The Life of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels
THE TRANSFIGURATION
The Life of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels
THE TRANSFIGURATION
Lesson Plan:
1. The Prayer Meeting of Four on the Mountain Top (v 2)
2. The Transfiguration Scene (vs 2-8)
3. Light for Us from This Scene
4. Conversation on the Way Down (vs 9-13)
Lesson Setting:
Time: Autumn of A.D. 29. About a week after the last lesson
Place: A mountain in the vicinity of Casarea Philippi. One of the foothills of Mount Hermon.
Place
in the Life of Christ: The last half of the third year of Jesus’ Ministry. It is the reverse side
of the picture of the suffering Messiah, manifesting His glory.
Research Thoughts: The connection between this lesson and the last. The purpose of the Transfiguration. What was the change in Jesus? Why were the three taken up the mountain with Jesus? What was the reason that Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus? What were they talking about and why? What was Peter’s object in proposing to build three Tabernacles? The meaning of the Transfiguration for us.
Introduction: For a week after the revelation to the disciples that Jesus must suffer and die, the records are silent, as if all were pondering these things in the depths of their hearts. It would seem that during these days there was going on in their minds an unconscious process of crystallization. As a thread in a warm saturated solution at rest will gather about itself crystals of the substance dissolved, so will a living thought in a full mind gather to itself the separate things that have been thronging around it, and form definite crystals of truth. Such a process was working in the disciples during these six days. The view of the Messiah as suffering and dying, which filled their minds in our last lesson, was true, but not the whole truth. That the seed must be planted in the ground away from life and sunshine is also true, and necessary if one would have a garden of flowers or an orchard of fruit. And this might well puzzle one who had never seen the outcome in spring and summer. Now, Jesus having impressed upon His disciples the necessity of the planting and dying of the seed shows them the other side, the springing up into new life, a specimen of the flowers and fruit to result, for their comfort and hope.
Illustration: This same process is seen in the book of Revelation. The late Bible professor, Dr. James E. Priest, once made a chart of Revelation for his class. The lower part representing the earthly scenes he put on brown paper; the upper part representing the heavenly scenes he put on white paper to make clear the distinction. Below were descriptions of martyrdoms and persecutions, wars, plagues, sorrows, and all the sufferings to which Christians were actually being exposed. Then scattered along the way to the end were visions of heaven and God, of songs of triumph, shining garments, sweet incense, harps of gold, and ten thousand times ten thousand glorified saints, and at last the new heavens and the new earth. It was this vision that cheered and sustained the people of God in their conflicts and sufferings. It is quite possible that Jesus Himself in this dark period needed the transfiguration experience lest there should come to Him the feeling, which later, on the cross, made Him exclaim, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me!"
Scripture Reading: Mark 9:2
1. The Prayer Meeting of Four on the Mountain Top
v 2 ... "And after six days," Luke says "about eight days," but there is no difference between the statements, Luke says "about," and includes the day before and the day after the six full days, since parts of both belonged to the period, for Jesus would end His discourse before the close of the day before the six began, and they would start for the mountain on the day after the sixth ended.
v 2 ... "Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John." The three best scholars in the school of Jesus. There was no favoritism in this selection. He simply advanced to higher studies those who, by faithfulness in the lower, had made it possible for them to understand and use the higher. For other instances, see account of Jairus’ daughter and the garden of Gethsemane. The grade of their discipleship depended on the degree of their spiritual sympathy and understanding. But Christ’s purpose was not to confer favor on these men, but to train them for a great work. The favor they received carried with it a burden. That is to say, it is not primarily selection to privilege, but to service. Only to those who have been faithful in the lesser things comes the call to the wider kingdom. The other nine disciples were left at the base of the mountain, as we see by the events of the following morning (Mk. 9:14-29). It was necessary for Christ’s purpose that there should be some reliable witnesses.
v 2 ... "Into an high mountain apart." ‘Far from the madding crowd.’ Luke (9:28, 29) tells us that Jesus went up into the mountain to pray; and that the Transfiguration took place while He prayed. So it was at His baptism; as He prayed the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him as a dove (Lk. 3:21, 22). Thus ever at special crises of His ministry. This may have been one of the times when "in the days of his flesh" he "offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears" (Heb. 5:7). In this case there was not merely prayer, but a prayer meeting. Doubtless the three disciples joined with their Teacher in prayer. And to this prayer meeting of four was the promise fulfilled that "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20). In fact, every one of the six men who met on that mountain was eminently a man of prayer. What Did They Pray For? It must have been for light, for strength, for guidance, for help in this dark hour, for the assurance of faith. The answer of the Transfiguration will help us to understand what they prayed for. Since we cannot explain the union of the divine and human in Jesus, we must simply insist on the entireness of both. A wise old preacher once said: "We are afraid to harbor in our own hearts any thought of our Lord as hungering, tired, sorrowful ... affected by events of human life as a finite creature is, and yet one half of the efficiency of His atonement, and the whole of the efficiency of His example, depend on His having been this to the full."
Scripture Reading: Mark 9:2-8
2. The Transfiguration Scene
The Answer To Prayer: And as He prayed (Luke). Greek, ‘in His praying,’ during His prayer, and in answer to His prayer "He was transfigured before them" (v 2). M.R. Vincent wrote, "The Greek word denotes a change in the distinctive nature and character, as distinguished from a change in outward fashion or form, as when Satan appeared as an angel of light. It was a revelation of Deity breaking out in that glorified face which appealed to something deeper than sense."
v 3 ... "And His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them." ‘And His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as the light’ (Matthew). "The fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment became white and dazzling’ (Luke). Nothing less than the sun, the brightest and most glorious of all objects within human knowledge – so bright that it destroys the eye to gaze directly upon it – could express the radiant glories of Jesus’ face, when His heavenly nature shone through the veil of His flesh, shining, R.V. "glistering," literally lightening forth as through some inward radiance. It was His inner shining through the veil of the flesh, with ‘a light that never was on sea or land.’ Jesus was a prince in disguise, and for once He threw off His outward guise and appeared in His own royal glory. Dante, describing the angels whom he met in the Paradise, impresses us at once with their external glory and spiritual effulgence. Invariably he makes the former the result of the latter. Hawthorne compares Christianity to a grand cathedral with divinely pictured windows. Viewed from without, it is impossible to gain the slightest conception of the beautiful forms and radiant colors manifest to those who look at them from within. So it is with Christ. Those who had seen Christ only in His human form were like those who had seen only the seeds of the rose or the bulb of the lily, but had no vision of the blossom which could grow out of them. Compare the description, in apocalyptic metaphors, of the risen Christ, by John in Revelation 1:14-16, "And his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters; and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." Here we have as clear a picture of our Master and Leader as He is now, as can be expressed in human language; but every item in the description is a metaphor or symbol of the reality. Moses and Elijah Appear On the Scene
v 4 ... "And there appeared unto them (i.e., the disciples) Elias (the Greek form of ‘Elijah’) with Moses." These persons were really present. It was not a vision, as is plain from the account in Luke, who says "two men," human beings; and Peter recognized them. Luke says that they appeared in glory, in their glorified bodies; something like that of the transfigured Jesus, but with less radiance. Note: The peculiarity of the ending of the earthly life of these two, of whom one had not died (2 Kin. 2:11) but was taken up in a chariot of fire, when the material body was transformed into a spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:51), 'and the other had no sooner tasted of death than his body was withdrawn from under the dominion of death and of him that had the power of death' (Deut. 34:6; Jude 9) – Cambridge Bible. And thus with their resurrection bodies they were peculiarly fitted to appear on this occasion as examples of the complete redemption of man, for which Jesus came to the earth. Both on a mountain had seen visions of God. Moses Was the Representative of the Law. Through him the law was given, and the kingdom founded, and the sacrifices instituted which prefigured the sacrifice of Christ. Elijah Was the Representative of the Prophets, i.e., the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah and His kingly glory while He was Himself the type of the forerunner. Jesus Christ, in His own person brought the Gospel, the fulfillment and completion of the other two, "so that I shall not remain in the law and the prophets, but through the law and the prophets I shall come to Christ" (Jerome).
The Conference of the Three: "And they were talking with Jesus" (v 4). Luke tells us that they talked of Jesus’ "decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem." The Greek word for ‘decease’ means exodus or departure, from this world by the cross, the resurrection and the ascension. It was not the end of Jesus’ existence, but an episode in it. (a) This conversation would bring human comfort and strength to Jesus, as He stood seemingly alone in His view of a suffering Messiah. He would know that He was right in going on to the cross. The presence of Moses and Elijah, in glorified form, would be a positive assurance to Him of His own resurrection. (b) It strengthened the faith of the disciples. They would see that what Jesus had taught them about the suffering Messiah was true. It helped them to realize the possibility of the resurrection of Jesus. It showed them how Jesus was fulfilling the Scriptures which foretold and typified the Messiah.
The Three Witnesses: The three disciples watched this conversation for some time. The late hour, their long vigil, their silent listening made them heavy with sleep, but they had resisted the drowsy influence and kept ‘fully awake’ (R.V. Lk. 9:32). This "is one word in the original, and means having watched through, having remained awake, for they had overcome the force of sleep" (Thayer’s Lexicon).
v 5 ... "And Peter answered," not to any question asked him, but to the feelings and questionings that the scene awakened in his mind.
v 5 ... "And said to Jesus." Anxious to continue in such heavenly company, but ‘not knowing,’ realizing or understanding the full meaning of "what he said" (Luke).
v 5 ... "Master (Rabbi), it is good for us to be here." The experience was good, and would make him a better and more useful man all the rest of his life. It widened his outlook. It awakened heavenly feelings; it filled him with new faith in Jesus. It was wonderful company to be in, and he wished to remain in this ecstasy of feeling.
v 5 ... "Let us make three tabernacles." If they were to remain they must have some place to dwell in, on that cold mountain top. They proposed to do what any Galilean peasant would do today, if arrested by nightfall on a bleak and exposed hillside. He would at once, rather than travel in the night, look out for brushwood and rushes, and quickly weave a few loose, rough hurdles, to form a screen from the wind.
v 6 ... "For he wist (knew) not what to say." He was bewildered, and could not collect his thoughts "for they were sore afraid" in this strange, weird, awe-inspiring scene. Luke says they feared as they entered into the cloud. The great manifestations of God’s power close at hand fill the soul, conscious of weakness and sin, with dread solemnity.
The Voice From Heaven – "A cloud that (‘a bright cloud’, Matthew) overshadowed them" (v 7), in which the visitors departed. The cloud symbolized mystery, and the brightness suggested glory. Peter (2 Pet. 1:17), in a reminiscence of this scene, calls it "the excellent glory." The cloud was an incarnation of the ineffable light of God, veiling its glory, yet making it visible to man, as the clouds that veil the sun enable us who cannot gaze into His face yet to see His beauty and glory.
v 7 ... "A voice ... This is my beloved Son:" The same voice that had spoken at His baptism. The truth about the real nature of Jesus, who appeared to them daily as a man, must be impressed upon the disciples so that they should never lose their faith even in the dark times that were to follow; and while others were calling Jesus a criminal and blasphemer, the disciples could always see Him in His true glory.
v 7 ... "Hear him." Attend to His instructions and obey Him. When the disciples heard the voice they fell on their faces. Then Jesus came and touched them (Matthew) ...
v 8 ... "and suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man ... save Jesus only."
3. Light for Us from This Scene
Our Savior was revealed in the Holy Mount in six different aspects: (a) Our richest and most heavenly experiences come in and through prayer, and often from united prayer. Note: Consider the tale regarding the lamp of Aladdin, needing only to be rubbed to bring forth unseen powers, doing the bidding of the possessor. (b) Only those who have served Christ faithfully in the valleys of daily duty, having lived near to Him, can climb with Him the Mount of Transfiguration. Daily faithfulness is the ladder to heaven. Note: Unless a man has trained himself for his chance, the chance will only make him ridiculous. A great occasion is worth to a man exactly what his antecedents have enabled him to make of it. (c) We all need the highest and sweetest experiences of the love of Christ, to see Him in His beauty and glory, to glance through the gates ajar, to feel the breath of heaven, and hear the voice of God. It widens the outlook, giving earthly things their truer place in life; It gives a clearer view of the end to which we are working, of the state to which God would bring all men; It helps us bear our burdens, overcome out temptations, do our Christian work. We are amid sin, but we have seen the glory of the Master able to conquer it; we dwell amid sorrows, but we know Him who has power to transform them; we see the work to be done, but here is new inspiration and hope. Light, victory, glory, heaven, shine henceforth on all the dark earth; It helps to change us into the image of Christ. Note: Carlyle was right when in his Frederick the Great he said, "Once risen into this divine white heart of temper, were it only for a season and not again, it is henceforth considerable through all its remaining history. Nations are benefited for ages by being thrown once into divine white heat in this manner. And no nation that has not had such divine paroxysms at any time is apt to come to much." (d) We will save ourselves from many an hour of discouragement, if we will keep in mind Matthew Arnold’s separation of the hour of insight from the hours of labor: "We cannot kindle when we will The fire that in the heart resides; The spirit bloweth and is still, In mystery our soul abides; But tasks in hours of insight willed May be through hours of gloom fulfilled." (e) There is no way of reaching these high experiences, but by climbing the mountain with Jesus, toiling up the rocky slopes of hard duties, though dark forests of perplexity, adversity and trial, while at the same time the path leads along the stream of living waters. (f) We obtain assurance of immortal life through Moses and Elijah; and glimpses of what our future life shall be from the glory of Jesus Christ. "He shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father." "We know that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." "As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."
Scripture Reading: Mark 9:9-13
4. Conversation on the Way Down
v 9 ... Jesus "charged them that they should tell no man." Because it would not be understood. It would seem like a wild story, and draw attention away from obedience and faith. Or if believed, it would excite false hopes only to be disappointed. The people needed first to choose the true life of love to God, of keeping His commandments, before they could be prepared to teach it till Jesus was "risen from the dead."
The Disciples: "questioning one with another" (v 10), by themselves, apart from Jesus "kept that saying," not in the sense of obedience, but the word about the resurrection clung to them, they did not let go of it.
v 10 ... "what the rising from the dead should mean." While they had heard of this before, they could not realize it, nor understand why they could then speak of this scene, but not before. The Disciples, To Jesus ...
v 11 ... "Why say the scribes that Elias (Elijah) must first come," before the Messiah, and preparing the way for Him. The scribes would say that Jesus could not be the Messiah, because Elijah had not come. Was this appearance of Elijah on the Mount the coming of Elijah? How was it ‘first’ before Jesus? And if this was His coming, why should it not be proclaimed that all may know that Jesus is the Messiah?
Jesus Answering the Disciples: "Elias (Elijah) verily cometh first"(v 12), as prophesied in Malachi 3:1; 4:5 6. The scribes were right in their expectation.
v 12 ... "And restoreth all things." Works a reformation, brings back the true basis and principles and life of the kingdom of God, which the Jews had perverted and turned aside. He begins the reform of all things pertaining to the kingdom of God; he initiates the new order.
v 12 ... "and how it is written," Psalm 22:6; Isaiah 53. Jesus explains to them again that the Messiah must suffer, even as John the forerunner did. As the difficulty about the coming of Elijah can be explained, so can this other difficulty.
v 13 ... "Elias (Elijah) is indeed come," as Matthew explains, in the person of John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah, as Jesus had taught them a year before (Matt. 11:10).
v 13 ... "Listed," pleased.
