2023-Aug-6: The Transfiguration of Our Lord

2023-Aug-05: The transfiguration of our Lord

 

 

Opening prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing us together today to study your Word. Help us to find the true meaning of your mysteries. May your peace be in our hearts, your grace be in our thoughts, your love be in our words and your joy be in our souls. May your Spirit guide us, your words bring us your peace, your shield protect us, and your wisdom arm us, wherever you may lead us. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

The prophet Daniel was a righteous man of princely lineage and lived about 620–538 B.C. He was carried off to Babylon in 605 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar, the Assyrian, but was still living when Assyria was overthrown by the Medes and Persians.

The text, an apocalyptic dream, gives a physical description of God, a rare occurrence in the Old Testament. Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 provides a clear picture of the person of Jesus of Nazareth, particularly of his divine being.

Second Daniel is set within a group of Judeans under oppression from the Babylonian Empire. Today’s passage shifts this narrative of loss to a narrative of victory. The people knew suffering, but they longed for a time of deliverance. This deliverance is promised by the “Ancient of Days,” a pure and fiery ruler, who brings forth a divine figure who is also “Like a Human Being.” This is good news. Fear will not reign. Justice will be restored. 

The image here depicts the setting of justice and power, mediated through a proper council with legions of attendants. The reference to opened books reveals an impending execution of justice.

Psalms 97:1-2, 5-6, 9

Psalm 97 appears in a grouping of psalms, called ‘enthronement psalms’, that have as their main subject the reign of God (Psalms 93, 95-99; and also Psalm 47).

Psalm 97 is a noble text. In the first part, (97:1-5) the glory of God is revealed (theophany). God “is hidden in the mystery of clouds and thick darkness, irresistible fire proceeds him, lightning and thunder manifest his power… the unqualified sovereignty of God manifested in mercy, righteousness and justice

The second part of the Psalm (97:6-9) shows how nature and mankind respond to the revealing of God’s glory. 

The declaration, “the Lord is king!” In verse 1, sets Yahweh above the Gods of all the nations and so vindicates those who worship the true God (verses 6-9). Verse 9 of this psalm acknowledges other deities, but exalts Yahweh as the true authority over all of them. 

Second Peter 1:16-19

The Second Epistle of Peter is an epistle of the New Testament, and it identifies the author as "Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ". The epistle is traditionally attributed to Peter the Apostle, but most scholars consider the epistle to be pseudepigraphical (i.e., authored by one or more of Peter's followers in Ancient Rome, using Peter as a pseudonym.)

Scholars agree that this epistle is a later edition to the canon, written after the letters of Paul had been collected into a body of writings for the church (2 Peter 3:15). 

It is written to a community faced both with the promise that Christ will come again and what to do while we wait for that to happen. 

Though most translations construe the word parousia here as “a second coming” or return of Jesus, the normal root sense of this word is “presence.” Given the context and the clear allusions to the event of the Transfiguration, the word here refers to the authority and power that resides in the affirmation of the “presence” of the Lord Jesus Christ within his disciple community.

This text is intended to counteract the claim being made by some that the promise of Jesus’ return was invented by the apostles. Opponents may have been claiming that the apostles made up the story of Jesus’ return to instill fear as a means to control behavior, a common critique made by Greek and Roman philosophers about the ancient myths regarding the gods.  

Today’s passage is about establishing authority, credibility, and trust. “We were not following cleverly reasoned myths…” - the writer seems to be at pains to stress that not only did he witness the transfiguration of Jesus with his eyes, but he also heard the words of God the Father. 

It is important then to note that the writer, having already emphasized the authenticity of his evidence as eye- (and ear-) witness to the event of the transfiguration, now makes clear that his witness statement about the content and character of the King and his Kingdom is fully in line with all that the prophets had spoken about. This double witness is commended to the readers in order to encourage them and create a light of hope within them even as they live in an era where the culture and society promotes and rewards injustice, disregard of God, and dismissal of loving-kindness.

The transfiguration of the Lord Jesus as recorded here in 2 Peter is a message to us about the content and character of the coming king and his kingdom.

Gospel Matthew 17:1-9

Introduction: MATTHEW's Gospel was written in Greek about 65-70 AD; it has a total of 28 Chapters. It references the Old Testament often since it was written for a Church mainly composed of Greek-speaking Jewish converts located probably in Syria where Jesus is presented as the new Moses bringing the word of God to the people. Scholars seem to believe the author was a male Jew, standing on the margin between traditional and non-traditional Jewish values, and familiar with technical legal aspects of how Jesus was the fulfilment of scripture being debated in his time. On June 19, 1911, Pope St. Pius X proclaimed as Catholic teaching that Matthew the apostle (and reformed tax collector) wrote the earliest Gospel in Aramaic primarily for a doubting Jewish audience. Later this same Matthew wrote a more complete Gospel in Greek that rightly prophesied the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem; meaning it was published before 70AD. 

Transfiguration on the Mount:  It should come as no surprise then that in today's Gospel, there are a lot of hidden symbolisms linking Jesus to Moses

The whole passage resonates with allusions to the Old Testament. It brings to mind the revelation of the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mt. Sinai (which most scholars say is another name for Mt Horeb) and the cloud of God’s glory overshadowing both the mountain and the tent where Moses met with God. Notice Moses comes back with God's commandments whereas Jesus comes down offering his body as the ultimate sacrifice. 

The setting on a mountain Mt Sinai/Horeb and the presence of three disciples Peter, James and John, indicates something significant is about to happen (these same 3 were also present at the Garden of Gethsemane and when Jesus cured the daughter of the Synagogue official. Furthermore these three took leadership positions after the death and resurrection of Christ becoming the only 3 to be named in the Acts of the Apostles by St Luke)

In scripture, a mountain is not just a scenic location but has special theological significance as a place to encounter God - like Moses at Mt. Sinai, in today's Gospel, Jesus will hear God’s voice directing him and the people alike. Jesus and his disciples will bear witness to the prophetic embodiment of Jewish law (in Prophet Moses), and Jewish prophets (in Prophet Elijah who was gloriously carried on a chariot to heaven), and hear the voice of God affirming Jesus’ vocation. 

This transfiguration itself would be enough to stun the disciples, but then Moses and Elijah also appear and start chatting with Jesus, presumably about his death and resurrection, though Scripture does not say immediately until Jesus refers later to these events. The presence of Moses and Elijah marks Jesus as their legitimate heir, their collaborator to fulfil rather than negate their holy work.

Peter offers to build three booths or tents. In both stories, Exodus and Transfiguration, the main characters go up a high mountain with three men. Moses takes Joshua, Aaron and Hur and Jesus takes Peter, James and John. In Exodus, they built a tent and on the 7th day God appeared to them, maybe Peter was thinking of recreating the experience by suggesting they put up three tents. We will never know for sure.

In both cases, a cloud covered the mountain before they meet God that changed or transfigured the appearance of the principal figures (Moses and Jesus) as they were spoken to by God (Exodus 34:29-30). After Jesus is “transfigured before them.” He is luminous and brilliant. His face shines as do his clothes. Jesus radiates light. Moses in Exodus also experiences Yahweh and his faces shines so brightly that he has to cover it with a veil in the presence of the people.

For the second time in the Gospel, previously in Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:16-17), the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove and God speaks directly - this moves the disciples to fall face down in fear but Jesus touches them (a detail not to be missed as we see here an embodiment of Jesus’ compassionate, healing, and courage-inducing touch) and asks them to arise and have no fear.

When all else fades — and indeed, soon enough all will become dark with the climatic death of Jesus on the Cross — Jesus remains, reaching out to help and heal.  “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

On the way down the mountain, Jesus tells them   once again that the Son of Man must suffer, and he orders them to tell no one about the vision until after he has been raised from the dead. Maybe he knew his followers would not understand and mistakenly prevent him from fulfiling the wishes of his Father.

In Matthew’s account, the Transfiguration on Mt Horeb occurs six days after Jesus’ first prediction of his passion and his rebuke of Peter (Get behind me, Satan in Mt 16:21-23) - his apostles accepted he was the Messiah but could not understand the talk about Jesus suffering and dying. This transfiguration passage serves in part as a lead-in for the climactic events in Jerusalem - but gives Peter, James and John a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven which Jesus has prepared for us all. 

Closing prayer

Faithful Father, we thank you for hearing our prayers, feeding us with your word, and encouraging us as we have gathered together. Take our lives and use us to love and serve you, and all people, in the power of your Spirit and in the name of your Son. We are created by your power, redeemed by your love and strengthened by your Spirit. We give ourselves into your service, may we love you and love others with all our hearts.  Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Our Father - Hail Mary - Holy Mary - Glory Be