Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
“And behold, two men were talking with [Jesus], Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:30-31).
It was about eight days after these sayings. Now, what sayings is St. Luke referring to? The conversation Jesus had with His disciples at the villages of Caesarea Philippi. We remember that conversation, and we know that Peter remembers that conversation, because it was one of those moments that will stick with you.
Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” (Mark 8:27)
They replied: “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Matthew 16:14).
“But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15).
Then Peter says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).
But then what happened? Jesus took His disciples aside and began to teach them that the Christ must suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes Him saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you” (Matthew 16:22). Then Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to Me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23).
Then about eight days after that conversation, Jesus invites Peter, James and John up a mountain to pray. Peter must still be thinking about what had happened just days ago. He confessed Jesus to be the Christ, but he was soon rebuked for his lack of faith. Could Jesus bring that up again? Could Jesus bring up that He must suffer and die?
What does it mean that Jesus has to suffer? Why does the Christ have to die?
So, Peter, James and John follow Jesus up a mountaintop. Jesus picks the spot up on the mountain to pray, and He begins to pray. But for some reason, the disciples fall asleep. Could it be that Jesus prayed a long time? Maybe. Could it be because of the tiring trek up the mountain? Maybe. But we know that they fell asleep.
But as Jesus is praying, He is visited by Moses and Elijah, and they are talking with Jesus about His departure. The Greek word translated “departure” here literally means “exodus” – a way out. From the word “exodus” we get the word “exit.”
Now, Jesus doesn’t have to argue with Moses and Elijah about His suffering. They know all about suffering. This is what the conversation is all about!
This word “exodus” ought to call to mind the exodus of the Israelites, the greatest redemptive event in Old Testament history. That saving deed of God was a forward-pointing prophecy of the perfect and complete salvation to be wrought in this “exodus” of Jesus.
This “exodus” was the topic of conversation between Moses and Elijah. That first exodus used water as a means of death – the Egyptians drowned. The new exodus also involves death – the death of Christ – but what’s different is that through Christ’s death, those who are baptized into Christ die to sin as they die with Christ. But in this new exodus, God will pour out His Means of Grace – His Word and Sacraments – to sustain His people in the arid desert of this fallen world.
Jesus would have to die so that we would live.
God the Father’s words at Christ’s Baptism are echoed at His Transfiguration: “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him” (Luke 9:35).
By means of this new exodus, God will vanquish the serpent, Satan, and redeem His people from the powers of sin, death, and hell.
So, just as Moses led the Israelites to the Promised Land, so now Jesus will lead His people to eternal glory. But before Jesus would lead His people to glory, He must first suffer.
There, upon that mountaintop, Moses and Elijah were conversing about what was soon to be accomplished: our substitutionary atonement. They were discussing the theology of the cross.
Our God is a god of paradox. God reveals Himself by hiding Himself in Christ. God heals His people by suffering in Christ. God’s power is seen in weakness. God gives life by dying.
One would expect God to tell us to shape up, for us to merit His love. But He doesn’t. Instead, He puts all our sins upon Himself. He would be crucified in our place to take our punishment for our sins. He would be crucified in our place for breaking God’s Law. Our sinless Lord would take upon Himself all our sins to give us exodus from the consequences of our sins.
But then Peter, James and John wake up. We don’t know who woke up first. But you can imagine one of them waking up and rubbing his eyes as he sees Jesus dazzling white and hears the conversation and then nudging the others to wake up to see this! When they became fully awake, they saw Jesus’ radiant face like the sun and His clothes beaming white. The disciples listened to the conversation with amazement.
And then as Moses and Elijah began to depart, Peter says to Jesus: “‘Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah’ – not knowing what he said” (Luke 9:33).
This is so typical of Peter. He speaks when he ought to listen. We are often like Peter. We, too, would like to prolong our “mountaintop” experiences as we leave behind the toil and trouble of this fallen world behind.
So often we are reluctant to see the big picture of Jesus. We look for all the glory. We look for signs, wonders, and miracles. But this glory of the Transfiguration serves as a prefiguring of Christ’s suffering and death. Jesus, Moses and Elijah understood that there was no contradiction between this moment of glory and the cross awaiting in Jerusalem.
For Moses and Elijah, the Transfiguration is seen most clearly through Christ’s suffering on Calvary. There, nailed to the cross, the glory of God and the love of God is revealed.
It is only through the cross that we see God’s glory shining. Christ says, “It is necessary the He should suffer many things, be killed, and rise on the third day.”
He came to suffer and die, so that He can be your Savior. He died so that you may share in His glory.
The Transfiguration of Our Lord shows that Christ must die. The crucifixion would not be an unfortunate incident. The crucifixion was rather an essential part of God’s eternal plan for the salvation of the world. Moses and Elijah confirmed that. Through His death on the cross, the Law and the Prophets are fulfilled. By grace through faith in Christ alone, we are no longer under the curse of the Law. But now, having received forgiveness, life and salvation through Christ atoning death, we want to follow the Law and keep the Law. Now, we don’t have to, but we get to. Jesus has shown us grace by providing us the way out of this fallen world filled with sin and death.
Receiving the Means of Grace is now the activity of our exodus as God sustains us to life everlasting. In Holy Baptism, your Old Adam was drowned as you came to life in Christ. Through the water and the Word, you were joined to Christ who hung on the cross. You were baptized into His death. For His death is the only way out from the bondage to sin. In the Lord’s Supper, you are again partaking in Christ’s death as you partake of Christ’s true Body and Blood broken and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins, which begets life everlasting.
Now, all of us who confess our sins and receive God’s forgiveness are able to depart in peace.
Jesus accomplished His work through His death, resurrection, and ascension. Through Christ and His Means of Grace, He has prepared the way for our exodus – the greater exodus – as we daily die to sin and are made alive in Christ through repentance and faith knowing that He has accomplished all that is necessary for our salvation. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +
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