I.Theme – God’s Transformative presence
"Transfiguration" – Fra Angelico
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
Old Testament – 2 Kings 2:1-12
Psalm – Psalm 50:1-6 Page 654, BCP
Epistle –2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Gospel – Mark 9:2-9
Old Testament – Elisha receives the mantle of prophetic responsibility from Elijah
Psalm – focuses on the meaning of sacrifice
Paul – Pictures the changes brought by the light of Christ
Mark – Peter, James and John are transformed at Jesus transfiguration
Commentary by Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell:
"Transfiguration Sunday marks the movement from Christ’s entry into the world (Advent/Christmas/Epiphany) into Christ’s Resurrection (Lent/Easter/Pentecost).
"We begin by reading the ascension into heaven by Elijah (in the Old Testament reading), preparing us for the vision of Elijah we will read in the Gospel. The ascension of Elijah marks one of those Mystery times in the Bible, when heaven and earth fully meet, where the Divine and Human intersect. People do not die but instead ascend into heaven. People’s faces are transformed. What has died is brought to new life.
"While this passage may be about Elijah’s ascension into heaven, it really is about Elisha’s faithfulness to both God and to his friendship with Elijah. Elisha is willing to go the distance for his friend, even to the point of being grieved as Elijah is taken up in the whirlwind. Elisha probably did not fully understand what was going to happen to Elijah, but he chose to accompany him rather than let him go the journey alone until the time he was taken up.
"Psalm 50:1-6 also speaks of the intersection of heaven and earth through God. The fire and tempest or whirlwind that Elijah experienced is present here before God in verse 3, and in the following verse, God calls to both the heavens and earth. These moments of intersection, where the Mystery happens, where the Divine and Creation intersect are not just for prophets, but can happen to those who are faithful.
"Mark 9:2-9 is the story of the Transfiguration. Peter, James and John experience this moment of intersection as they witness Jesus with Elijah and Moses. Jesus’s clothes become dazzling white, transfigured as Jesus appears to enter the veil between heaven and earth and stand between the two. But Peter does not get it. Peter does not listen and keep silent, as Elisha did. Peter, terrified of this space where heaven and earth meet, tries to fill the silence, tries to say something but does not understand what is happening. Perhaps Peter, as some scholars speculate, assumed Elijah and Moses were also divine beings or equals with Jesus and made his declaration of building tents. Perhaps Peter was ready for the restoration of the earthly kingdom of Israel and took this as a sign. We don’t really know.
"The Transfiguration is one of those passages that we don’t clearly understand what happened nor do we understand why Peter reacted the way he did. But what we do know is this: heaven and earth, Divine and Human, intersected on that mountain, just as they intersected in the person of Jesus the Christ.
"2 Corinthians 4:3-6 reminds us that the call to proclaim the Gospel is always at hand, and it is our call to proclaim it for the sake of Jesus, not for our own gain. There are some that will not receive and will not understand. We are called to bear the light of Christ to the world.
"There are moments when heaven and earth, Divine and Human, Creator and Creation intersect in our lives. They may not be as earth-shattering as the whirlwind and fire that Elisha saw Elijah taken up in, or as incredibly brilliant as Jesus speaking with Elijah and Moses. But they do happen to us: in our moments of baptism, when we fall and rise out of the waters anew; when we let go of loved ones as they pass on to God’s sole care; and in moments such as watching a brilliant sunrise or experiencing the Northern Lights: there are moments in creation and in our relationships with others where we experience the veil being torn and heaven and earth intersecting. Elisha experienced this in his faithfulness to Elijah; Peter experienced it on the mountain with Jesus and Moses experienced it on the mountain alone with God. But we all have our own experiences of the great Mystery, when we realize that the kingdom of heaven is very near. And as we remember, both John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ preached the same sermon that we often hear as we enter Lent: ‘The kingdom of heaven has drawn near; repent, and believe in the Good News.’"
II. Summary
Old Testament – 2 Kings 2:1-12
Israel has split into two kingdoms: Israel (the north) and Judah (the south). At the time of our story, (850-849 BC), Ahaziah is King of Israel. The Bible tells us that only two people were sufficiently worthy to be taken up to heaven without dying: Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah. This story is about Elijah’s ascent into heaven is a logical choice for the OT lesson for Transfiguration since he and Moses appear in the New Testament account
Elijah seems to have been an independent, solitary figure. He is called ‘a man of God’, as distinct from a nabi’, and leads a wandering existence, appearing when and where Yahweh directs him.
Elijah is the individual prophet par excellence, who seems to follow only his conscience and the Lord’s leading as he travels to the widow’s home or to the palace of Ahab. On the other hand, Elisha, his disciple, is the leading figure of what we might call the "school of the prophets," a band of young men who gathered at traditional shrines and learned the lore and word of God
The journey is in 3 stages: Elijah and Elisha are on their way from Gilgal when Elijah announces he has to go on ahead to Bethel. Elisha refuses to leave him and they continue to Bethel. This saga is repeated at Bethel and they both continue to Jericho and again the same story until they arrive on the banks of the Jordon.
At Bethel and Jericho there were sons of the prophets who reminded Elisha that Elijah was about to die and at the Jordon fifty of the sons of the prophets came with them. In each instance of the reminder to Elisha, he states that he knows and commands them to hold their peace. hree times Elisha uses an oath which confirms his loyalty to Yahweh and his commitment to Elijah. It has the same flavor as Ruth’s avowal of loyalty to Naomi.
Elijah, the great prophet who has traveled the length of Israel and spoken the word of the Lord directly to Israel’s king, is now about to take the longest journey of all. Somehow he knows that his time has come. His disciple Elisha knows too, but they do not speak of it. Instead, Elijah turns to Elisha and says, "Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel." As Elijah makes his rounds to Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho, he requests that Elisha remain behind. Yet each time, Elisha demonstrates a tenacious commitment to remain with his "father" until the end
Elisha will hear none of it. He vows, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they go down to Bethel together, with the unspoken reality of impending death accompanying them.
When they reach Bethel, the prophets of that city can see the reality that follows Elijah like a shadow. They take Elisha aside and ask if he knows. He replies, "Yes, I know; keep silent." The reality of what lies ahead may be inescapable, but let it remain unnamed. Some realities seem too large and too powerful to be named.
As Elijah heads out for Jericho, he again asks Elisha not to go with him, and again the disciple vows that he will not leave the master. The prophets of Jericho ask, "Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?" Does Elisha know? Does one know when one’s heart is breaking? If only he could forget for just a moment! "Yes, I know," he replies, "but be silent."
Perhaps Elijah wants to spare his young disciple the pain of good-bye. Or perhaps Elijah wants to spare himself. Again Elijah says, "Elisha, stay here," and again, in what has become a familiar dance between the two, Elisha vows not to leave Elijah.
When they reach the Jordan there are more prophets, but they do not take Elisha aside. Instead they keep their distance, perhaps seeing that there is nothing more to be said. When the two men reach the banks of the Jordan, Elijah takes his mantle, rolls it up like a towel and snaps it at the water. The water parts so that they can cross to the other side. There they find themselves alone, and Elijah says, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.
Elisha must have been tossed into a whirlwind of possible responses: "What do I need? I need to know how I can carry on. I need to know how I can be a prophet, when everything I know I learned from you and you are about to leave. I need to know how to be a leader, because all I know is how to follow. I need to know what to say when people turn to listen to the prophet of the Lord, and they mean me! I need you to stay."
What Elisha ends up saying is, "Please leave me a double dose of your spirit." Elisha assumes that he is half the man Elijah is and that he will need twice his master’s spirit just to break even.
Then Elijah says a curious thing: "If you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not it will not." What could he possibly mean by that? It is only later that Elisha will know.
As they continue to walk and talk together, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separates the two men. Then a whirlwind gathers up Elijah and lifts him like a child being thrown in the air by his father. Elisha, protecting his eyes from the churning sand, shouts into the wind, "Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horseman." When he can no longer see Elijah and the wind has stilled to a whisper, Elisha tears his shirt in two in the traditional expression of grief.
Elijah had said that if Elisha saw him go he would inherit his spirit in double measure. Now it is clear why that was essential. If Elisha had not seen this, he would still be looking for Elijah, and thinking of him as living. Seeing Elijah leave was like seeing the dead body of a loved one — it helped bring home the reality. Seeing the master go made it clear that now it was up to Elisha. The spirit he so admired in another now resided in him
Psalm – Psalm 50:1-6 Page 654, BCP
The psalms’ primary purpose is to deal with a deep human emotion or spiritual need, and to exhort us to (re)orient ourselves to God. In this Psalm the emotion dealt with is thanksgiving or gratitude. We should offer sacrifices to God; but only those which are given with thanksgiving, with a heart directed rightly to God, will be acceptable to God
Psalm 50 falls into four sections. We only read the first part which is a description of a theophany, or appearance of God.
In these few verses alone, we discover that God speaks, summons, does not keep silent, reveals his glory and calls people as loyal followers to judgment This is not a God who wishes to speak through others or remain distant. Rather, God brings news directly.
God comes out of the perfection of beauty, and second, God comes with some special effects; surrounded by devouring fire and encircled by a mighty tempest
God calls the entire natural world to witness in the case. The scope of creation’s witness extends from sunrise to sunset (v.1) and from the height of the heavens down to the earth (v.4). Later in the psalm (vv. 10-12), it is pointed out that God owns all of creation, and does not need human sacrifice
God uses the forces of nature (devouring fire, whirling tempest) not only to demonstrate power but also to communicate (does not keep silent)
God’s judgment is intimate – calls out personally ). If a courtroom scene is depicted by Psalm 50, it is a family council where the judge knows everyone and prefers reformed behavior to vengeful punishment
Epistle – 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Paul continues the defense of his ministry and in so doing, gives us a further insight into the gospel.
It is clear that some associated with the Corinthian church see little truth in his teachings. As far as they are concerned, his gospel, "in which Christ’s glory shines", is ineffective. To this charge Paul defends himself.
It appears that some have criticized him for failing to made the good news clear, or for limited success in bringing people to Christ.
In 4:1 he has stated that ministry is a gift of God’s mercy and goodness. He continues by distancing himself (as he does already in 2:17) from people whose ministry depends on trickery and deceit. There appear to have been preachers who in self-interest commended themselves and ‘played games’ to win their status and influence. Paul says he doesn’t practice deception. We use no hocus-pocus, no clever tricks, no dishonest manipulation of the Word of God.
What do we make of those who have heard the gospel, and yet do not believe?
Paul’s conclusion is that if the gospel is veiled — hidden, obscured, unknown — it is only veiled to those who have been blinded to the good news. Paul suggests that it is the intent of the "god" of this world to blind unbelievers — whether to keep them blinded or to make them unbelievers — and prevent them from seeing the light of the gospel
The image of blinding and hardening of hearts has already occurred in the closing verses of the previous chapter where Paul describes fellow Jews who refuse to accept the teaching of Christ. Playing with the image of Moses veiling his eyes from the brightness of God’s glory on Sinai, Paul implies that a veil still prevents such people from seeing the glory of God now revealed in Christ.
In v5 , Paul can honestly declare that his preaching focuses on Jesus Christ, not himself. Paul says of himself that he is but their servant on account of his relationship with Christ, chosen to reveal God’s divine message to broken humanity. He is but the messenger, not the message. It is a statement of trust and obedience rather than doctrine and he summarizes Christian ministry as service to others for Jesus sake.
The light of Christ as unfading in contrast to the fading light of the law. It now shines in the hearts of believers gradually changing them into Christ’s likeness. Light, glory, glow – these are ways of expressing God’s being
The light of God undergirds the ministry Paul brings to the Corinthians. God’s light has been experienced by people throughout the ages; the believer’s transformation is in the heart. Those who see Jesus’ face reflect his glory.
Gospel – Mark 9:2-9
Background
The previous Sundays of Epiphany have essentially followed the opening chapter of Mark’s Gospel.
Both the Last Sunday (Transfiguration of Jesus) and the First Sunday (Baptism of Jesus) after the Epiphany are texts where God (a voice from heaven) makes Jesus known to the world. ("epiphany" = "to make known")
The transfiguration of Jesus is the midpoint of Mark’s Gospel.
Jesus has sent these disciples out in mission with the promise that the secret of the kingdom has been given to them and that this secret is about to be revealed (Mark 4:10-12). Yet, as the story unfolds and these disciples return from their successful mission assignments, they seem to progress to less and less understanding until Jesus can even speak disappointedly of their hardness of heart (Mark 8:17).
Chapters eight and nine of Mark set the tone for the Lenten journey and mirror its conclusion by inextricably binding together two dimensions of salvation: suffering in abandonment by God and fellow humans, and the fulfilling communion with God and fellow worshipers.
At Caesarea Philippi (8:27-38), the questions of "Who is Jesus?" and "What is a disciple?" had been given ominous answers. Jesus was presented as the Son of Man who was to suffer and die, and his followers, the disciples, were to share in his suffering. They were to lose their lives for his sake and the gospel’s.
Jesus sees this as an important teaching moment. The disciples had to understand the absolute defeat of the cross or they would never understand the absolute victory of the empty tomb. The protest of Peter’s, that such a future for Jesus, God’s messiah, was impossible, was interpreted as a temptation. "Get behind me, Satan!" Jesus challenges Peter. "For you are not on the side of God, but of men."
The passage
Now “six days” in v2 after Peter’s recognition of Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus takes the inner circle of disciples (“Peter and James and John”) up a mountain. There the transfiguration takes place
The account of Jesus’ transfiguration is closely tied to the disciples’ confession at Caesarea Philippi, Jesus’ subsequent teaching on his death and resurrection, and his demand that disciples identify with his cross and empty tomb. The story portrays Jesus as the faithful servant of God ("Son of God" = messiah), the long-awaited prophet like unto Moses. As the messianic prophet, Jesus proclaims the coming kingdom, and to this end we must "listen to him."
By this narrative the author means to describe a vision of Jesus as the Messiah. The version in Luke says that the purpose of ascending the mountain was to pray. The exact nature of this intense religious experience is uncertain. In Matthew, it is described as a “vision”. The aura of unnatural brilliance is associated with mystical experiences elsewhere: see Exodus 34:29-35 (after descending Mount Sinai, “Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God”) and Acts 9:3 (Paul’s vision).
Like the transforming experiences of Moses and Elijah, Jesus receives heavenly confirmation of his special role in God’s purpose for his people
The word, “transfigured,” is very important. It comes from a familiar Greek word that is known to us: “metamorphosis.” .” It means to completely change or transform such as a cocoon transforms into a butterfly or a tulip bulb transforms into a glorious tulip blossom. Jesus’ body was transformed from an earthly body into a heavenly body, from a human body into a resurrection body
The event confirmed Peter’s confession. Jesus was the Messiah. But it also foreshadowed the mission of the Messiah, death on the cross to enter glory. The Transfiguration was a look backward and a look forward.
The Transfiguration was a revelation of the Trinity. The voice from heaven proclaimed the words of the Father. The Son stood transformed in his glory. And the Spirit overshadowed the scene as the cloud.
More telling is the way this story is constructed as a reminiscence of Jesus’ baptism (Mark 1:11). Similar to the baptism narrative, a voice now speaks from the cloud about "my beloved Son." But here there are several important changes. Whereas there, the address was directly to Jesus ("You are my beloved Son"), now the address is open and public ("This is my beloved Son"). In addition, in place of the private personal address ("in you I am well pleased"), now there comes a command addressed ostensibly to all hearers: "Listen to him."
The first incident, vv. 1-8, establishes Jesus’ glorious identity as the beloved Son of God , and the second (vv. 9-13) he places his divine sonship in the context of Jewish expectations about the kingdom and resurrection.
The transfiguration portrays him as the Cosmic Lord of all human history, and God’s beloved and specifically appointed Son
Three marvels accompanied the transfiguration – Matthew’s version likens this radiance to the brilliance of the sun (Matthew 17:2). Paul described his famous conversion on the road to Damascus as an encounter with blinding light accompanied by a voice from heaven
Second, Moses and Elijah appear. In his transcendent glory Jesus fulfills the law that Moses received, and consummates the end of all things that Elijah was thought to harbinger (Mark 9:11).
Third, the voice of God the Father from a cloud, reminiscent of that at his baptism (Mark 1:11), affirms what only a few pages earlier Peter had confessed, that Jesus is God’s beloved and specially appointed Son who merits our total allegiance: "Listen to him."
Why the Transfiguration ?
(1) to see the Kingdom of God coming in power. One purpose is that it may be the event referred to in 9:1: "And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power." These three disciples have seen the kingdom of God in all its power with the transfiguration of Jesus.
(2) connects (and contrasts) Jesus with the Law and prophets. Another purpose is to indicate that Jesus fulfills the words of the Law and prophets, represented by Moses and Elijah on the mountain. We are told that they are speaking with Jesus, but we aren’t told what they are talking about. . They are there representing the law and the prophets
(3) points to Jesus as the one whom the prophets anticipate. It is more probable that Moses and Elijah appear in the transfiguration narrative as representatives of the prophetic tradition that, according to the belief of the early church, would anticipate Jesus. "All the prophets testify to [Jesus] (Acts 10:43
(4) connects Jesus with "mountaintop experiences" at down times. The two great prophets represent those who, like the disciples at this moment, beheld Yahweh’s epiphany on a mountain at crucial periods of discouragement in their mission. In the story of Elijah, the great prophet has for his trouble become a man hunted by the authorities. He tries to flee, but is met by Yahweh who dispatches him back into the struggle (1 Kgs 19:11ff.). And in the case of Moses, he is Yahweh’s envoy whose message has been once rejected by the people, and who must thus ascend the mountain a second time (Ex 33:18ff.). Both stories are clearly instructive at this point in Mark’s narrative
(5) Jesus: a divine being – The dazzling white clothes
(6) the coming martyrdom of Jesus
(7) another indication of disciples’ blindness. The disciples, once again, are unable to fully understand what’s going on. Peter says, "It is good that we are here." Why is it good that they are here? Why is it good that people are at worship? Do they come to only see Jesus in all his glory and to try and capture that event with booths? Note that immediately after they come down from the mountain, they run into an argument between scribes and the other disciples, because they couldn’t exorcise an evil spirit. This latter event is more typical of what happens in congregations than the glory experienced on the mountaintop.
(8) disciples (and readers again) now hear God’s declaration about Jesus. At his baptism, only Jesus (and the readers) hear the words of the voice that declares Jesus to be "My son". Now the three disciples also hear the heavenly voice attest to this relationship. However, this knowledge didn’t help them much in the garden. They fall asleep instead of pray (14:37-41). The run away, rather than follow (14:50). Hearing the witness from God didn’t produce a lasting or deep faith that would see them through difficult times.
(9) a new commandment from God. The voice gives the command: "Listen to him," "Listen" (akouete) is a present imperative, implying continuing action
10) a time to speak. Often in Mark, Jesus gives the command of silence to those who have identified him or been healed by him: The command of silence in 9:9 also has a time to speak of the event — after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.
III. Articles for this week in WorkingPreacher:
Old Testament – 2 Kings 2:1-12
Psalm – Psalm 50:1-6
Epistle – 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Gospel – Mark 9:2-9