have never experienced?
Well, the transfiguration allows them to catch a glimpse of what the final resurrection is like, as opposed to mere resuscitation from the dead. They are viewing Christ in the form He will assume after three days in the tomb. And the glory of the resurrection body of Christ should serve to ameliorate their fear of the Cross, which lies ahead of Him (and, unknown to them now, lies ahead of most of them as well!). Unfortunately, the disciples are slow learners, and they fail to gain all they should from this experience. Nevertheless, that seems to be God’s purpose in the metamorphosis.
Two witnesses: It says in verse 30, “Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.” This is unique. No other event in the Gospels involves the actual presence of heroes from the past. If you know Bible history, you know that Moses and Elijah had been dead for a long time – Moses for about 1400 years and Elijah for about 800. How can they appear here with Jesus? Well, my guess is that God simply allowed them to return from paradise in bodily form for this brief time so they could add their testimony to the uniqueness of Jesus.
But why Moses and Elijah? Why not Abraham and David? Or Joseph and Daniel? Well, Moses and Elijah are the key representatives of the Law and the Prophets. Moses was the greatest Lawgiver – the one who gave to the Jewish people the Ten Commandments and the first five books of the Old Testament, the Torah or the Pentateuch. And Elijah was the first of the great prophets.
I think there are other reasons why these two witnesses are chosen. Both of them experienced a strange departure from this world. Moses was buried by God Himself on Mt. Nebo in a grave unknown to any man. Elijah never even died, but rather was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot. Some have suggested, then, that Moses may be the representative of those saints who have died, while Elijah is the representative of those who will never die, but who will be taken to heaven without experiencing physical death when Jesus comes again.
Furthermore, Moses himself received a unique revelation of God’s glory on Mt. Sinai, the glory of which was so great that his own face shown to the extent that the Jewish people had to shield their eyes when they looked at Moses (Ex. 24). Elijah also received a unique revelation of God’s glory on Mt. Horeb, when God appeared in an earthquake, then in fire, and finally in a still small voice (I Kings 19). The point is that both of these men were eminently qualified to appear with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Now Luke tells us that the subject of conversation between Jesus and the two witnesses was …
The coming exodus. Look at the middle of verse 31, “They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.” The Greek word for departure is “exodon,” or “exodus” in English. I believe this is a deliberate reminder of the greatest moment in Israel’s history. In Moses’ day the people of God were delivered by God’s power from slavery in Egypt – that was the original Exodus. Now through Jesus the people of God will be delivered by God’s power from a far worse bondage, the bondage of sin. This will happen when Jesus is crucified on a Cross in Jerusalem and is resurrected from the dead three days later. This is the focus of conversation between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.
We come, then, thirdly, to a …
Suggestion by one of Jesus’ disciples.
Look at verse 32:
Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Then Luke adds in parenthesis, (He did not know what he was saying).
If you have been following our study of Luke, you will have noticed that this is the umpteenth time Peter has opened his mouth first. Someone has said that Peter had the original foot in mouth disease. Luke apologizes for Peter, telling us he didn’t know what he was saying. But why apologize? What’s wrong with Peter’s suggestion? First, allow me to say what I can …
In Peter’s defense:
He had just wakened from sleep. Whenever Jesus was praying, the disciples were usually sleeping, and that is what happened here. Apparently awakened by the bright light of the transfiguration, it took them a while to shake the cobwebs. I know I wouldn’t want to be held accountable for everything I’ve said when just awakened out of a deep sleep. On the other hand, verse 32 says they were fully awake before Peter spoke, so maybe we shouldn’t cut him too much slack.
He recognizes the privilege that was his in being present there on the Mount while the transfiguration took place. He says, “It is good for us to be here.”
He submits his suggestion about making three shelters to Jesus. Luke doesn’t tells us this, but Matthew does. In Matt. 17:4 he is quoted as saying, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters.” Whenever you’re trying to give God advice, it’s good to add the words, “If you wish” (It’s even better not to give Him advice). A fourth positive thing we can say is that …
He doesn’t suggest building four tabernacles, one for Jesus, one for Moses, one for Elijah, andone for himself.
Nevertheless, there is still something wrong with Peter’s suggestion. God is not pleased with it. I would suggest several factors …
To Peter’s blame:
He doesn’t think before he speaks. This is normal for Peter. He speaks first and does his thinking afterward, if at all. You know, the thing I like least about Peter is that I am so much like him. If I could take back just a dozen letters I have written over the years, and a couple of dozen conversations, and even a few sermons, my life would be a lot more effective.
He misunderstands the significance of the occasion. While recognizing “it is good for us to be here,” Peter seems to be implying by his suggestion that it is best to stay here, rather than to go to Jerusalem to suffer and die. In fact, Peter speaks “as Moses and Elijah were leaving,” which seems to indicate that his suggestion was designed to keep them from going. Peter wants to prolong this great experience.
But what he fails to understand is that the momentary disclosure of Jesus’ glory would not become permanent until Jesus has accomplished the sufferings which are integral to His task, culminating in His death.
Fourthly, Luke tells us about Jesus’…
Vindication
Luke says in verse 34, “While Peter was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.” We see here first
The external confirmation of the uniqueness of Jesus. The cloud was a sign of God’s presence and protection during Israel’s wilderness wanderings. The cloud protected them from the desert sun by day and the pillar of fire gave them warmth and light at night. God had not used the cloud since Old Testament times. Now it appears again. And, by the way, this cloud will appear twice more – once at His ascension to Heaven after the resurrection, and one final time at His Second Coming. And second, we have
God’s vocal declaration of the uniqueness of Jesus. It says in verse 35, “A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” Peter had suggested building three shelters in a way that ranks these three figures equally, but God clearly and emphatically differentiates Jesus from Moses and Elijah. He says, not “these are my prophets whom I have chosen, listen to them,” but “this is my Son, whom I have chosen, listen to him!” Peter, shut up!
Moses and Elijah have borne witness by their presence that Jesus stands alone as the unique Son of God, chosen and loved by the Father. He is one of a kind. The apostle John later wrote, “We beheld His glory (not their glory), glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth”(John 1:14, NKJV). Hebrews 1 puts his uniqueness this way:
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. (Hebrews 1:1-3).
Luke’s account of the transfiguration ends in verse 36: “When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and told no one at that time what they had seen.” After all, no one could grasp it who hadn’t seen it, and even these three disciples didn’t fully understand it until after the resurrection.
Finally, I want us to look at two other passages that help us interpret the story of the transfiguration.
Interpretation
One aspect of the meaning is offered …
By Jesus. If you have your Bible, turn with me to Matthew 17:9-13:
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
The scholars taught that on the basis of the prophecies in Malachi, the Messiah would not come until Elijah returned. If Jesus is the Messiah, why, the disciples ask, hasn’t Elijah come to prepare His way? Surely this brief appearance on the mountain of Transfiguration does not suffice to fulfill Malachi, does it? Listen to Jesus’ reply in verses 11-13:
“To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.
In other words, John the Baptist was so much like the Old Testament prophet Elijah that he in essence fulfilled the prophecy of Malachi. Elijah doesn’t have to come back permanently. John the Baptist prepared the way for Messiah. The only thing left is the cross and the glory that will follow. And then we have an interpretation of the transfiguration …
By Peter. Years later Peter revealed that the experience had a profound impact on him. Listen to 2 Peter 1:16-21:
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Peter’s concern here is for the authority of Scripture. There were those in his day (and many in ours) who claimed that the Scriptures were just cleverly written myths – some self-appointed prophet spinning tales out of his head as to what ultimate reality is and how to get to heaven, if indeed there is a heaven. No, says Peter, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories. I was there. I saw Jesus Christ in all His glory. What I have written in this book is the truth. It confirms the words of the prophets of old, which shouldn’t surprise us since true prophets never wrote their own ideas but only what the Holy Spirit wanted them to write.”
Conclusion: I want you to notice with me a stark contrast between the glory on the mountain summit and the shame and confusion we find in the valley below just a short time later. Just six verses following the story of the transfiguration we read, verse 46, “An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.” John was there, according to verse 49, and probably James and Peter, too. Friends, amazingly it didn’t take them long to lose sight of the uniqueness of Jesus as they argued over which of them would become Prime Minister in the Kingdom.
Raphael’s world-famous painting of the transfiguration, on which the artist worked himself to death, dramatizes this contrast. In the upper part of the painting there is glory and order and light. In the lower part there is shame and confusion and shadows. The point he was seeking to make is that of the text itself – we must keep our eyes on the risen Lord and “listen to Him,” or life will become chaotic and selfish and sinful.[i]
There are many Moseses and many Elijahs vying for our spiritual attention today. There are many denominations and houses of worship. There are many recipes for spirituality. But none are as effective as listening to Jesus and imitating His life. He is the only way to God. He does not ask for a booth alongside others.
The world does not need the clash of competing religious figures and examples. It needs a Savior for all humanity.[ii] “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
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[i] The painting can be seen at the following Internet address: https://www.google.com/search?q=Raphael%27s+painting+of+The+Transfiguration&oq=Raphael%27s+painting+of+The+Transfiguration&aqs=chrome..69i57.15201j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8.
[ii]. Darrell Bock, Luke, The NIV Application Commentary, 273.