Study in Mark’s Gospel

Study in Mark’s Gospel Presentation 28

The Transfiguration Chap 9v2-29 Presentation 28

Introduction Have you ever been at a loss for words? Have you ever found it hard to adequately express some unusual event in your life, perhaps a holiday of a lifetime or a surprise anniversary party? The gospel writers struggle in their attempt to adequately describe the transfiguration. Luke speaks of Jesus’ clothes becoming as ‘bright as a flash of lightning.’ Matthew tells us his ‘face shone like the sun’. Mark describes his clothes as ‘whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them’! How do we find earthly words to describe heavenly glory and splendour? It is very significant to note that this event took place immediately after Jesus instruction concerning his cross and his disciples’ cross-bearing. And so we ask the question, ‘Why should this be?’ Presentation 28

The Transfiguration Event Something quite unique in biblical history is taking place on this mountain. This is the only event in the Bible, where men of faith, who have left earth and gone to heaven have once again returned to earth. The fact that they have done so surely makes the subject of their conversation to be of particular importance. Both Moses and Elijah had made spectacular exits from this world – Moses body was never found while Elijah left by a chariot of fire! In contrast, Jesus’ death would be painful, and humiliating. Crucifixion was viewed by the Jews as a cursed death. But it is this death that forms the topic of their conversation. Presentation 28

The Transfiguration Event Luke tells us that they spoke of Jesus’ departure lit. his "exodus” Lk. 9v31 . Luke intentionally uses this word because of its immediate association for the Jew with their historic deliverance from Egyptian bondage. A deliverance was particularly associated with the sacrifice of a Passover lamb. And now Jesus’ death was to lay the foundation for a new Exodus that would be brought about by the sacrifice of his life. He was the substantive ‘Passover Lamb, 1Cor 5v7’ and would die on the same day as the Jewish Passover! People would be delivered, not from mere human tyrants like Pharaoh, but from the tyranny and power of sin and Satan. There is no greater subject for conversation than this, and is what the theologian John Owen described as ‘The death of deaths’. Presentation 28

The Transfiguration Event It is easy to miss one important circumstance that paved the way for the transfiguration. Jesus was transfigured as he prayed v29. What motivated that prayer? Surely a combination of Jesus’ own growing consciousness of the awful cost of the cross and the great lack of enthusiasm with which it was met by his disciples. But perhaps more importantly it was their failure to grasp the great kingdom principle - glory comes through suffering. Failure to grasp this would mean that his disciples would not take their own costly cross-bearing seriously. Therefore it seems apparent that the transfiguration was designed both to strengthen Jesus and to instruct his disciples. Presentation 28

Strengthening Jesus How was Jesus strengthened for his task? First, consider the significant change that took place in his appearance. He had a foretaste of the glory that would one day be his as the Redeemer of his people. The glory that he had laid aside to become man, would be restored but now in his capacity as the head of a new humanity cfPhil. 2v 5-11. Ahead lay a cross of suffering and shame but beyond that lay indescribable splendour and glory! Do you see how this would have encouraged Jesus? The reality and joy of glory with the redeemed lay beyond the cross! Cf. Heb. 12v2. Presentation 28

Strengthening Jesus A wonderful parallel can be drawn between this and Christian experience. In Pilgrim's Progress, Bunyan describes how Christian and his friend Hopeful were themselves dispirited after meeting with a succession of discouragements. But then their path takes them though a place called "Beaulah land” where they experience a rapturous vision of heaven. And it is this foretaste of heaven that encourages them to press on. There are times when Christians are discouraged in their. The path of obedient suffering begins to exact a significant toll. It is then that God often provides a foretaste of glory designed to encouragethemto press on thus viewing their difficulties as no more than ‘light, momentary afflictions’, 2Cor.4v17 Presentation 28

Strengthening Jesus Secondly, the transfiguration should be understood against the background of Peter's rebuke of Jesus in Mk. 8.32. Jesus’ disciples believed the cross was a big mistake. Imagine how lonely and isolated Jesus must have felt. His own co-workers were too spiritually insensitive to see the importance of the cross. Indeed, the mystery of the cross was more understood and appreciated by the saints in heaven than by the dull saints on earth. And it is left to Moses and Elijah to encourage Jesus to press on. When others discourage you from taking cross-bearing seriously, God will find an encourager. David had his Jonathan and Esther her Mordecai. God will find you a human encourager to help you press on. Thank God for those who fulfil this task. Presentation 28

Strengthening Jesus The third and chief encouragement for Jesus was surely that of the approving voice of his Father: 'This is my son whom I have love listen to him' v7 . What did it matter what his disciples thought as long as Jesus walked in obedience to God. At each crucial stage in the ministry of Jesus the Father is there to encourage him to press on in obedience. Now, all who seek to walk in costly obedience to God can expect to hear his encouraging voice saying, "Press on, press on". Not necessarily audibly as here, but God by his Spirit addresses the mind and heart in order to bring about great heart encouragement. Presentation 28

Instruction For The Disciples The transfiguration served not only to strengthen Jesus but to instruct his slow disciples. First, the immediate result of this experience was to lay bare Peter's heart. His response to the heavenly glory was that he wanted to continue to revel in it. He wanted to have Jesus, Moses and Elijah stay there in order to sustain this enriching experience. Peter would have built them each a shelter just to sustain this environment of glory. But it would have been glory at the expense of a life of conflict and service. Peter wanted a crown without the cross, glory without suffering! Presentation 28

Instruction For The Disciples Peter failed to understand that he was being given a glimpse of future glory in order to equip him to endure a life of suffering and not in order to avoid or bypass it. This incident has been captured, on canvas, by several great masters. Raphael’s painting shows both the glory of the transcendent Christ on the mount and a world of darkness and need in the valley below. His composition is designed to show that the purpose of the mountaintop experience was to equip the disciples to serve in the valley below. Christians often want to cling onto their personal, intimate, glorious experiences of God. Some are prepared to cut themselves off from social contact in the exclusive pursuit of the heady atmosphere of heaven. Presentation 28

Instruction For The Disciples One young Christian had a thrilling and rapturous experience of God. And the pattern of his life for the months to follow was to come home from work, eat his evening meal and then retire to his room in order to keep hold of this wonderful sense of God’s presence. But whenever that happens, as here, God invariably withdraws the sense of his presence. Why? In order to learn that mountaintop experiences with God are not to be regarded as an end in themselves but part of God’s preparation for serving a world of need. After God had spoken the disciples found themselves alone with Jesus. As in the experience of the young man the glory of God was withdrawn. Presentation 28

Instruction For The Disciples A second lesson for the disciples is found in the content of God’s words spoken at the scene. Notice that God gave his seal of approval to Jesus but also to the cross that he embraced and so the disciples are told to "hear him". This is to be understood as nothing less than the Father's deliberate endorsement of Jesus’ earlier teaching on the necessity of the cross which the disciples had been so reluctant to take on board. They were to listen to Jesus instruction in relation both to his cross and the cross that they themselves were called upon to bear. Presentation 28

Instruction For The Disciples The words "Hear him" are also addressed to all who would follow Jesus. We too are being encouraged to learn the important relationship that exists between suffering and the glory that follows. We too are to, ‘Hear him’ when Jesus teaches that cross-bearing is the duty of disciples. This involves refusing to listen to the self-indulgent suggestions that rise from within our hearts or to the temptations that are injected into our minds by Satan that encourage us to make self-interest and self-preservation our chief goal and end. Presentation 28

Conclusion I believe that Peter's experience on the mount shaped his whole attitude towards suffering for Jesus’ sake in the days to come. Read through Peter's epistles and you will discover regular references to the relationship between suffering and glory cf. 1Pet. 1v6-11 and 2Pet. 1v14. The man who was once so appalled by the thought of cross-bearing and who was so attached to this world has changed. Now he is found looking forward to entering into the glory that he saw on the Mt. of Transfiguration, through the pathway of suffering. Presentation 28

Study in Mark’s Gospel