Transfiguration Sunday – Year C

Sermon Notes from the Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People

RCL Readings – Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99; II Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

ACNA Readings – Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99; I Corinthians 12:27-13:13; Luke 9:28-36

Seasonal Introduction. Following the Christmas season, Christians around the world celebrate Epiphany. While the story of a Jewish baby born in his ancestral home may be interesting it would hardly be remarkable, let alone world-changing. But Christmas isn’t only about a human baby boy, it is about God coming to dwell among men as a man. During the season of Epiphany, we look at how God revealed Himself, starting with the pagan magi and ending with Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain. 

Common Theme. This week’s readings focus our attention on the transforming impact of the Presence of God. Transfiguration is another way of saying metamorphosis. This happens whenever a person turns to the Lord and meets him face-to-face! Moses met with God on the mountain in this way and his face was shining as he came back to the camp. So too Jesus, on the mountain, talked with his Father and was transfigured in front of his disciples. We too, if we have encountered God, should transform from our own blindness to being a light in the darkness.

Hebraic Context. Christians might not immediately think of the glory of God and light being connected. However, from the very beginning to the very end glory and light are connected in Hebraic thought. In Genesis 1, the sun, moon, and stars weren’t created until the fourth day while light was created on the first day. In Revelations 21:23, John sees that “the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.”

Shortly after creation, Genesis 2:25, 3:7, and 3:21 once again connect glory and light, along with skin. When God talked with Adam, he was clothed with fig leaves but still declared himself naked while earlier Adam was naked but felt no shame. The Hebrew word used in Genesis 3:21 is עור (or, “skin”). When spoken, however, the word sounds almost precisely like אור (or, “light”). Rabbi Meir, a 2nd century sage, noted that man, having been created in the image of God—who is clothed in glory—must also have been clothed with glory and majesty (Psalm 8:5). When Adam and Eve sinned, the אור, or light—the glory of God-–was removed and they felt naked. God was forced to replace it with עור, or skin, instead.

The motif of the glory of God and light continues throughout the Scriptures: Exodus 24:15-18 “the glory of the LORD dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days… now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.”; Isaiah 60:1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.”; Ezekiel 1:28, “Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.”

One more thing was connected to the glory and light of God, the voice of God speaking from out of a cloud. As seen in Exodus 24, 34 and repeated in Psalm 99, God showed Himself behind a cloud and spoke from that cloud. The gospel writers also speak of the cloud from which God spoke at the time of Jesus’ transfiguration. Habakkuk 3:3-4 states that “His splendour covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from His hand; and there He veiled His power.” On the one hand, God’s glory is readily seen by all. But at the same time, we cannot see Him face to face.

Habakkuk very carefully connects his prayer to Exodus 34 by using the term קרנים (karnaim, “rays” or “horns”) as Moses’ skin shone (קרן karan, “shone” or “horn”). When Moses talked with God, his skin (עור) shone after Moses asked to see God’s glory. God hid Moses in a cleft of a rock while His glory (and goodness) passed by. Surprisingly, the reference to Moses’ veil, and the word מסוה (masveh, “veil”) is only used three times, all in Exodus 34:33-35 while the term in Habakkuk 3:4, חביון (hevyon, “veiled”) is only used that one time. However, the Aramaic translation of Habakkuk 3:4 once again goes back to creation and light, reintroducing בראשית (bereshit, “in the beginning”), before continuing with allusions to Moses and the prophets such as Ezekiel “And the radiance of His glory was revealed like the radiance in the beginning, and sparks from the chariot of His glory were coming forth. In that place was revealed His Shekhinah glory, which was hidden from the sons of men by the might of His exaltation.”

Paul returns to the same starting point when he says, “for God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.’” While God speaks from the cloud, even to Moses, Elijah, and the disciples, He still speaks. And we all, “with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” As John 1:18 declares, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.”

Exodus 34:29-35. After the people of Israel had rebelled, even as the might of God was displayed on the mountain, Moses interceded on their behalf in prayer. Rather than doing away with Israel, God said, “Behold, I am making a covenant.” And so, once again, Moses descended “from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand”. However, while Moses was on Mount Sinai he asked to see the glory of God. God would not let Moses see His face, but He told Moses that He would make His goodness and glory pass by Moses. Seeing even the little that he was allowed to witness, Moses was transfigured. 

Exodus 34:29 says that, “the skin of his face shone because he has been talking with God.” The translation of Moses’ face shining is a bit troublesome and, unfortunately, has caused some amount of confusion and even anti-semitism. The term “shone” comes from קרן (karan) and is only translated as “shone” in Exodus 34. Every other time the word means “horn”. This is why Michelangelo’s Moses is shown with horns on his head as the Latin translation followed the more grammatical interpretation. While the Bible does not speak of “horns” being a characteristic of demons, the Greek god Pan developed into an iconic depiction of demons in art even in Christendom. And so, with the anti-semitism that was already prevalent, the idea of Moses with horns was also connected (along with Israel and Judaism) with demons. However, “the skin of his face shone” is also a good translation as Habakkuk and Paul (in II Corinthians 3:7-4:6) both seem to connect light to Exodus 34:29-35 while the transfiguration of Jesus is also clearly one of radiant light.

However, just as the people (and even Moses) could not see the full glory of God and were terrified of it, they were also afraid of even the little that shone from the face of Moses. Previously, when Moses remained on the mountain, they dismissed him as simply “the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt” and sought after other gods to lead them. Now, whenever Moses went before the people they would see the veil on his face—the face of the man who regularly talked to the God who brought them out of Egypt. Like the Israelites, when Moses first encountered God, “Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” But now, whenever he went to speak to God he would remove the veil over his face.

Psalm 99. The compiler of the Psalms placed this Psalm as the last in a series of Psalms that proclaim God as king. God has reigned from everlasting. He reigns over all things in the sea, the earth, and the heavens. He is powerful beyond measure but, unlike other gods, He still is full of love and faithfulness and He is a God of salvation. 

In a world where kings and gods are powerful both people and the earth itself quake before the God whose throne is in Zion—on the ark of the covenant yet in the midst of His people. And in a world where kings and gods are selfish and corrupt, God is a God who loves justice, establishes equity, and executes righteousness. And God is holy. 

Three times the psalmist returns to the refrain that God is holy. The holiness of God shows that God isn’t just another god nor is He like us. He is greater, awesome, exalted above all people. We only approach His feet to worship Him. But instead of separating God from man, we must know that it is precisely because God is holy, because He reigns, and because everything must tremble before Him that He chooses to come to us in justice and righteousness and forgiveness.

Moses and Aaron were both at Mount Sinai when it quaked and Moses, after talking with God, shone with light. The glory of God is almost always connected with light. The psalmist could have continued to speak of the glory and power of God but instead he focused on the interaction between this almighty God and people. They called out to Him and He answered.

Samuel neither worshipped God at Mount Sinai, as Moses and Aaron did, nor at Mount Zion, as the psalmist did. But Samuel still served in the tabernacle where God called out to him. And, just as the King who reigns is connected to the King who listens to His people, the action of worship of this holy and almighty King who speaks to His people is connected to obedience. Not that we always choose to be obedient, but when we are disobedient and fall at His feet He still answers and forgives. So we are to exalt and worship Him.

II Corinthians 3:12-4:2. Passages like this, where Paul speaks of the veil of Moses and the hardness of mind among the Israelites, can lead to an argument that Israel has been set aside and the Mosaic covenant is worthless. “Sure, God gave a bunch of laws at Mount Sinai but now we have grace.” Why did God even give the law if it’s so terrible? 

Paul, and the early church, were almost all Jewish. If Paul is calling the Israelites blind, he is also calling himself blind prior to Jesus appearing before him (along with all unbelievers). But they were also the ones who were transformed and became a testimony of faith to the world regarding the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When the Messiah came and dwelled among us, with glory, grace, and truth, it was the Jewish believers in the Messiah who took the good news to the rest of the world—including Corinth.

God calls the Mosaic covenant good and holy. But good laws don’t make people good. While the laws may be of God, and thus good and full of life, the people they are given to are so often rebellious and struggle with the things of God. This leads to the importance of being transformed—for just like Paul and others in the early church, we too were blind.

Paul’s argument isn’t that all that God has done in the past is now useless. He states that “we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” Paul is using a Hebraic argument called kal v’homer (light and heavy), an argument that uses a minor case study to prove a greater case study (or vice versa). From glory to glory. If the first was full of glory (it is), surely the second is also glorious and, in this case, even more glorious through the work of the Messiah and the Spirit.

At Sinai, the people of Israel are also transformed. God makes a covenant with them and they are the people of God, who is their father. They see the glory of God and, although they are frightened of Him, God still chooses to dwell among them. John 1:18 says that “no one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.” Jesus has lifted the veil and, although there will one day be an even greater degree where we can see God face to face. If seeing God through a veil means that that glory is worthless, we should take heed of what Paul writes in his first letter, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” 

Sometimes we think of the transfiguration as being a very mystical experience. Perhaps we want to dwell in that mystical experience, to soak it in. But Moses descended from the mountain and his face shone even while he brought the physical tablets of the covenant to the people and continued to serve as both the prophet of God and a practical judge of Israel. Paul also went about his business, not hiding in the wilderness as an ascetic (although he did take some time to be in the wilderness before his ministry). He went out and proclaimed Jesus the Messiah as Lord to give light to the Corinthians and the gentiles—just as Israel had been called to do. Since he had hope, he spoke publicly and openly of the light that had shone on him on the road to Damascus and wished to share that light with those blinded by the god of this world.

Luke 9:28-43a. The ministry of Jesus is about to change from teaching thousands of people and doing great miracles of healing to rejection and death. It was at this time that Jesus went to a quiet place to talk to God. He didn’t go alone, bringing companions to pray with Him. Unfortunately, they fell asleep while Jesus prayed (something they would do again in the garden of Gethsemane). While they were asleep, the glory of God transformed Jesus.

Matthew 17 states that “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light.” This should remind us of the transformation of Moses after he spoke with God. The similarities go beyond the physical transformation, as both Exodus and Luke 9 specifically mention going up on a mountain in order to speak to God. Additionally, both Moses and Elijah saw the glory of God pass before them as seen in Exodus 33 and I Kings 19. As important as these similarities are to Luke, the presence of God is the key denominator. Whether in Exodus 24 and 34, Isaiah 6 and 60, or Ezekiel 1, the presence of God includes the light of His glory.

While Peter, John, and James had fallen asleep, God sent two of the saints, Moses and Elijah, to stand with Jesus on the mountain. The argument that Moses and Elijah were chosen by God to represent the Law and the Prophets has been popular since the time of Origen. However, it seems more likely that they both have an eschatological connection to the Messiah. Deuteronomy 18:15-19 tells of a prophet who would come like Moses. By the time of Jesus, this figure was commonly thought to be connected to the Messiah. Elijah, while not the greatest of the prophets, was declared to be a forerunner of the Messiah in Malachi 4:5. 

But, while their appearance was important theologically to us and the disciples, perhaps we should take a step back on thinking only about our own importance. We shouldn’t forget that they were sent by God specifically to talk with Jesus during a time of great difficulty. Luke also records that, when Jesus was praying in Gethsemane and the disciples were sleeping (again), God sent an angel to minister to Jesus. Luke points out that Moses and Elijah talked with Jesus about His coming departure, or exodus in the Greek. 

Exodus was often used regarding an upcoming departure—or death. Peter, in his second letter, speaks of his fast approaching exodus (II Peter 1:15). Wisdom 3:1-3 uses several synonyms for death, including exodus. Josephus uses the term regarding Moses’ departure from the children of Israel before they cross over the Jordan (Antiquities of the Jews, 4.189). Jesus knew that He was going to Jerusalem to die, He had even explained it to His disciples prior to His ascent of the mountain. As both Deuteronomy 32 and II Kings 2 show, Moses and Elijah experienced the knowledge that they would depart this world at a specific time and place and had to deal with the emotions that accompanied that knowledge. Now, God sent them to be with Jesus and strengthen Him.

But it wasn’t only Moses and Elijah that came to Jesus. God is always in relationship and Luke uses a particular phrase to signify that God was more than simply present, “a cloud came and overshadowed them”. To overshadow, επισκιαζω (episkiazo), is seen in Exodus 40:35 when “the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Luke also uses the term when God told Mary, “The power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” God dwelled in the tabernacle and the Holy Spirit indwelled Mary and, here, God once again overshadowed them.

The cloud symbolized God’s presence throughout Israel’s time in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22, 16:10). At Mount Sinai God promises Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever” (Exodus 19:9). God’s presence from a cloud isn’t limited to Moses and the Exodus. Isaiah (4:5 and 19:1) and Ezekiel (10:3-4) speak of God’s presence in a cloud. Daniel (7:13-14) speaks of the Son of Man (Jesus’ often refers to Himself with this phrase) coming with the clouds. And, in his rebellion, the adversary wished to ascend above the heights of the clouds to become the most high (Isaiah 14:14).

And then the voice of God spoke from the cloud, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to Him!” God spoke of the authority of Jesus as He quotes Psalm 2:7. God spoke of His delight in His Son but also of Jesus’ mission as He quoted from Isaiah 42:1. And finally, God warned the disciples that they must listen to Jesus or God Himself would judge them as He quoted Deuteronomy 18:15.

After all of this, Jesus went back down the mountain and continued His ministry. Knowing what was before Him, “When the days drew near for Him to be taken up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem”. He also warned His disciples that they too would face persecution. But we are not alone: we walk with the saints, we too are overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, and the one with all authority—having experienced the same suffering and temptations—intercedes for us.

Hebraic Perspective. The Hebrew word שְׁמַע, Sh’ma, means listen or hear in the imperative form. Listening is an important feature of Jewish tradition, for, despite being known as the people of the Book, early Israelite culture was predominantly an oral culture before being a literary one. In antiquity, one did not generally read the Bible. Although the Scriptures were recognized as the revelation of God they hadn’t been put into a codex, or a single book, but were in various (and very expensive) scrolls. The people did not possess individual copies of the Scriptures—instead, one heard the Bible. 

But to listen to the Scriptures and not act accordingly to what is heard is dangerous. שְׁמַע ‘Sh’ma’ is also the Biblical Hebrew word for obey. The implication being that if you hear God’s voice and listen to Him then you should also follow through on what He says and obey Him. Jesus, in Luke’s Gospel, sums this up nicely by saying, “blessed is he who hears my words and obeys them.” Every time we encounter the word ‘hear’ in the Scriptures we should note the Hebraic background that obedience is also implied.

When God spoke from the cloud and said “Listen to Him” there was a very grave warning. God said in Deuteronomy 18:19, “Whoever will not listen to my words that He shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.” It isn’t that obedience to God is easy (although “the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it”) it is that we are required to obey regardless. The last words of Jesus before climbing the mountain also provide a grave warning, although we might lose our life we mustn’t be ashamed of Jesus’ words. But there is also hope, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

ACNA Reading

1 Corinthians 12:27–13:13. Paul describes some of the most intriguing, powerful, and desired places of authority and gifts of the Spirit. Paul first makes a statement about the giver of gifts in I Corinthians 12:1-11. He insures that the Corinthians understand that the fullness of the Trinity is involved, the Spirit with the gifts of grace (χαρισματων), the ministry (διακονιων) of the Lord, and all under the power (ενεργηματων) of God. It isn’t accidental that when Paul speaks about gifts which, in our pride, can divide, He continuously speaks of the Trinity and unity.

God is incredibly generous and gives gifts to all His people, be they Jews, Greeks, slaves, or free. But these aren’t individual gifts for individual heroes, they are appointed within the body of the Messiah, by God the Father, having all been baptized in the Spirit. While we are individuals we are part of something more.

The idea of a group of individual people making up a single body was not a new idea in Jewish thought to Paul. Scripture, such as Isaiah 1:5-6, speaks of the totality of failure in Israel to listen to their LORD and father, “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it…”. And contemporary authors, such as Philo in Special Laws 3.131, speak of a unified body where he speaks of the High Priest providing justice and praying for all, “brethern, and parents, and children, that every age and every portion of the nation, as if it were one body, may be united into one and the same society and union, devoted to peace and obedience to the law.”

Any boasting we might have isn’t in our own gifts or abilities but is surely in the head of the Church. Each gift is different but they are all provided by God and should be used for the benefit of the whole body. We don’t get to choose what our gifts are, they are given as He wills. But there is something we should all desire. Paul states that there is a more excellent way. “More excellent” is the Greek word υπερβολην (hyperbolen, or “throwing beyond”), most readily seen in the word “hyperbole”.

While doing miracles or being a prophet might seem great—and may be incredibly useful in the body of the church—love is what we are all called to. What topic requires hyperbolic language more than love? Literature, poetry, and songs all try to speak of love and are incapable of doing so. In I Corinthians 13 Paul uses a Hebraic poetic parallelism to show love not in some vague way but quite practical terms—Love is: patient, kind, etc. Love is always communicated in action.

The command to “love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” was commonly understood to be the greatest command in the 1st centuries. Jesus added, “you shall love your neighbour as yourself.” One day, we will have no need for healing (there will be no sickness), we will have no need for prophesy (we will have seen God face to face). But for eternity God has loved and will love: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Love never ends and we too are called to love.

Endnotes

1. The Aramaic translation of Isaiah 6:3, Targum Jonathan, also connects light to God’s glory, “Holy in the highest heaven, the house of His Presence, Holy upon the earth, the work of His might, Holy for endless ages is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of the brightness of His glory.”
2. As is the case with many hapax legomena, the translation is tricky and so the Septuagint preferred to translate חביון (hevyon) as αγαπησιν (agapesin, “mighty love”).
3. C.S. Lewis stated that “It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you may talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship…” What an amazing thought that we are being transformed beyond our understanding.
4. There is a slight difference that the Hebrew grammaticians who added the vowels noted with Exodus 34 using קָרַן (karan) while the other uses are קֶ֥רֶן (keren) or קָ֑רֶן (karen) which always refer to horns. Horn can also refer to the strength, or power, of someone and not just the physical horns of an animal or an altar. For instance, the kings and prophets were often anointed with a horn of oil. Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelation all use the term horn to signify a certain amount of power or authority.
5. Daniel 8’s description of a male goat with horns may have sounded very much like Pan.
6. The Septuagint attributes Psalm 99 to King David. King David’s son, Solomon, in Proverbs 1:3 and 2:9 echoes the three attributes of Justice, equity, and righteousness (in reverse).
7. Psalm 93, 95-99. Songs and hymns also proclaim God as the King who reigns throughout the Psalms, such as Psalm 29, 46, 47, 146 among others.
8. Exodus 25:18-22; I Samuel 4:4; Isaiah 37:16; I Chronicles 28:18, “And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat.” In addition, the temple and the ark of the covenant was directly connected to the “footstool of God” in the eyes of King David as recorded in I Chronicles 28:2. See also Psalm 132:7; Isaiah 66:1; Lamentation 2:1
9. John 1 uses the same formulaic argument, “grace upon grace” where the first grace was the law given through Moses and the second grace, along with truth, came through Jesus.
10. I Corinthians 13:12, see also I John 3:2 and Revelation 22:4
11. Modern Hebrew has created a new word ‘obey’ which is לציית Litziyet.
12. Luke 11:28