As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening

 

Transfiguration Icon, late 16th century - St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai

 Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.  As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.  And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.  But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.  Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- not knowing what he said.  While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.  And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone.  But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

 

- Luke 9:28-36 

 

On Wednesday we read that, as Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say:  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us day by day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.  So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

 

  Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.  The first hint we have that something very important is happening here is the reference to eight days.  Eight is an important number, and since this is in the context of days, it gives us another important reference.  At the Feast of Tabernacles (which makes its appearance in another reference further along in today's reading), the eighth day was the last, great day of the feast (John 7:37).  This was also known as the Feast of the Coming Kingdom, and so here we have a hint about what is manifesting for these apostles on the mountain.  In Christian tradition, and specifically because of the Resurrection, Sunday is known not only as the first day of the week for our worship, but it is also called the "eighth day," which my study Bible says symbolizes eternity, a day without end.  If seven is a number of completeness, eight is that step beyond.  To go up on the mountain is symbolic of a holy place, a place closer to God.

As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.  Here we begin to understand something truly special is happening, for this is the story of what is called the Transfiguration, a major feast day in the Church.  This alteration of Christ's face, and particularly the white and glistening quality of His entire appearance, makes this moment a theophany.  Theophany means a manifestation of God, and in particular here, what is revealed is a display of Christ's uncreated, divine energy.  Because God is light (1 John 1:5), there are several elements which combine in the reading to convey that Jesus is God.  Here, in particular, the white and glistening quality of the light emanating from Christ's person.  Matthew reports that Christ's face "shone like the sun" (Matthew 17:2).  In some icons of the Transfiguration, this light is shown as beyond white, a bluish-white, ineffable color, indicating its spiritual origin.  In Greek, the word for transfiguration is metamorphosis/μεταμορφωσις.

And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.   My study Bible says that Moses represents the law and all those who have died.  Elijah represents the prophets and -- since he did not experience death -- all those who are alive in Christ.  My study Bible comments that their presence here shows that the law and the prophets, the living and the dead, all bear witness to Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of the whole Old Testament.  Moreover, it is noted here that what is translated as Christ's decease is in Greek exodus/ἔξοδος, which literally means "departure."  My study Bible adds that Christ's death is intimately connected to the glory of the Transfiguration, as Christ is glorified through His death (John 12:23).  This term, exodus, reveals that Christ's Passion is a fulfillment of the Old Testament Passover and is the true exodus from enslavement into salvation.  Also, it adds, that this revelation of divine power also confirms Christ's upcoming death was not imposed on Him by outside forces, but was a voluntary offering of love, as no arresting soldier could have withstood such glory if He had not consented (Matthew 26:53).

But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.  My study Bible notes the words of an Orthodox festal hymn of the Transfiguration:  "Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as they could bear it, so that when they saw You crucified, they would understand that Your suffering was voluntary."

 Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- not knowing what he said. Here is another reference to the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of the Coming Kingdom, in which the time Israel wandered toward the Promised Land and dwelt in tents, or tabernacles was commemorated.  My study Bible says that Peter sees what is happening as a sign that the Kingdom has come, and in this sense, he asks to build booths as was done at that feast, to serve as symbols of God's dwelling among the just in the Kingdom.  Some also suggest that Peter knows he is witnessing what might be called a "divine council" meeting, and so the presence of the gathering tents is a natural association for his time and place.  Additionally, the presence of Moses and Elijah here manifest the communion of the saints (Hebrews 12:1).  Both are immediately recognizable and they talk with the Lord.  Now, my study Bible says, the disciples are able to understand Jesus' words that "Elijah has come already" (Matthew 17:2) referring to John the Baptist.  It notes that their eyes have been opened to the fact that Malachi's prophecy (Malachi 4:5-6) refers to one coming "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17), rather than to Elijah himself.

While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.  And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone.  But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.  Finally, what truly makes this event a theophany is the manifestation of the Holy Trinity:  Christ is transfigured, the Father speaks from heaven testifying to Christ's divine sonship here, and the Holy Spirit is present in the form of a dazzling light which surrounds Christ's person, overshadowing the whole mountain. 

When we think of the Transfiguration, we think of this dazzling white light.  To remind us, my study Bible says it is beyond white, symbolizing its divine, heavenly origin.  White light might be something to ponder, because when we think of earthly white light, we get an interesting phenomenon.  Truly white light is in some sense "misleading."  This is because while the color white in a material sense may reflect the absence of all color as in a bleached garment, reflected light is different.  White light is actually composed of every color in the spectrum, while darkness is the absence of light.  So if we consider that Christ is here reflecting not simply "all things" in the spectrum of worldly light, but even more beyond that, heavenly light in origin, then we truly have the Christ.  That is, another manifestation here of the Incarnation, both divine and human (that is, both divine in origin and also earthly in origin).  So we could think of the Transfiguration as completing this revelation of Christ's identity also in this dual sense of the light.  Moreover, if white light reflects a whole spectrum of worldly light, then Christ's transfiguring "beyond white" divine light transfigures all of our worldly realities and experiences, and that is what He -- in the Incarnation -- is also here to bring to us.  It is even what He will bring to His Passion and Crucifixion, transfiguring the Cross with the same light so that it becomes the symbol of salvation and Resurrection that we know.  In this sense, the Cross is the truly transfiguring symbol we have, for it tells us that all things, and even death, are transfigured in Christ and in the power of Christ, and this transfiguring power is offered to each of us.  If we can think of that in this sense when we read Christ's words that we are to take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23), then we will understand more clearly the power that is conveyed in that cross, for we are meant also to be transfigured as followers of Christ, as participants in God's grace and Kingdom, even as we live through whatever struggles and experiences we have in this world.  The icon above is from St. Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai, home to what is considered the Burning Bush in Moses' vision (Exodus 3).  If we remember that for the ancient world, fire was the source of light besides the sun, we begin to perceive the ties between the Burning Bush of Moses, and the Mount of Transfiguration.  The energies of God are present in both places, both on the holy mountain, and both with Moses as witness to the testimony of God, to theophany in both Old and New Testaments.  Let us consider the mystery, the fullness of revelation, and the Resurrection to come in this light.