Transformation

The passage that precedes the one we read today from Matthew’s gospel tells how, in the midst of his ministry, Jesus took time away from the crowd, time to be with his disciples, when he challenged them to think deeply about what they thought of him. Then, following Peter’s confession, "You are the Christ," he began to call them all over again, challenging them to develop their discipleship with a new and greater seriousness. Up to this point discipleship had not demanded too much of his followers. Certainly they had left home and family to follow him; but what they had done was exciting, and had thrilled them with a sense of adventure. From this point onwards, they are to begin to discover just how much is demanded of them and how serious was their calling.

At the same time, Jesus also redefines his own calling. He tells his disciples, "The Son of Man has to undergo great sufferings, and to be rejected by the elders, chief priests and doctors of the law, to be put to death and to be raised again on the third day." With these words, for the first time, he begins to tell them of his own suffering and death, and of the seriousness with which he must himself embrace his calling. It is the mission of the Son of Man to suffer and die, and he will fulfil that mission, despite the fear, despite the pain, despite the suffering, in order to bring people close to God, and in so doing, he becomes an example of selfless and dedicated service for all his followers, and not just for the first disciples.

Immediately after this, Jesus takes Peter, James and John with him, and together they climb a mountain to pray. It was an event these disciples must have witnessed often enough before, for there are other reports in the Gospels of Jesus praying. But this time, while he prayed, something extraordinary happened. We read that, "while he was praying the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became dazzling white." Not only is his appearance altered, but we read of Moses and Elijah, two of the most revered figures from Israel's past, suddenly appearing and conversing with Jesus on the top of the mountain, and we read too of the voice from heaven which declares Jesus "My Son, in whom I take delight."

There is a close relationship between this story and the earlier one in which Jesus renews his call to his followers, for the voice from heaven at the end of this story acts as a kind of confirmation of what Jesus had told his disciples a few days before. It is difficult for us, most of whom have known the Gospel story for many years, to realise just how strange, and just how challenging, Jesus’ words must have sounded, not only to his first disciples, but to those who heard them in the early church. It must have been difficult enough for them to come to terms with the thought that had been forming in their minds and which Peter had put into words for all of them when he confessed, "You are the Christ," but it must have taken a real leap of the imagination for them to begin to understand that title, Christ, Messiah, in the way that Jesus did when he redefined it in terms of the lowly and suffering Son of Man. But now the voice from heaven confirms all of that: "This is my Son, in whom I take delight, listen to him." This is my Son; listen to him when he tells you that he must suffer and die and be raised from death... This is my Son; listen to him when he calls you to a life of service... This is my Son; listen to him when he demands that you take that calling with the greatest possible seriousness... This is my Son; listen to him; follow him; follow him now, serve him all your days!