The Jesus I Never Knew (Luke 9:28-36)

First impressions are important aren’t they?  They say, you never get a second chance at a first impression. But first impressions can also be shallow? Especially if people are different from us. If they are of a different ethnic group. A different culture or have an unusual accent. But when you think about it, isn’t that also true of the way we view Jesus? William Blake described the dilemma we face:

“The vision of Christ that you see
Is my vision’s greatest enemy.
Yours has a great hooked nose like yours,
Mine has a snub nose like mine…
Both read the Bible, day and night,
But you read black where I read white.”

What were your first impressions of Jesus? My first memory of Jesus was about the age of six or seven when I attended Sunday School. I remember two things. Singing “Jesus loves me this I know…” and looking at a painting of Jesus on the wall. He carried a lamb in his arms and was surrounded by little children – except they were all different colours. There was an African child, a Chinese child, an Indian child and many others that were different to me. But I do remember, reassuringly that Jesus had long golden hair and a European complexion. My first impressions were of a white Jesus.

Then in my teenager years, I was introduced to the Jesus of Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar. Jesus had become golden. Then at university I was introduced to the radical Jesus of left-wing politics. Do you remember the image of Jesus portrayed like Che Guvara? That was the red Jesus. At theological college I discovered the black Jesus of liberation theology and the green Jesus of the ecology movement. Then there have been the irreverent depictions of Jesus like Daniel Scorsese’s Last Temptation of Christ –what we might call the Blue Jesus – most recently portrayed in Dan Brown’s, Da Vinci Code. Maybe you don’t identify with any of these representations of Christ. “I’ll stick with the Bible” you may say. That’s fine, but do you honestly think you would recognise him if he came back today?  Did the disciples recognise Jesus after his resurrection? They had spent three years – day and night with Jesus. And yet after his death what happened? 

What about Mary in the garden? “At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.” (John 20:14). 

What about the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus? “Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.” (Luke 24:15-16).

They were walking beside Jesus, yet they did not recognise him? And what about the other disciples in the Upper Room? “While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.” (Luke 24:36-37). Why? 

Why did the disciples not recognize Jesus? Here’s a clue from Philippians 2.

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)

Jesus laid aside his majesty in becoming a human being. After his death and resurrection, while Jesus still bore the scars of his crucifixion, he resumed his rightful place, as Paul continues in his letter to the Philippians,

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,” (Philippians 2:9-10)

It was the same person, the same Jesus before and after his death and resurrection, but his appearance was different in some way. The Jesus we will meet one day will be revealed in all his glory and majesty, power and authority. In our reading from Revelation, we find John describing Jesus in these words.

”I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw … someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.  The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.”(Revelation 1:12-15)

This is the image of Jesus we had better have in our minds, when we prepare to meet him, because this is the real Jesus, this is the Jesus who is coming soon. 

This is the Jesus we will meet one day. 

We will see him as he really is. And if you find that image unsettling – remember how John reacted, 

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:17-18)

So how do we fit together the Jesus of the gospels with the Jesus of Revelation? The historical Jesus and the cosmic Jesus?  The earthly Jesus and the heavenly Jesus? In our reading from Luke 9, we will find some answers. In Luke 9, Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do you say I am?” “You are God’s Messiah.” (Luke 9:20). “The Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:16). In response Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:27). Jesus’ promise was fulfilled eight days later. Three of the disciples, Peter, James and John got to see the kingdom of God. How? For a brief moment, they saw the King in all his radiant glory.

I’ve broken this paragraph into four sequential events.

  1. Jesus’ Transfiguration – Watch! (9:28-31)
  2. Peter’s Suggestion – Wait! (9:32-33)
  3. Father’s Endorsement – Listen! (9:34-35)
  4. Disciples Response – Learn! (9:36)

1. Jesus’ Transfiguration – Watch! (9:28-31)

“About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.  Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. “(Luke 9:28-31)

We don’t know which mountain this was – probably Mount Tabor near Nazareth, but it doesn’t matter.  

“As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.” (Luke 9:29). Matthew tells us “His face shone like the sun” (Matthew 17:2). 

Mark adds, “His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.” (Mark 9:3). The real Jesus. The Jesus they never knew before. 
Why do Moses and Elijah appear? What did they discuss with Jesus? “his departure which he was about to bring to fulfillment in Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:31). The word ‘departure’ means ‘Exodus’. Moses looked back to the Exodus and God’s promise of deliverance. Elijah looked forward to the fulfillment of that promise in God’s future. The death of Jesus would be no accident but the fulfillment of the plan and purposes of God. Jesus’ Transfiguration – Watch!

2. Peter’s Suggestion – Wait! (9:32-33)

“Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)” (Luke 9:32-33)

Peter probably had in mind the Feast of Tabernacles.

During this festival, people built booths on their roof tops to remember their experience in the wilderness. As he saw Elijah and Moses leaving, perhaps Peter wanted to prolong their stay. 

Whatever his motive, it was premature, for Christ must first suffer before he would enter into his glory. But, it was also presumptuous of Peter to offer to build three booths, as if they were equals. 

3. Father’s Endorsement – Listen! (9:34-35)

“While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.  A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” (Luke 9:34-35)

The clouds that covered them were the shekinah glory of God that had led God’s people through the wilderness. 
God was present with them in the cloud, and through the voice.  This is the second time God the Father has spoken audibly about His Son.  At his baptism, the words of the Father were for Jesus “You are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22). On this occasion, the words are for the disciple’s benefit. “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” (Luke 9:35). The point is this.

There is no equality between Jesus and Moses or Elijah. 

Moses had promised that the Lord would one day send a prophet they must listen to (Deuteronomy 18:15) and here 

Moses is introduced to him. 

In a day of toleration when people want to build booths for all the great religious leaders, it is timely to remember that there is no equality between Jesus and Moses or between Jesus and Mohamed or Buddah. Later, after the resurrection, the disciples would understand that:  

Jesus is Superior to Moses (Hebrews 1:1-2)

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”(Hebrews 1:1-2)

Jesus has superceded Moses (Hebrews 8:13)

“By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.” (Hebrews 8:13)

Jesus was the Saviour of Moses (John 3:14)

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:14-15)

This is why we must listen carefully to the words of Jesus.

4. Disciple’s Response – Learn! (9:36)

“When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.” (Luke 9:36)

They were stunned by this mountain top experience. 
They needed time to reflect upon what they had seen and heard about Jesus. The Jesus they never knew had revealed something of his glory and they were in awe.

Their view of Jesus was changing, as ours must too.

Last week we considered the question Jesus posed “Who do you say I am?” We discovered that when we find him, we find ourselves. We can never answer with certainty the question “Who am I?” until we answer the prior question, “Who is Jesus?” And here too, in the transfiguration of Jesus we discover not just a unique historical event, but a process of transformation at work also in us who believe. 

For when we encounter the real Jesus, we too are transformed. As Philip Yancey says, “No one who meets Jesus ever stays the same.”  The very word used to describe the transfiguration of the supernatural Son of God is the same word used to describe the transformation of the adopted child of God.

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 – see also Romans 12:2)

This is why we must not only root our view of Jesus in scripture, but also revise our view of one another in the same way. Paul confesses that their discovery of who Jesus really is impacted the way they viewed others too. 

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation”
(2 Corinthians 5:16-18)

Transformed and transforming.  The world judges on the basis of our age, our shape, beauty, deformity, size, looks, colour, accent, clothing, car, house, postcode. But this is to treat people with incredible superficially. We are created in the image of God. While our bodies are wearing out, our inner life is being renewed daily. This is why Paul writes,

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)  

Jesus’ Transfiguration – Watch! (9:28-31)
Peter’s Suggestion – Wait! (9:32-33)
Father’s Endorsement – Listen! (9:34-35)
Disciple’s Response – Learn! (9:36).