Get Up and Don't Be Afraid
Matthew 17:1-9
Jesus' transfiguration has always been for me a sort of blip in scripture as we make our way to Lent. Traditionally, this story always shows up on the Sunday before Lent begins in the lectionary (Lent begins next Sunday! Aaaah!). When I looked up the definition of the word "Transfiguration" this week, I have realized that this story of Jesus' transfiguration, is the only reason this word even exists in the first place.
What happened on that mountain top was so unique and so profound, that a new word had to be created in church tradition to describe it. In other parts of scripture, the greek word that the english word "transfigured" is translated from is μεταμορφόω— and it usually is rendered into english as "transformed."
Why create a new word for what happened in Jesus' transfiguration exclusive to that story?
It says in the gospel of Matthew that "his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light [and] suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with [Jesus.]" Before this moment, Jesus would have been a nondescript Jew. He was an itinerant, homeless rabbi who came from Nazareth near the sea of Galilee. These are humble beginnings!
But suddenly he is shining with light and his clothes change colors and these monumental mythical figures appear next to him, speaking with him as if they were Jesus' friends and knew him!
It would be like if I stood up in front of my congregation and light started to shine forth from my skin, my clothes would completely change, I'd develop six pack abs (why not?), and the apostle Peter and Paul appeared and started talking to me. There is nothing like this that happens elsewhere in scripture. Even Jesus' resurrection had a precursor (the stories of Elijah and Elisha has resurrections), but this event is completely unique.
Jesus' transfiguration was a foreshadowing of Jesus' resurrection. It was an obvious way for Jesus to demonstrate his divinity. The spectacle of it must have been incredible. For the disciples to see not only Jesus shining with light and "transfigured" but also to see the likes of Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus must have been mind boggling! This might have even seemed more miraculous than Jesus' miracles!
And what was the knee-jerk response of Peter? "Let's build booths!" This was also followed by the disciples cowering onto their knees.
Like Peter, do we sometimes try to "box in" the mysterious and the amazing? Do we dismiss the remarkable by trying to explain it so we can put it aside? What if transfigurations are happening in our own community and we are too much like Peter who wants to put miracles in boxes and thus we miss them?
This is why Jesus had to turn to his disciples and reassure them. "Get Up and Don't Be Afraid!" When fear causes us to avert our eyes and not confront what is right in front of us or try and put the mysterious into boxes, we can either rely on these responses or we can listen to Jesus. Get up! Do not fear!
The transfiguration happened in the middle of a journey--all of us are on a journey too. Let's not let fear cause us to halt our forward progress.
