This morning we shall look at an awesome event that took place in the presence of three of Jesus’ most trusted disciples: Peter, James and John. The event is known as “The Transfiguration”.
There is a story of a man who was on trial for murder. It was a very difficult case for the prosecution, as there was a lot of circumstantial evidence, but no real amount of conclusive evidence. The defense lawyer came up with a brilliant, ingenious ploy in an attempt to get his client off the hook. For his summation speech, the lawyer addressed the jury, “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you have heard a lot of circumstantial evidence against my client. But if there is even the slightest doubt in your mind about my client being the murderer, then you must find my client not guilty. And now, I have one final witness. The true murderer is about to walk through that door.”
With that, the lawyer pointed to the door at the back of the courtroom. All eyes turned toward the door, but no one came in. The lawyer continued, “You see, ladies and gentlemen, there is doubt in your minds, otherwise you would not have looked towards the door.” The jury retired and deliberated for five hours. They then returned to the courtroom and handed down their verdict, “Guilty as charged!”
The lawyer was beside himself. He sprang to his feet saying, “But I proved to you that there was doubt in your minds about my client’s guilt! How could you possibly have found him guilty?” At that, a man in the jury stood up and said, “As everyone looked towards the door, I watched your client. His eyes did not turn towards the door. He did not look towards the door because he knew that no one was coming through. He knew that because he knows that he is the guilty one.”
What does all this have to do with this morning’s Gospel lesson? Well, in that courtroom the supposed “star witness” did not appear. But in our reading this morning the “Star Witness” does indeed appear and speak for the Defendant. Who is the Defendant? Who is the Star Witness? The Defendant is Jesus Christ. The Star Witness is God the Father. This morning’s story tells us how God the Father came personally to answer the question that was on everyone’s lips then, and many lips now. That question was, and is, “Who is this Jesus of Nazareth?”
The answer to that question, according to God the Father, and shown visibly to the three disciples that day by revealing Jesus’ glory to them is, “This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with Him.” God then summed up the relevance of all this for us in three simple words, “Listen to Him.” The crowds had been talking about Jesus. They had been coming up with all sorts of conclusions and explanations about who they thought Jesus really was. It was a hot topic for sure, and earlier in the eighth chapter of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus asks His disciples, “Who do the people say I am?” The disciples replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others say one of the other prophets.” Then Jesus asks His disciples, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Peter responds simply, “You are the Christ.”
Yes, the question, “Who is this Jesus?” was on everyone’s mind and lips. In Mark chapter 8, we see the human response. Now, here in chapter 9, we see the Divine response. The Transfiguration took place, in my opinion, because God wanted to answer the question, “Who is this Jesus?” once and for all.
Three important events occurred at the Transfiguration of our Lord.
Remember that something like this happened before, in the Old Testament. Hear Exodus chapter 34. “When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the two tablets of testimony, holding the Ten Commandments in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses and that his face was radiant, they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him and he spoke to them… When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.”
So when Moses came down from the mountaintop, having been in the presence of God, his face shone so brilliantly, reflecting the glory of God, that he had to wear a veil. In much the same way that God’s glory was reflected in Moses’ face, so God revealed Jesus in all His glory to Peter, James and John. God the Father gave the disciples, and us, clear, visual evidence of Who Jesus is.
Mark 9:4 says to us, “And there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, who were talking with Jesus.” Moses and Elijah represent the Mosaic Law and the Prophets. I think it very significant that after God the Father spoke, Moses and Elijah disappeared, and Jesus remained alone. I believe God was saying that the Law and the Prophets had served their purpose, done their thing, passed away, and He who is the fulfillment of both remains alone. Jesus is the One who replaces the Old Covenant.
God is showing the disciples there that the era of the Old Covenant is passing away and the New Covenant is coming through the death and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ. This New Covenant is based solely on a relationship with God-the Son. “Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them and a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is My Son, Whom I love. Listen to Him!’ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone except Jesus.”
Isn’t it interesting that when God the Father spoke, He said simply, “This is My Son, Whom I love. Listen to Him.” God could have given the disciples, and therefore us, a long dissertation on the works that Jesus had performed so far. He could have listed the miracles Jesus had worked. He could have reminded the disciples of all that they had seen so far. He could have given the disciples a glimpse of miracles to come. God could have given them a long course in theology. But God didn’t do all of that. God simply said, “This is My Son, Whom I love. Listen to Him.” God the Father tells us that Jesus is His Son. Jesus, here in God’s words, is revealed to the disciples, and to everyone, as God the Son.
What is the relevance to us who live a couple of thousand years from when all of this took place? God’s final words to the disciples were, “Listen to Him”. And when God the Father finished speaking, Elijah and Moses were gone. Notice that God did not say, “Listen to Jesus and Moses and Elijah.” God the Father just said simply, “Listen to Jesus.” This shows to all the primacy of Jesus Christ.
Jesus made some outstanding, and some say outrageous, claims concerning Himself. It was these claims, which the Jews understood at the time to be statements referring to Jesus’ equality with God the Father, that ultimately caused Jesus to be crucified. For example, Jesus said:
No, it is not a matter of being “good”. For no matter how good we are, we are never perfect. Perfect, absolutely perfect is what we would have to be in order to gain entrance into Heaven on our own. We can’t do it. But Jesus did it for us. When we accept Him as our personal Savior, we can lay claim to His perfect righteousness. Our relationship with Jesus the Christ allows us to come to God the Father with the absolute assurance that a place in His Heavenly Kingdom is waiting for us.
So today, right now, if you were asked the question, “Who is Jesus Christ to you?”, how would you respond? Amen!