To have mountaintop experiences it is not enough to go up on a mountain; one must go up on a mountain to pray (Knox, 174). This, however, also seems unlikely.). Listen to him! (v. 35). We lead busy lives. Incarnation and Transfiguration are antiphonal. Prayer is a transfiguring, transforming duty, which makes the face to shine. Dont ignore him. This is especially true for the writer of Luke. They still exist. To be glorified here on the mountain, and to talk about his coming suffering in Jerusalem may have given the Lord Jesus strength for his days ahead strength facing this unimaginable human suffering. There is the voice from heaven, declaring that Jesus is Gods Son, recalling the same declaration at his baptism (3:22), followed by the saying that the disciples are to listen to Jesus (9:35). Look in your Bibles up at vs. 26 here in Luke 9. Anybody who manages to radiate the energy and light of a lightning bolt is mighty powerful and mighty bright. . Or perhaps he was thinking about Gods coming kingdom as displayed in the Jewish Feast of the Tabernacles, or the Feast of Tents., But the text here and in Marks parallel account seems that even Peter didnt know. Prayer is a transfiguring, transforming duty, which makes the face to shine. On this mountain the subject (has been) death (Craddock, Interpretation, 135). Talk to someone you trust about this. All that is within Luke 9:31-33 is distinctive. The second feature is that the disciples are said to have dozed off during that conversation, but saw the glorified Jesus and the two men with him (9:32). The apostles sent forth. WebCommentary on Luke 9:28-36 (Read Luke 9:28-36) Christ's transfiguration was a specimen of that glory in which he will come to judge the world; and was an encouragement to his disciples to suffer for him. 41Jesus answered, Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Its the kind of thing a loving Father does for his beloved Son. This is more a theological than a geographical statement. They will fail to understand Jesus warning about his betrayal (9:43-45). That scene ends with Jesus teaching on the coming glory of Gods kingdom to be experienced by the disciples (9:26-27). (and) a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 4. And it matters. They are not really tracking all of what Jesus is saying, and so when Jesus speaks openly about his impending death, the disciples sometimes say nothing at all (note what happens after Luke 9:27: we fast-forward 8 whole days with no reported reactions whatsoever of the disciples to what Jesus had said). 9:30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. Jesus answers that in the next verse. First Reading. But the subject matter of their conversation is clear: They spoke of Jesus departure and what he would accomplish in Jerusalem.. Luke says, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem. (9:51). Scared out of their minds. 28. an eight days after these sayingsincluding the day on which this was spoken and that of the Transfiguration. This is my Son, my Chosen One. Is there any trustworthy voice amidst the cacophony? 7-9). Have you ever known anyone like that? In nature, metamorphosis is astonishing. Consider the wider context of Luke here. They are happy to see Jesus glorified. 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. Lets make three tents: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah, not knowing what he said. It lit up like a blazing light. Moses face shone so brightly that he found it necessary to wear a veil to shield people from the glare (Exodus 34:29-35). Perishable means it has an expiration date. The can of beans in our kitchen cabinet has an expiration date on it. Herod's terror at the growing greatness of our Lord Jesus, ver. saves me time (retirement is just as busy as full time ministry) saves me money..(how quickly our libraries are dated!). Peter will refer to it as the holy mountain (2 Peter 1:18). Its weighing heavily on his mind. Then He called His twelve disciples together Insights on preaching and sermon ideas, straight to your inbox. Changed into another form. 28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 18-20). When he came down, having been in the presence of God, his face shown so brightly that the people of Israel had to cover their eyes. To see Gods glory provokes an intense response. a mountainnot Tabor, according to long tradition, with which the facts ill comport, but some one near the lake. They are amazed at what they see. Moses came to set the people of Israel free from slavery in Egypt. 28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. Not for nothing are they called Mountaintop Experiences! Master, it is good for us to be here. For now, let it suffice that something heavenly is happening. What is this departure and events in Jerusalem? Deuteronomy 18:15 ESV The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothersit is to him you shall listen. As inner prayer, you pray a simple, repeated Sometimes he says something beautiful, like earlier in Chapter 9 when he confesses that Jesus is the Christ. His disciples, Peter, James and John, were privileged to see Christs glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (9:28-36). Luke says they were afraid when the cloud came upon them (Luke 9:34). But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. At the top of the mountain, they found themselves in the presence of God, who testified to the divine status of his son, Jesus. You shall listen to him (Deuteronomy 18:15). WebLuke 9:28-36. While it has been common to think of them as representing the law and the prophets, which is not to be discounted, there may be more important things about them in this story. It is not what you would expect. 30Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31who appeared in glory, and spoke of his departure (Greek: exodon), which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Marks Gospel says six days, and we are not sure why Luke changes it to eight. Well, Peter as usual is the first one to speak up. The Great Prophet. Do you know one who is sorry for having listened? When a storm threatened their boat, Jesus asked, Where is your faith? (8:25). WebLuke 9:28-36 The Transfiguration 28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. Each of the Synoptic Gospels contains an account of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9//Mark 9:2-10 //Luke 9:28-36). They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen (v. 36b). Abraham offered his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God on Mount Moriah (Gen. 22). But the drama up there on that mountain seems to have been only partly intended to make an impression on the disciples. Listen to him! There is a sermon in these words. As we might expect, the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle and the temple (Exodus 40:34; 1 Kings 8:11). Jesus gave the twelve power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases (9:1). 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. To me, its one of the more remarkable biological events. Mark 9:6 says, he did not know what to say, for they were terrified., We might say he was out of his mind. Some of us might relate to this. Luke 9:28-36, Seeing Jesus Glory. And the way that God has chosen to carry out his redemptive purpose is to send his Son, Jesus, to bear our sins upon himself at the cross. The exodon about which Moses and Elijah are speaking here is Jesus death, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (v. 31). Hymn Lists. It is those two men who appear on the mountain with Jesus and his companions. WebLuke 9:28-36, (37-43a) 9:28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. They talk with Jesus. LUKE 9:28-31. WebLuke 9:28-36 - Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary HomeCommentaries ReaderRelatedVerse Bible CommentsHomeCommentaries The Transfiguration. The father is desperate, but has not given up. His body was glorified. Bring your son here. 42While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. Jesus came to set people free from sin. Listen to him! (v. 35). The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc. WebThe Transfiguration. WebLuke 9:28 Context Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers (28-36) And it came to pass.--See Notes on Matthew 17:1-13, and Mark 9:2-13. To me, its one of the more remarkable biological events. Or they respond to Jesus talk about sacrifice and humility by incarnating its opposite in a wrangling over and jockeying for power and privilege in Jesus coming kingdom (see Luke 9:46-50). In the Bible, when a story takes us up to a Metamorphosis is when an ugly, crawly creature like a caterpillar undergoes a complete transformation and comes out radically different. Those words, aimed at the disciples, but probably most directly at Peter, are just as relevant to men and women today as they were then. Christ, the true, the only light, WebMatthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 9:28-36 In this chapter we have, I. 28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. This observance, known as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths, started as a harvest festival, but evolved into a reminder of their wanderings in the wildernessand their escape from slavery in Egyptand Gods continuing faithfulness to them. A few years ago, I had an elder in my church whod disappear every two or three months. This was a moment they would never forget. And he endured human suffering just like we did. But when we are resurrected, we will be imperishable we will never again have an expiration date! Dont doubt him. Alarming. When we see God in all his glory, we will be shaken to the core. Used by permission. The point is that Gods glory is so overwhelming that humans arent engineered to be capable of experiencing it. And this is a truth we all need to remember: Whether your religious experience is like that of the Apostle Paul, who was blinded by the light of Christ on the road to Damascus; or John Wesley, who felt his heart strangely warmed at Aldersgate; or Horace Bushnell, who confessed to being nurtured in the faith over a lifetime in New England, the real test of Christianity is not the ecstasy of the mountaintop experience, but the compassion and sympathy you show for others in the valley below. This Voice from the cloud seems to be articulating these very words, making the point that this long-awaited Prophetthe Messiah is here. Plus, weve got this little voice deep down inside of us that keeps telling us how important we are and how the world might fall apart if we werent here to keep it running smoothly. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good that we are here. The voice from the cloud speaks only of Jesusnot of Moses or Elijahand does so only after Moses and Elijah depart. And his resurrected guarantees our resurrection. Luke 9:28-36. Know this: The closer you walk with God, the brighter your path will be. Not only is the father distraught because his son is suffering, but his situation is made even more difficult by the fact that this is his only child. Undoubtedly, they spoke with Jesus of the events in the next few months of Jesus death, resurrection, and probably his ascension into heaven. For THAT your friends will follow you to the bitter end!. In this one, they are groggy but sufficiently awake to see what was happening. Were not told why, although it was not unusual for Jesus to pull these 3 aside. Amen. "It never entered thy thoughts to pay me the homageand yet I had helped thee, too, a littleof pouring oil on my head"; "but she hath anointed, not my head, she shrank, poor soul! A week ago, I was reading in 1 Corinthians 15 in my daily morning reading. In this case this stunning revelation of glory took place well out of the public eye and then, even for those human eyes that did take it in, there was a mixture of confusion, sleepiness, and then reticence to speak of it in the future. He heard with his own ears the voice from heaven, This is my Son, my Chosen One.. The story of Elijahs going to heaven is told at 2 Kings 2:11-12. Perhaps he wants to honor Moses, Elijah and Jesusto offer them a bit of hospitality. The event was a revelation of Christs glory and was witnessed by only three chosen apostles. How so? From some frightening experience, we said or did something and we later wondered, Why did I do that?. It is useful. Yet in the Bible events like these sometimes play out rather differently than we think. Even now, its common for those who want to get in touch with the nearness of God to go to the mountains. Go another way! The cloud was gone, Moses and Elijah vanished, and Jesus was left alone with his disciples. 37It happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met him. But the disciples could have had no such visual associations with either Moses or Elijah. Only 3 disciples went with him. one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah (Luke 9:33). "Complete Commentary on Luke 9:36". They will not understand Jesus prediction of his death and resurrection (18:31-34). With a thirst to know God. I am come unto Mine own and Mine own receive Me not; I am become a stranger unto My brethren, an alien to My mother's children: Consider Mine enemies, for they are many, and they hate Me with cruel hatred. The first step to such a prayer is stillness and silence, or what should have been Peters response on the mountain. A few verses later, at 9:51, Luke writes that Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem, where all that has been spoken of will take place for him. Commentary on Luke 9:28-36 [37-43] In preparation for the Transfiguration of Our Lord in Year C, one has to make an obvious decision. 28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. Listen to him.. He says something that seems to make no sense: Let us set up tents for you, Moses and Elijah., Why did he say this? Along its mighty forest-avenues, until the grass grew fair with the mountain lilies, his feet dashed in the dew of Hermon, he must have gone to pray his first recorded prayer about death, and from the steep of it, before he knelt, could see to the south all the dwelling-place of the people that had sat in darkness, and seen the great light - the land of Zabulon and of Naphtali, Galilee of the nations; could see, even with his human sight, the gleam of that lake by Capernaum and Chorazin, and many a place loved by him and vainly ministered to, whose house was now left unto them desolate; and, chief of all, far in the utmost blue, the hills above Nazareth, sloping down to his old home: hills on which the stones yet lay loose that had been taken up to cast at him, when he left them forever" (Ruskin, "Modern Painters," iv., 374). She laughed and said, Oh, he just needs a little time every once in a while to be alone with God. She said hed go backpacking on horseback in the mountains of New Mexico. Moses and Elijah. Luke 9:28-36 The Transfiguration: The Coming Glory, Acts: The Holy Spirit and His Unstoppable Church, 2 Corinthians - Ministers of a New Covenant, Work and Worship: Connecting Sunday to Monday. Biblical writers, attempting to describe Gods glory using human words, portrayed it as like devouring fire (Exodus 24:17). Perhaps Luke is tying the Transfiguration to the resurrection, which occurs on the eighth daythe day after the Sabbath. Hope that Jesus is who he claims to be. In an excellent book called The Incomparable Christ, author Oswald Sanders said, The presence of Moses and Elijah would be to them the pledge of their own immortality. a Glimpse of Glory Luke 9:28-36 From some aspects this was the highest point in our Savior's earthly career. Mountaintop experiences are important, but theyre not meant to last forever. Mark 9:2-8. At this point in Lukes story, Jesus and the disciples are on the way into the abyss of Jesus passion. They cannot encourage Jesus to stick with what they dont understand (and would resist if they did understand it). 38Behold, a man from the crowd called out, saying, Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. Rev., the mountain. Frederick Buechner once mused that maybe the oddness of the Transfiguration is not so odd after all. We can read about that in Luke 22 just hours before the Crucifixion. Now they are standing right here in front of them. They speak then of Jesus exodus from this world through his suffering, death, and resurrection into heaven, the place where they dwell with God. Should the preacher make Clearly, he was bathed in the light of Gods presence. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. In his prayerful agony, as he felt the weight of his impending suffering on the Cross, Jesus sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. It would be too much for us. And I do not fault them at all. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen. This post is excerpted from The Testimony of Luke, by S. Kent Brown, 472-482. Now, in todays Gospel lesson, we have the most authoritative answer to the question, Who is this? God says, This is my beloved Son. This mountain is not named, but its name is not important. Listen, and not Look? 2. For most preachers, the decision is easy. One you try to capture with a camera. Now we learn that they have also failed to heal this boy (v. 40). But maybe behind these questions something of the core truth of the gospel starts to come out. Commentary on Exodus 34:29-35. They promise us health, wealth, and happiness, but seldom live up to their promises and often lead people toward ruin. And besides, how would you explain this? But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father (v. 42b). Having both of them appear on the Mount of Transfiguration seems to be a neat way of coalescing the whole Old Testament into Jesus ministry. These convulsions demonstrate graphically the problem that the father has described. So his need for prayer may not have been that much different than ours. That is a natural reaction. they saw his glory and heard the voice of God. Hed come back a different man revived and ready to go back to work. We should read the Scriptures and be in prayer with a hungry sense of wonder. When you get a moment, take a close look in the mirror. From the looks of the text, it would not be an unwarranted leap to think these three did not tell even the other nine disciples what had taken place. Who knows what will happen to them now that they are in Gods presenceperhaps they will die! 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The preacher make Clearly, he just needs a little time every once in a to. Holy mountain ( 2 Peter 1:18 ) Elijah ( Luke 9:34 ) time.

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