What is referred to as “the transfiguration” in the New Testament… How do you explain what happened to Jesus on that day?Well, let’s try this…
Sharon, my wife, went out shopping for a beautiful piece of furniture one day. She found what she was looking for and purchased it. She tried to tell me how beautiful it was. My job was to go pick it up. So I got it the truck, went to the furniture place, and they brought it out wrapped in plastic. I could see some of what it looked like through the plastic… It was nice. We got it in the truck and brought it home. Sharon kept saying, “You just wait until you really see it!” (I think she sensed that my enthusiasm was not as great as hers.) We got it in the house and began unwrapping it… we finally got it out of the wrapping and… Wow! She was right! A beautiful piece to adorn the sitting room in our house!
That’s a little like what happened at the transfiguration…
The transfiguration wasn’t something “done” to Jesus… It was the “outshining” of who He really was! The “incarnation” (Jesus coming in human flesh) was a little like the wrapping around our piece of furniture. And although it’s not a perfect analogy, Jesus was “wrapped” in humanity to protect us… the full revelation of His glory would have been more than we could have handled and lived. But it was also to help us understand what God expressed in human flesh was like. But the transfiguration? Wow!! For a few moments the disciples were allowed to see the “outshining of His glory” and hear the voice of authentication from the Heavenly Father… They got just a glimpse – a taste – of who Jesus REALLY is…
Here’s how Matthew’s gospel describes it…
“And He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and His clothes became white as light! … Peter said to Jesus, [Mark’s gospel says Peter was blown away by it all! … He didn’t know what to say (Mark 9:6) So he said…] ‘Lord, it is good that we are here! If you wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ [They had appeared with Jesus and were talking to Him.] While He was still speaking to them, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is My Beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!’ When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified! But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise and have no fear.’ And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no on but Jesus only.” (from Matthew 17:1-8)
The “Transfiguration!” … Wow, what an experience! Getting a glimpse of Who Jesus really is! And although down here on earth you may never have an experience like it… One day, in heaven, we will see Him as He really is, in all of Glory! (And that unveiling will make the “transfiguration” seem like nothing in comparison!) Until then I’m going to take the Heavenly Father’s testimony for it… “This is my Beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased!”
