PREACHER:REV.FIIFI FOH ARKHURST
Transfiguration is derived from the Greek word “metamarpho”
which means to change or transform between the inner circles (three disciples).
It occurred when Jesus visibly changed in the presence of peter, James and John
when they were on the mountain. Peter gives his own eyewitness account of the
event; same was for James and John and what it implied to us the followers of
Jesus Christ as recorded in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). It took
place six clear days when Jesus told his disciples about his suffering, his
death and his resurrection. It portrays the transfiguration as an outwardly visible
sign consisting of an actual physical change as far as Jesus was concerned.
They saw Jesus having changed as far as the physical body was concerned. Luke
put it as the appearance of his face changed (9:29), his face shine like the
sun (Matt 17:2) and Mark, he glowed, his face became dazzling (9:3).
The appearance of Moses and Elijah has been given different
interpretations. Some are of the opinion that Moses, representing the law
witnessed to the Lord Jesus Christ. While Elijah representing the prophets does
the same. Others put it that both were carried to heaven and their appearance
was to prove that no one knew where their graves were. Why was Jesus
Transfigured? And what was the significance of the cloud in which Jesus was
changed? Jesus was transformed for various reasons. It is an experience in
which Jesus entered into the spiritual realm from this perspective, Peter gave
his own eyewitness and referred to the mountain as a sacred one. John, also an
eyewitness described the same spiritual experience and said “we have seen the
glory of the one and only one who came from the father, full of grace and of
truth”.
Peter in the 2nd reading says transfiguration
among other things is one of the proves of the Majesty of Jesus Christ. The
majesty he describes as the glory and honour God gave him. It is the
manifestation of God’s glory and the revelation of Christ as the true and real
son of God, as he spoke “this is my beloved son in whom I’m well pleased”.
Through this we know we are serving the true God. The fulfillment of scripture
with respect to the sonship of Jesus Christ. It displays the shakana glory of
God incarnate in Jesus Christ. A unique display of his divine character and a
glimpse of the glory Jesus had before coming to this earth. It was a visible
sign of the presence and the reliable witnessing the disciples gave us. It
helps us strengthen our faith and that of the disciples because these disciples
were to play a key role as far as the Church is concerned. What happens deepens
and strengthens their faith. It is no wonder that after 32years, this vision
was so vivid in Peters mind as in (2Pet 1:16-18). It was a foretaste of the
Kingdom of God.
The cloud which is a visible collection of water suspended
in the air, which produces rain. In the scripture it represents God’s glory
given on the transfiguration. In the days of Moses, the glory of God appears in
the cloud, during the crossing of the red sea the Israelites were baptized in
the Cloud, it guided the Israelites by day, while a pillar of fire led them by
night. In the pillar of cloud, God revealed his presence during the exodus of
the Israelites. A cloud covered the tabernacle and in revelation, the second
coming of the Lord would be accompanied by a cloud.
This morning God wants to assure us that his presence is
with us in our going and coming. We need to take his word seriously and we must
listen to him to portray the significance of the transfiguration. The
narratives written in the synoptic gospels were post resurrection narratives
because Christ warned the disciples not to tell anyone till he had resurrected.
Peter was deeply moved by the narratives and did not want this to happen to
Christ. He didn’t want them to descend to the other disciples, thinking only
about themselves. He wanted to capture the moment, instead of learning from it.
The transfiguration came during prayer, its significance is that it should help
us spend quality time with the Lord and deepen our faith in Christ as the
messiah as making his presence felt all the time in our going and coming. We
pray the good Lord reveals himself to us in our going and coming. Amen
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