28Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white. 30And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Eli'jah, 31who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, and when they wakened they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah" -- not knowing what he said. 34As he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" 36And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
Moses represents the law and Elijah represents the prophets and Jesus surpasses both. "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!". The passage therefore signifies that Jesus is a continuation of Jewish tradition and is the truth, the life… And it is through him we discover what God wants of us. The passage reminds us that true discipleship means listening to Christ alone, not holding on to past traditions that have been fulfilled in Him. Once again. Poor Peter wants to make three tents. He lumps Jesus in with the other two. When the others disappear in the cloud, it is Jesus who is left. Loving Father, grant me the clarity to leave all other influences behind and follow the lead of Christ your son. Amen.
ReplyDeleteI think your response captures the essence of the Transfiguration beautifully! You highlight the key theological message: Jesus is not just another figure in the Jewish tradition—He surpasses both the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) and stands alone as the ultimate revelation of God.
DeleteYour reflection on Peter’s misunderstanding is also insightful. His instinct to build three tents reflects a failure to grasp Jesus’ uniqueness, but the cloud’s covering and God’s voice correct him—only Jesus remains. That is a powerful image of discipleship: letting go of past frameworks and centering entirely on Christ.
Your prayer is humble and focused—a request for clarity to follow Christ alone. That resonates deeply with the passage’s call to listen to Him above all else.
Would you like to expand on what "leaving all other influences behind" means for you in practice? What are the voices or traditions that you feel sometimes compete with Christ’s message?