The Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36)

Raphael

We now reach a major transition in the story of Jesus. Now that the disciples clearly see Him as the Messiah, and He has warned them of the cost of discipleship, we see another confirmation of Jesus’s truth.

In the baptism of Jesus, God spoke and confirmed Jesus to be the Son. Jesus’s ministry followed as He gather crowds and proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom of God. Now, we see another heavenly confirmation. Peter, John, and James witness Jesus being glorified and hear God tell them to listen to Him. The rest of the account will be pointed directly at the cross and resurrection, as they journey to Jerusalem. Jesus will teach them along the way.

This transfiguration event is more than just a word from God. It is a direct revelation that Jesus is greater than anything that has come before. He is the new Moses, not delivering a law but rather salvation. His exodus, and we see here the clear parallel to the formative event of Israel, is God rescuing His people from all sin, not mere slavery to Egypt. This parallel echoes throughout the New Testament. Clearly, the transfiguration was a formative event in the apostles thinking and Jesus’s instruction to them.

This event, explainable only as a historic occurrence beyond natural explanation, is yet another confirmation to those of us who trust in Jesus. He is who He says He is. We need to listen to, trust in, and follow Him wherever He leads.