There are lots of scary things in the world right now. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, it’s hard not to read the headlines and be concerned about something you see there.
On top of all of that we all have our own personal challenges. It might be a health concern, a family dispute, or a job that just doesn’t seem to pan out as you’d like it. We all have something that leaves us feeling bewildered and wondering how we are going to move forward. As followers of Jesus, how are we to cope with all that we see around us?
I want to spend a few moments here meditating with you on the story of Jesus’ transfiguration. It’s a familiar story, but it’s one that can help us find encouragement when life gets overwhelming and scary.
Examining the Transfiguration
The story itself is straightforward. Jesus takes his three closest disciples – Peter, James, and John – up to a high mountain, and there they see him in his glory. Matthew tells us that “his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light” (17:2). Mark adds the detail that his clothing was “intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them” (9:3). He becomes extremely bright and is dazzling to view (Luke 9:29).
Jesus is showing his disciples (and by extension, us) his glory. For a brief moment, we can see more clearly his divine nature as part of the eternal Godhead. The sight must have been awesome to behold. Can you imagine how startling it would have been to see your friend, someone with whom you had known for a while now, transform in front of you into the most glorious being in the universe? It’s no wonder that the disciples were stunned!
Jesus’ glory here is a preview of what is to come. He already had said in the passages prior to this story that “there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom” (Matthew 16:28, cf. Mark 9:1, Luke 9:27). Many scholars connect the fulfillment of this statement to the transfiguration.
Jesus is showing Peter, James, and John the glories of his kingdom before they “taste death.” This means that Jesus’ kingdom is one of glory and light. It will be unmistakable and unstoppable, like the brightness of the sun on a clear day. No one will be able to ignore or deny it. Jesus will receive all the glory due to him on the day when he comes and we see him in his full splendor.
The transfiguration is a snapshot of the time when Jesus comes again. What’s more, later parts of Scripture confirm this vision of the glorified Jesus. If we look at the book of Revelation (which describes the fullness of the coming of the kingdom at the end of time), we see a striking similarity to the description of Jesus. We read that “the hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength” (Revelation 1:14-16).
The Sequel of the Transfiguration
I wonder if John was recalling what he saw on the mountain when Jesus appeared to him in this way. The description in Revelation 1 has many of the same characteristics as the transfiguration – brightness, otherworldliness – but it is intriguing to me that John specifically says that “his face was like the sun shining in full strength.” Like at the transfiguration, Jesus is so bright, so powerful that we can barely look at him straight on.
Considering all of this, John’s reaction to his vision seems appropriate. “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” (Revelation 1:17). The only reaction that anyone could have when faced with the glory of the Son is to fall over in wonder, amazement, and dread. In our sinful state, we cannot see the face of the Lord and live (Exodus 33:20).
Similarly, the disciples are overwhelmed at Jesus’ appearance at his transfiguration. Although Peter does try to say something, he is quickly stopped.
“He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’ When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified” (Matthew 17:5-6, cf. Mark 9:6-7, Luke 9:34-35). As they are trying to process what they are seeing, a cloud overshadows them and cuts off any conversation.
Hearing the voice from heaven pronouncing Jesus’ sonship and the need to listen to him, the disciples fall on their faces just like John does in Revelation. The message is clear: Jesus is the glorious eternal Son and the only way to enter his kingdom is to listen to him.
Fear Doesn’t Get the Last Word
What are we to make of this conclusion? The story of the transfiguration gives us a small picture of just how big Jesus is and how far he is beyond our human comprehension.
Of course, this can lead us into worship – this cosmic Christ has come to earth to be with his people! He doesn’t remain at a distance; he comes to earth to show us the way into his kingdom. What an amazing thing to realize that the God of the universe draws near to his people!
What’s more is that he does not leave us in our fear. He does not come to destroy us (even though he rightly could). We know that the sight of Jesus and hearing the heavenly voice have made the disciples afraid, and rightly so. What we did not talk about is what Jesus does next.
Matthew’s account provides an interesting conclusion to this account. Mark and Luke simply state that, once the cloud was gone, Jesus was by himself (Mark 9:8, Luke 9:36). Matthew however tells us, “Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise, and have no fear’” (17:7).
Jesus does not stand far off. He comes to them and lets them know that there is nothing to fear in his presence.
Jesus assures John in the same way when he has his vision of the exalted Christ in Revelation. John writes that Jesus “laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not’” (Revelation 1:17), but in this vision he assures John why he doesn’t have to be afraid. Jesus states, “I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (1:17-18). We have nothing to fear because Jesus is the conquering King who has defeated sin and death!
We don’t have to be afraid in the presence of Jesus because he has come to deliver us from our sin and remove any barrier to his presence. Peter, James, and John would not have known this on the mountain, for Jesus had not yet gone to the cross. In fact, even when Jesus would tell them what was about to happen, they would not understand (see Matthew 16:21-23, 17:23).
But for those of us who live on this side of the resurrection, our hope in seeing Jesus’ glorious face is certain. Jesus reaches out to each of us in our struggles and failures to assure us that there is no need to fear because he is in control and is working to bring us to himself.
The vision of his glorious being shows us just how total that control is. Jesus occupies a space so far beyond our earthly existence, which is bound by space and time. We might not feel like we have enough resources to face the day, but Jesus has more than enough to win the battle for us.
Certainly, this does not mean that our lives will be easy, but it gives us courage to know that he is in control and working all things according to his plan. We ought to listen to Jesus, knowing that he will have victory in the end. For those who know and trust him, we can claim the promises at the end of Revelation, an eternity spent with our God with no more distress or uncertainty:
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And 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 (Revelation 21:3-4, 22-23).
Jackie Gober is the associate director of student success at Westminster Theological Seminary