Impact of Jesus’ transfiguration
Key Verses: 2, 4, 5, 10, 18, 20,
Jesus told His disciples that some of them would see Him in His glory, and now it happens. How did the three know it was Moses and Elijah without facial recognition software? No DNA samples were taken and evaluated? We could get sidetracked and miss the Father’s voice from heaven confirming Jesus’ identity. It would be easy, but this is where faith comes into play. Notice the physical changes that take place. This gives “The Shining” a new twist. Jesus shines with the glory He possesses as God. Remember the time Moses was placed in the split in the mountainside, and the Lord passed by. GLORY!
Next time you see the Lord in His glory, don’t do what Peter did. He made it about himself! When God shows up, it isn’t about us! In fact, it is never about us. But Peter wants to set up camp and maybe roast some marshmallows and make smores. And then the Father’s voice resounds and they cower in fear. When the Lord shows up reverent fear is the appropriate posture. When that much holiness is present, our sense of unworthiness comes to the forefront. Judgment could be but a breath away. Our sinfulness could be exposed. Get down on your face!
As they travel down from the mountain Jesus makes the connection between John the Baptist and Elijah. The coming of someone in the spirit and power of Elijah preparing the way for the Messiah’s coming was well understood by Jews of that day. Jesus connects the dots. And in the same breath tells of His own death, also predicted in Scripture by the Prophets, but often less understood by the common Jew. They wanted the powerful, conquering Messiah, not the suffering servant that Isaiah foretells.
I want to set the record straight: not every seizure is the result of demon possession! We don’t know how this boy’s seizures were demon connected, or how people knew the demon departed, but the result was his healing. A life filled with moment by moment terror was transformed in an instant. Fire and water are not the places you want to fall!
Duty and taxes were imposed on the foreigners in an occupied land. When a people were conquered, they paid their new ruler for the right to live on his newly acquired land. Jesus and his disciples are true citizens of God’s territory, the temple. As such they are citizens and not responsible for paying the tax. Jesus makes this connection for Peter, but then provides for the payment in order to not cause problems. Those collecting the tax were just doing the bidding of others, and as such could not make the decision about the moral merits of collecting from a particular individual. They didn’t have the power to exempt anyone from payment. They could get in trouble. So Jesus helps them and teaches Peter in the process.
The Arnold Journey 