


Langham 22-02-04

Who is Jesus? The Transfiguration – Luke 9:28-36 (quickview) 

Readings: Ex 34:29-53

Luke 9:28-36 (quickview) 

The poet W.H. Auden in his book “A Certain World” wrote this:

Christ did not enchant men; He demanded that they believe in Him: except on one occasion, the Transfiguration. For a brief while, Peter, James, and John were permitted to see Him in His glory. For that brief while, they had no need of faith. The vision vanished, and the memory of it did not prevent them from all forsaking Him when He was arrested, or Peter from denying that he had ever known Him.


This morning’s Gospel reading is the record of that event - the Transfiguration.

The word transfiguration (from the Latin transfiguratio) refers to the “remarkable transformation that once took place in the appearance of Jesus.”

The three synoptic Gospel writers all mention the Transfiguration and so the obvious question to ask is

Why did the event take place?

In order to understand why, we need to look at the background to the story.

In Luke Chapters 8 and 9, the central issue is: Who is Jesus?

We see this question asked three times in these two chapters.

1. The first time the question is asked is in Luke 8:22-28 (quickview) .

Jesus has just walked on the water and calmed the raging storm. And in Lk 8:28 the disciples ask the question:


2. The second time the question is asked is in Luke 9:7-9 (quickview) .

Jesus and his disciples had been performing marvelous miracles – driving out demons and curing the sick and this comes to the attention of the local ruler Herod the Tetrarch. St Luke records Herod saying:


3. And the third time this question is asked is in Luke 9:18-20 (quickview) .

Jesus is alone with his disciples at prayer and asks the question:

"Who do the crowds say I am?"



Peter answered, "The Christ of God."

I believe the Transfiguration took place because God wanted to answer the question. Who is Jesus?

God the Father himself answers the 64,000 dollar question with the simple and clear words:

"This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." (Lk 9:35)

Having set the background, let us look at the transfiguration in more detail

ii) The Transfiguration

At the transfiguration, three significant events occurred

1. Jesus’ appearance was transformed.

2. Moses and Elijah appeared with him on the mountain and

3. God the Father spoke to the disciples

1. Let us look at the first significant event - the actual transfiguration

St. Luke records:


A lot of words have been spoken about Who Jesus is in Luke Chapters 8 and 9.

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