Luke 9:28-36

On the one side, the transfiguration story a familiar one: Jesus took 3 disciples up the mountain, his appearance changed, Moses and Elijah were there, the disciples were afraid, and then it was all over, amen.

And on the other side, it is a complete mystery:

Why was Jesus “transfigured”?

What did it mean?

What was it all about?

My God NEVER performed a miracle merely for its dramatic effect. And the transfiguration was NO exception.

The truths revealed in the transfiguration are of tremendous importance to you and me. Because in them we are made privy to the greatest truths in the universe. And what are these truths?

#1 –In the transfiguration, my God identifies who Jesus truly is, and His testimony to the world is Jesus, is both Lord and Christ, (Acts 2:36).

#2- In the transfiguration, my God identifies that Jesus’ Words, His teaching are absolutely essential for our salvation. A knowledge that no man can live without, (John 12:48).

Jesus’ eidos became heteros.

“*The appearance of His face became different…”

eidos (i'-dos); His form (literally or figuratively): (His) appearance, fashion, shape.

heteros (het'-er-os); (an-, the) other or different: altered.

(*While praying)

Jesus’ himatismos (him-at-is-mos'); His clothing, His apparel or raiment .

leukos (lyoo-kos'); the word for “white.”

(Implied here is a Supernatural White; A Pristine white)

exastrapto (ex-as-trap'-to) is the word for “glistening or gleaming .”

An “epiphany” is more of an experience, or an encounter with God or a manifestation [of or from] God.

This event is what one writer called a truly “Close Encounter” with God.

Luke 9:30-31

30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah,

31 who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

“This is My Son, {My } Chosen One; Listen to Him!”

Professor of New Testament Studies , Queen’s College ,Australia

“In Christian teachings, the Transfiguration is the pivotal point where human nature meets God: the meeting place for the temporal and the eternal, with Jesus himself as the connecting point, acting as the bridge between heaven and earth.”

"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." This still stands.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.

Any reason for this truth to have changed today?

Rom. 8:2-13

Heb.10:20

Moses Elijah Jesus

Under the requirements of the Christian Age, JESUS IS THE SOLE AUTHORITY over all things pertaining to the church ( Eph. 1:22; Mt. 28:18)

Jesus was and is the fulfillment or embodiment of the Law, and the countless prophecies of the Old Testament, (Mt. 5:17; Lk. 24:44).

That’s why God said “Listen to HIM!” or “Hear Ye Him” (KJV)

Luke 9:22-

"The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day."

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

1 Jn 1:1 Jesus is described as the One whom John had “seen with {his} eyes, beheld and {his} hands, handled.”

2 Pet. 1:16-18 “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.”

Taught their generation of Jesus… They made Jesus “known” throughout their world.

And today it is for US to make Him known today. It is for us to go forth and teach all in our generation that Jesus is Lord.

John 17:3, 25-26 – "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and {know} Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent…"

(concluding in v. 25-26)

v. 25-26 "O righteous Father, although the world has not known Thee, yet I have known Thee; and these have known that Thou didst send Me; and I have made Thy name known to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them, and I in them."

God demonstrated His power and He revealed His truth at the transfiguration.

He was showing us without a doubt that Jesus is the Son of God.

And at the same time, He was also providing Peter, James , John, (and ourselves as well if we are faithful) instruction as to what we are to do with these truths.

Deut 18:15 – “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.”

Luke 9:35 – And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, {My} Chosen One; Listen to Him!”

Luke 9:20 - And He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered and said, {You are} "The Christ of God."

In Luke 9:35, God’s Answer Is –

"This is My Son,

{My} Chosen One;

Listen to Him!"

“We’ve got somebody who can articulate what {he believes}. It’s in his heart. He doesn’t need crib notes. He doesn’t need briefings. He doesn’t need a consultant to tell him what to think or how to answer a question. He knows it. He’s lived it. It’s his soul.”