He was transfigured before them

 

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.  And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.  And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.  Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.  So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.  And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things.  And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?  But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wishes, as it is written of him."

 

- Mark 9:2–13 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."  And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

 

  Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  The phrase after six days can indicate a six day period in between the events in our previous reading (above), which would mean the Transfiguration took place on the eighth day following His teaching regarding the Cross.  The eighth day is associated with the eternal time of the kingdom of heaven, giving us a significance regarding this revelation of Christ's transfiguration before Peter, James, and John.  A high mountain is often a place of divine revelation in Scripture (Matthew 5:1; Genesis 22:2; Exodus 19:3, 23; Isaiah 2:3; 2 Peter 1:18).  

 

His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.   This event is what is called a theophany; that is, a manifestation of God.  In particular it expresses the divinity of Christ, through a display of what my study Bible calls His uncreated, divine energy.  The Transfiguration, which was celebrated yesterday across many denominations, is a major feast day.  Because God is light (1 John 1:5), my study Bible says, the brilliant light described coming from Jesus' person (and especially His clothes) demonstrates that Jesus is God.  In some icons this light is shown as beyond white, as a blue-white, ineffable color, indicating its spiritual origin.

 

And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.   Moses and Elijah represent all that has come before, which points to Christ.  These two indicate Christ's lordship of His kingdom to come.  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.  It notes that their presence shows that the law and the prophets, the living and the dead, all bear witness to Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of the entire Old Testament.  The presence of Moses and Elijah is also a manifestation of the communion of the saints, which St. Paul calls "so great a cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1).  Note that both are immediately recognizable by the disciples, and that they speak with the Lord (regardless of which time period they lived earthly lives).  St. Peter, in his confusion, understands the manifestation of the presence of Christ's kingdom; my study Bible says he sees all of this as a sign that the Kingdom has come.  As he knows that the Feast of Tabernacles is the feast of the coming Kingdom, he asks to build tabernacles (also called tents or booths) as is done at that Feast, serving as symbols of God's dwelling among the just in the Kingdom. 

 

 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  The bright cloud recalls temple worship and the cloud that went before the Israelites in the wilderness, the visible sign of God being extraordinarily present (Exodus 13:21), while the voice of the Father bears witness to Christ as God's Son.  My study Bible asks us to note that God the Father does not say that Jesus has become His beloved Son, but "This is My beloved Son," which indicates that this divine glory showing to the disciples is Christ's by nature.  From eternity past, my study Bible comments, infinitely before Christ's Baptism and Transfiguration, Jesus is God's Son, fully sharing in the essence of the Father.  He is God of God, as the Creed declares.

 

  Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.  Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.  So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.   Let us note that at this point the disciples are mystified at Christ's words, and do not understand what the rising from the dead meant.

 

 And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things.  And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?  But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wishes, as it is written of him."  After their experience of the presence of Elijah and Moses, the disciples are now able to understand Christ's words that "Elijah has also come" as referring to St. John the Baptist.  Their eyes have now been opened, my study Bible says, to the fact that Malachi's prophecy (Malachi 4:5) refers to one coming "in the spirit and power of Elijah," as prophesied by the angel of the Lord to Zechariah in Luke 1:17, rather than to Elijah himself.  

 

 Today's reading asks us to see prophecy and the symbolic presence of images with the eyes of those who understand how to read Scripture, in the light of the understanding of what we might call the language of God.  This language is often given to us in the form of symbols, such as Moses and Elijah representing the law and the prophets.  In our very literal-minded modern tendencies, we would perhaps simply view this as a representation of these two people for their individual lives, but that is not the case.  Symbolic language is not literal, and it is the language of Scripture we must try to learn to perceive in order to perceive clearly what we're given in the Gospels.  The cloud that appears overhead, together with the voice of the Father, is more than simply a cloud and a voice -- they represent many things at once, such as the cloud that led the Israelites through the desert, which in turn was God's presence to Israel, with them.  When we recall that Jesus is also called Immanuel in the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14), meaning "God with us," it takes these repeated symbolic layers to a greater depth of meaning and understanding -- for all of these things are true at once, and meant to be understood in the fullness of these senses.  The bright light streaming from His person, His clothes, which became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them, are meant to tell us something, to reveal something to us.  As my study Bible notes, we are meant to recall that God is light (1 John 1:5; John 1:4-9), and therefore this transfiguration consisting of brilliant, unearthly light is meant to communicate to us Christ's divine reality and origin.  These work in a way akin to symbols in dreams and in visions; they communicate to us the deep things of God at levels of depth within ourselves corresponding not just to the intellect or emotions, but to our souls, for the reality of what we're given in Scripture is something stronger than what we know of our waking, surface life and memories -- they give us deeper and more transcendent meaning of realities that extend beyond what we can grasp easily in our conventional daily mindset.  They work similarly to poetry, with echoes of meaning, and perception that works in symbols and images, sometimes in ways we're not conscious of perceiving, but nonetheless remember and might later recall.  This is similar to the experiences of the disciples, who puzzle over Christ's sayings, but later recall after the Holy Spirit was given to them, and they begin to understand.  But, as my study Bible points out, these vivid images received by the disciples will stand them in good stead for the future, when the time of Christ's Crucifixion, death, and Resurrection comes.  Through this experience, they will be able to understand that He voluntarily goes where He goes, and knowledge of His divinity will remain with them.  The Transfiguration also gives us knowledge about the Kingdom, its eternal timelessness, its communion of saints viscerally present to us somehow, and its powerfully transfiguring holiness, which also work with us and in us in ways we don't see but can observe in its effects in our lives.  For this real meaning of Transfiguration, or Metamorphosis, is finally about Christ's effect upon us, the sacramental way we are to participate in His life, death, and Resurrection, the presence of the Kingdom with us and in our worship.  Let us come and receive His light (hymn from the Orthodox Matins of the Resurrection); and walk in the light while we have that light (John 12:35).  In this case, Christ's transfiguration reveals who He truly is, and only He can reveal to us who we truly are through His saving work.

 

 

 

 

He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light

 

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Hear Him!"  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.  But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.  Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands."  Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

 

- Matthew 17:1-13 

 

Yesterday we read that from the time of Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

 

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves . . .  My study Bible comments that a high mountain is often a place of divine revelation in Scripture (Matthew 5:1; Genesis 22:2; Exodus 19:3, 23; Isaiah 2:3; 2 Peter 1:18).

. . . and He was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  The events in today's reading describe what is called the Transfiguration (ιn Greek, Μεταμορφωσις/Metamorphosis.)   This event is what is called a theophany in Greek, a manifestation of God, especially the divinity of Christ, through what is a display of God's uncreated, divine energy.  This is a major feast day in the Church.  My study Bible explains various elements of this event which describe or make explicit that Christ is Messiah and God.  First of all, because God is light (1 John 1:5), the shining light radiating from His face which shone like the sun, the brilliant white light of His clothing, and other elements of light in today's passage, such as the bright cloud in verse 5, demonstrate that Jesus is God. In many icons, my study Bible points out, this light is shown as beyond white, given a blue-white tinge, an ineffable color which indicates its spiritual origin.

And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  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.  Their presence shows that the law and the prophets, the living and the dead, all bear witness to Jesus as the Messiah, who is the fulfillment of the whole Old Testament.  The presence of Moses and Elijah also manifest the communion of the saints of which St. Paul speaks in Hebrews 12:1.  Both are immediately recognizable and they speak with Christ.  

Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  Knowing that the Feast of Tabernacles is the feast of the coming Kingdom, Peter asks to build booths (tents, or tabernacles) which was done at that feast, commemorating the time Israel wandered toward the Promised Land, and which symbolize God's dwelling among the just in the Kingdom.

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Hear Him!"   The Father bears witness from heaven concerning Christ the Son.  He doesn't say, that Jesus has become His beloved Son, but rather "This is My beloved Son."  It is a revelation that the divine glory on display in the various images of light is Christ's by nature.  From eternity past, my study Bible says, infinitely before Christ's Baptism and Transfiguration, Jesus is God's Son, fully sharing in the essence of the Father:  Jesus Christ is God of God (as the Creed states).  Moreover, the bright cloud recalls the temple worship and the cloud that went before the Israelites in the wilderness, a visible sign of God being extraordinarily present.  Peter's response, to build three tabernacles, comes as he sees this as a sign that the Kingdom has come.  Finally, this is a true theophany in the manifestation of the Holy Trinity:  Christ is Transfigured, the Father speaks from heaven in testimony to Jesus' divine sonship, and the Spirit is present in the dazzling light which surrounds Christ's person, and overshadows the whole mountain in the bright cloud.

And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.  But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.  Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands."  Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.  Because of the revelation of the communion of the saints and their capacity to know and recognize Moses and Elijah, the disciples now can understand Christ's words that "Elijah has come already" as referring to John the Baptist.  My study Bible says 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.  

 

 In today's reading we might contrast two important concepts of our faith.  The Transfiguration is called a "theophany," meaning a manifestation of God.  We might think of this as a revelation, but the word for revelation is "apocalypse" (ἀποκάλυψις).  In the Greek, that means to uncover something, to reveal something.  But Christ's Transfiguration reveals not by unveiling but by manifesting something, by showing forth something, by presenting us with signs and symbols of His identity; specifically, of His divinity.  The things that manifest here are the various forms of light which is an expression of God, the true uncreated light that is God (1 John 1:5, as referenced by my study Bible).  Included in this is the bright cloud that overshadows everything, such as it did when Israel wandered in the wilderness.  Moreover, there is the voice of the Father identifying the reality that Jesus is the Son.  All of these things are signs, manifestations of a reality that was always true and always present, but showing forth on this occasion to the apostles in ways they can understand.  Even the presence of Moses and Elijah, and the discussion between them and Jesus, although they all come from different periods of time in an earthly sense, is a manifestation of the communion of saints, always present to us in Christ.  These things reveal by showing forth, by manifesting.  Jesus' Transfiguration, as with all things in the story of Christ, is also meant for us to understand something about ourselves and about our faith.  As we each bear an image of Christ, so faith is meant also to transfigure us.  Christ asks us to bear fruit -- to bear the good fruit of His vine, which is built upon faith (see John 5:1-16).  In this sense, our own "transfiguration" comes through the bearing of this fruit, the signs that Christ is present with us and within us, the things that we do or manifest which give glory to God, the true products of our faith (Matthew 5:16).  One of the properties of God which is frequently overlooked (often in the West) is beauty.  We understand qualities of God to include Beauty, Truth, and Goodness, and beauty can be a manifestation of God.  What do we beautify?  A beautiful gesture is one of loving care and compassion which we extend to others, no matter how small the occasion nor how much it goes unnoticed by others (Matthew 10:42).  An act of beauty can be an act of kindness, a smile or a good word that encourages.  To clean up garbage from a property and rehabilitate it, showing forth a manifestation of the joy of the beauty that God brings us in what we can see might be one more sign of our faith, God's presence with us encouraging us to delight in what God provides that is beautiful, such as good order, or a garden, or helping to care for a child or an elderly person in their home.  All of these things can be the fruits we manifest through our own transfiguration in faith through Christ, and Christ's kingdom and the Spirit dwelling within us.  St. Paul writes, " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).  These are manifestations of our own transfiguration in the faith of Christ; they "show forth" fruits that are borne of the Spirit, and they glorify God in showing the world what our faith and what we faithful are all about.  These create beauty in the world; they manifest beauty and show it forth, they add to creation in the Spirit of the Creator that works through us in faith.  Let us consider what we show forth, how we glorify God, what our own transfiguration in His image is meant to be all about.  

 

 

 

 

And He was transfigured before them

 

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles; one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Hear Him!"  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.  But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.  Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands."  Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

 

- Matthew 17:1-13 

 

 On Saturday, we read that, following Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, from that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

 

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; . . ..  My study Bible comments that a high mountain is often a place of divine revelation in Scripture (Matthew 5:1; Genesis 22:2; Exodus 19:3, 23; Isaiah 2:3; 2 Peter 1:18).

. . . and He was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles; one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Hear Him!"  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.  But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.  Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands."  Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.  My study Bible notes that the Transfiguration (for this is what this event is called) is a Theophany; that is, it is a manifestation of God.  It especially reveals the divinity of Christ.  In the eyes of the Orthodox Church, that is affirmed through this display of His uncreated, divine energy in the form of the light which appears to the disciples Peter, James, and John.  The commemoration of this event is a major feast day in the Church.  All of the elements in today's reading that indicate light:  the bright cloud, the shining of Jesus' face like the sun, and the whiteness of His garment, affirm the divinity of Christ, as God is light (1 John 1:5).  In some icons of the Transfiguration, the light is shown as beyond white, a bluish-white, ineffable color, indicating its spiritual origin.  In the Father's voice we have a witness from heaven concerning Christ as Son (notice how this comes after Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (in this reading from Friday).   The Father's statement, "This is My beloved Son" is an indication that Christ's divine glory is His by nature.  He is God's Son from eternity past, infinitely before His Baptism and Transformation this is true.  Christ fully shares in the essence of the Father; He is God of God, as the Creed declares ("Light from Light, true God of true God, of one essence with the Father").   Other elements of the Transfiguration point beyond Christ's divine sonship, and to His future glory, when as Messiah He will usher in the long-awaited Kingdom.  My study Bible comments that the bright cloud recalls temple worship and the cloud that went before the Israelites in the wilderness, a visible sign of God being extraordinarily present.  As the text indicates, Peter sees this as a sign that the Kingdom has come.  The Feast of Tabernacles is the feast of the coming Kingdom, and hence, his seemingly senseless request to build booths, as is done at that feast to serve as symbols of God's dwelling among the just in the Kingdom.  Moses and Elijah appear with Christ:  Moses represents the law and all those who have died.  Elijah, my study Bible continues, represents the prophets and -- since he did not experience death -- all those who are alive in Christ.  Their presence shows that the law and the prophets, the living and the dead, all bear witness in the Transfiguration to Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of the Old Testament.  Moses and Elijah also manifest the communion of the saints (Hebrews 12:1).  Both are immediately recognizable to the disciples, and they talk with the Lord.  In this vein, the disciples can now understand Jesus' words that "Elijah has come already" which refers to John the Baptist.  Malachi's prophecy of the return of Elijah (Malachi 4:5-6) is a reference to one coming "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17), rather than to Elijah himself.  Finally, and of great significance, my study Bible points out the manifestation of the Holy Trinity which takes place in this event:  Christ is transfigured with divine light, the Father speaks from heaven testifying to Christ's divine sonship, and the Spirit is present in the form of the dazzling light which surrounds Christ's person, and overshadows the whole mountain. 

The power and significance of this event are clear from the comments in my study Bible, which reflect the Church's historic understanding of the Transfiguration and its central and important place as a major feast day.  It is as if the confession of faith, as well as Christ's powerful words to the disciples indicating His Passion, are all bound up in this experience which both affirms Christ's divine identity and the Kingdom to come.  In Luke's Gospel, we're told that "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" (Luke 9:30-31).  In the original Greek text, this word translated as "decease" is literally exodus (ἔξοδος), which  means "departure."  It is a clear connection to His death and Passion, but it is also a powerful reminder that the Passion is inextricably linked to the coming of the Kingdom, and Christ's fullness as the Almighty, who rises from the dead to usher it in, together with judgment.  In effect, the glory of the Transfiguration affirms for us, and in the minds of the disciples as witnesses, that Christ's Passion is necessary, and that through His death on the Cross He will be glorified (John 12:23).  The use of the term "exodus," my study Bible comments, also reveals that Christ's Passion is a fulfillment of the Old Testament Passover, and the true exodus from enslavement into salvation.  The Transfiguration serves as explication and signal to the disciples and to all of us that Christ's glory is bound up with what is to them the unthinkable:  His death on the Cross.  It is a sacrifice, in the words of Christ Himself, which leads to the greatest glory of all, a universal good for all.  (See John 12:24, and Jesus' metaphor for His death, in which a grain of wheat falls to the ground, but produces much grain).  In our daily lives, let us remember this event of the Transfiguration, but most of all how it affirms that our spiritual freedom, like so many blessings in life, did not come cheaply, but at the highest price, in which the truly greatest One among us gave His life out of love for us, and the willingness to liberate us.  He offers this gift to all.  Let us consider with what ignorance we would spurn or reject it -- how great the sacrifice by the greatest One of all, and for all.  When we make a choice for faith, we must consider just how much rests within that choice for that Kingdom!

He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.  And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.  And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.

Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.  So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.  And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things.  And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?  But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."

- Mark 9:2-13

Yesterday we read that when Jesus had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."  And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.  And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.  And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.   The Transfiguration is a central event in the ministry of Jesus for a number of reasons.  We first understand, in light of our discussions about faith in recent readings and commentaries, that Jesus takes His "inner circle" with Him up the high mountain:  Peter, James, and John.  This is an indication that an event requiring great faith is to happen.  In Jesus' transfiguration is seen by tradition a light such as no launderer on earth can reproduce its brightness.  In icons, the Transfiguration (which is called Metamorphosis in Greek) is often depicted with a blue tinge to depict its whiter than white quality of extraordinary light which has a spiritual origin.  Peter's seemingly incomprehensible response is one that comes from the Feast of the Coming Kingdom, the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot, in which tabernacles (or tents) are built such as those in which the Israelites dwelt on their way to the promised land, and recalls the tent of meeting which was overshadowed by such a bright cloud.  In Luke's Gospel, the three figures of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah discuss His "exodus" -- meaning His death on the Cross. 

Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.  So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.  And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things.  And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?  But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."  Matthew 17:13 tells us that the disciples understood at this point that Jesus was speaking about John the Baptist as Elijah.

The Transfiguration is by tradition connected with the Crucifixion.   But first we must understand the elements that constitute a theophany, a revelation of God:  the light of God transfigures Jesus and everything about Him, even His clothing becomes an intense white so bright it's like nothing on earth.  This is a sign of the extraordinary presence of God, the energies of God that transfigure all things, and the light of the Holy Spirit.  There is the voice of the Father who declares, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!" giving us a revelation of the Holy Trinity.  The bright cloud is similar to that which surrounded the tabernacle of Moses (Exodus 40:33-35).    Moses represents the law and all those have died, while Elijah represents the prophets, and (since he did not experience death) all those who live in Christ.  Both also manifest the communion of the saints.  My study bible says that Christ's death is intimately connected to the glory of Transfiguration, for Christ is glorified through His death (John 12:23).    In many churches, the Feast of the Holy Cross is celebrated forty days after Transfiguration.  The Cross is the ultimate instrument of transfiguration by Christ and His life and ministry, in which death itself is "trampled by death" -- making the dreaded cross of Roman crucifixion an instrument of eternal life for all.  The glory of Christ revealed at Transfiguration also tells us that this death will be voluntary.   Christ's glory could easily have prevented arrest and detention if He had not consented to this gift of love.  The discussion in Luke of Jesus "exodus" (in the original Greek text) also gives us the remembrance of the Old Testament Passover.  As my study bible puts it, the true exodus from enslavement into salvation.   As we consider the Transfiguration, we remember also that our faith teaches us that we participate in His life and ministry.  And so we ask ourselves how this singular event is reflected in our lives.  How does God transfigure you?  Have you changed as a result of your faith?  We may be surprised at the outcome of God's energies and love; sometimes the strength of the change isn't what we expected at all.  But then, we are in this for a new point of view, too.

There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit

 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  As it is written in the Prophets:

"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You."
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.'"

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.   Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.  I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And immediately coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.  Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 

Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.  And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him. 

- Mark 1:1-13

Yesterday we read that, as the apostles had gathered at Jerusalem and spoke of the encounter with Christ on the road to Emmaus among other appearances, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, "Peace to you."  But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.  And He said to them, "Why are you troubled?  And why do doubts arise in your hearts?  Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself.  Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."  When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.  But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, "Have you any food here?"  So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.  And He took it and ate in their presence.  Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."  And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.  Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  And you are witnesses of these things.  Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."  And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.  Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.  And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God.  Amen.

 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  As it is written in the Prophets:  "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You."  "The voice of one crying in the wilderness:  'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.'"  Gospel, my study bible says, refers not to the writings of Mark per se, but rather to the whole story of the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  That is, the good news or good tidings of our salvation.  The word gospel in English is translated from the Greek word εὐαγγελίου, the root of which we can see includes αγγελίο -- "message," the same root of "angel" or "messenger."  The very language tells us something interesting here, because this "good news" is that which is somehow told or announced to us.  It comes from another person (or Person, as the case may be).  Indeed, the Annunciation (to Mary of the "good news" of the child she will bear) is called Ευαγγελισμός in the Greek, another form of the same word translated as gospel.  The beginning here points to these opening events of Jesus' public ministry, starting with the preparation by His forerunner, St. John the Baptist, and his encounter with Christ.  This good news is also tied in with the "announcements" of the prophets of the past, and thereby the whole of Jewish spiritual history, as John quotes from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3.  The fulfillment of prophecy is at hand, and John comes to wake the people to this news, and prepare them for Christ's ministry.

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.   Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.  I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."  As John comes announcing the fulfillment of prophecy within this generation with the coming of the Christ, so he fulfills the role of the greatest prophet of all the Old Testament type prophets.  The very clothes he wears tells us a story as well.  He is clothed in the same manner as Elijah (2 Kings 1:8).  And he himself fulfills prophecy -- that of the return of Elijah before the Christ comes, as Jesus Himself has taught.  We can see John's clear humility in his statements, his reverence for God, his total voluntary poverty for the sake of the kingdom of God.  Moreover, the text observes John's effect upon the people.  As one who is widely recognized as a holy man, he galvanizes the public in this time of crisis as many hope in the coming of a Messiah.  Even all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem go out to him to be baptized in the Jordan in preparation for the coming of the Lord.

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And immediately coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.  Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."   John has prepared the people with baptism for repentance and remission of sins for the coming of the Lord.  But the day comes when Jesus goes to John.  This in effect is the day in which the Holy Trinity is revealed.  The Spirit descends upon Christ like a dove, and the Father's voice speaks from heaven to call Him My beloved Son. 

Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.  And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.  As He begins His public ministry, Jesus is driven into the wilderness for a period of forty days, in which as One who is both fully human and fully God, He confronts the elements of this world in the midst of the spiritual battle in which human beings are caught.  He is at once  tempted by Satan, with the wild beasts, and ministered to by the angels.  For a fuller picture of these events see Matthew 4:1-10 and Luke 4:1-13.

John the Baptist, with his radical poverty in the lineage of the great prophets of Israel, is essential to salvation history.  Luke tells us that John was chosen before his birth to be the herald and forerunner of the Messiah (Luke 1:13-17), and that he knew his Lord from the beginning!  John's disciples would form the basic group from Jesus' earliest disciples would be drawn.  My study bible says that John's ministry and brotherhood were characterized by repentance in expectation of the Kingdom, baptism for forgiveness of sins, bearing the fruit of righteousness, and spiritual discipline.  As we observed above, John's signs of radical poverty indicate a tremendous asceticism, and are referred to during Jesus' ministry as well -- especially when Jesus tosses back accusations against both Himself (for being too indulgent) and John (for being too ascetic) to those who fail to recognize the holiness of both ministries.  John, my study bible tells us, lived an ascetic rule of poverty and fasting.  A note says, "His eyes were set not on the body and its desires, but on Christ the Lord, and his influence was widespread."   When Jesus appeared before John, in his great humility John stated that he needed to be baptized by Christ, but Jesus taught that He should be baptized to "fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15).  John's ministry prepared the people to accept Jesus as the Christ (John 5:33-35).  And finally, after Judas was lost through betrayal as a disciple, his place was fulfilled by another who had been John's follower (Acts 1:22).  John's life is an example of total devotion to God and to God's purposes.  His preparation of the people was effective precisely because of that devotion which was apparent to all the people of Israel, even compelling the rulers to come and be baptized in preparation for the Christ.  He teaches us about the essential role each may fulfill in salvation history, coming between the Old and the New Testaments, the last and greatest in line of the old prophets of Israel.  What we understand from his vow of poverty is not asceticism for its own sake, nor great feats of spiritual endurance and heroism, but quite simply and purely the total love of God and therefore service to God's purposes, for which every single other consideration in life was given a second ranking, lower priority.  This is the true way to see his radical gift of humility, his poverty, his total devotion to mission.  We shouldn't forget that it was Christ who deeply and powerfully emphasized that regardless of outward externalities of appearance, "wisdom is justified by all her children."  So should we see all our brothers and sisters in Christ and in the communion of saints.  Jesus and John are more than brothers, despite apparent differences in practice and even seemingly competing ministries of the time.    John teaches us that radical commitment to the love of God is more than all the things of this world put together; it transcends, deepens, galvanizes, motivates, and prepares the world for all the good things God has to bless us with, the Promise of mercy and the Spirit, the truth of Christ.    Imagine the difference one person made.  Finally, as martyr for Christ, he teaches us all.