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Luke 9:28–36
“As [Jesus] was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (vv. 29–31).
Several events during the earthly ministry of Jesus prove to be especially important for understanding the person and work of our Savior. Among the most significant of these is the transfiguration of Christ, which Luke describes in today’s passage.
First, let us consider the truths about the person of Jesus revealed in His transfiguration. Luke tells us that in the transfiguration, the appearance of Jesus’ face was altered and His clothes became a dazzling white (Luke 9:29). Luke calls this the manifestation of our Lord’s “glory” (Luke 9:32). Clearly, this episode indicates that Jesus is more than a mere man, but we are not left to guess the significance of His identity. Luke 9:34–35 states that at the transfiguration, a cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud identified Jesus as “my Son, my Chosen One.” This, of course, was the voice of God the Father, who earlier called Jesus His Son at His baptism by John the Baptist (Luke 3:21–22). The appearance of glory and a cloud recalls the glory cloud that was a visible display of God’s presence at the time of the exodus (Ex. 16:10; Ex. 40:35). In the transfiguration, then, Jesus was revealed as the very presence of God Himself, which does not surprise us, since other biblical texts tell us that Jesus is the very incarnation of God (John 1:1–18).
In addition to revealing truths about the person of Jesus, the transfiguration showed forth the work of Jesus. The appearance of Moses and Elijah alongside our Lord in His transfiguration pointed to His work as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, given the close association in the Jewish mind of Moses with the Law and Elijah with the Prophets (Luke 9:30; see Luke 24:27). In light of Malachi’s prophecy of Elijah’s appearance just before the day of the Lord (Mal. 4:5), there is also an allusion to Jesus’ being the One to usher in the final era of salvation. Luke tells us that Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus about His “departure” (Luke 9:31), and the Greek word here is the same word translated elsewhere as “exodus.” In Jesus’ departure—His death, resurrection, and ascension—our Lord brings about a new exodus that frees His people from the cruel slavery of sin and death (see Ezek. 20:33–44).
Reading about the revelation of Jesus’ glory in the transfiguration makes us wish that we could have seen it also. This is no futile wish, for the Scriptures assure us that one day we will see His glory as well (Rev. 22:1–5). Dr. R.C. Sproul comments, “Every one of us who is in Christ Jesus will one day see this same glory.”
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
The glory that Peter, James, and John saw on the Mount of Transfiguration will one day be seen by the whole earth (Hab. 2:14). Those who trust in Jesus now will experience that glory as great blessing, but for the impenitent, the glory of God will be seen in His wrath. We are to seek to make disciples of all nations so that they will receive God’s glory as a blessing and not as an instrument of judgment.
for further study
- Ezekiel 3:12
- John 1:14
the bible in a year
- 1 Kings 10–11
- Luke 24:1–12
- 1 Kings 12–16
- Luke 24:13–53