Due to some recent things. I felt there was a need to take a close look into the transfiguration of Jesus Christ. It is shown within three of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke.
Matthew 17:1 – Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. 2 As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. 4 Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” 6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. 7 Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus.
The beginning of this in-depth starts with verse three. So let’s look at it in the KJV:
“And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”
There appeared – optanomai – become seen (appear), I appear, am seen (by), let myself be seen (by). See horaō – see, often with metaphorical meaning: “to see with the mind” (i.e. spiritually see), i.e. perceive (with inward spiritual perception).
The three humans present at this event, Peter, James and John, by the mere fact that Jesus was transformed to His true appearance allowed them to gain temporary access into the non-temporal plain of existence. This enabled them to see both Moses and Elijah who are in paradise otherwise known as heaven. Jesus in His true form is as powerful as God, and so can breach the veil between realities.
This was the first time John encountered this. The second time was more extensive.
Revelation 1:1 – This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John, 2 who faithfully reported everything he saw. This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:10 – It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. 11 It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” 12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.
To look further into John extended vision continue to read the book of Revelation. However the main topic here is the transfiguration.
The purpose was to show these three chose men within the disciples, that Jesus truly is the Son of God. Peter however went too far. First he acted like Jesus was His Father, and second he desired to make altars or shelters. This causes God to make His presence known by the appearance of a cloud of light. In Mathew and Mark the words of God are the same. In Luke they are slightly different. So let’s look at these:
Matthew 17:5 – But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” (NLT)
KJV – “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”
Mark 9:7 – Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” (NLT)
KJV – “And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.”
Luke 9:35 – Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” 36 When the voice finished, Jesus was there alone. They didn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen. (NLT)
KJV – “And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.”
This shows the problem with translations of translations. So as should be those that truly seek to know the teachings of the Bible, we go to the Greek.
My beloved Son – mou agapetos huios
Agapetos – divinely-loved; beloved (“loved by God”)
Now the word “son” or “huios” as it is in the Greek opens up a whole range of information. That not only deals with Jesus, but those that chose to follow Him.
These are the definitions of the word “huios:”
(1) A son (by birth or adoption); (figuratively) anyone sharing the same nature as their Father. For the believer, becoming a son of God begins with being reborn (adopted) by the heavenly Father – through Christ (the work of the eternal Son)
(2) (“son”) emphasizes likeness of the believer to the heavenly Father, i.e. resembling His character more and more by living in faith
(3) (“son”) highlights the (legal) right to the Father’s inheritance, i.e. as the believer lives in conformity with the Father’s nature (purpose).
We know that in this instance it is God referring directly to Jesus has His birth son. As we look at these definitions though we gain an insight into how ALL that call themselves “Christian” should behave and relate to God.
It clearly states that once you are a “Christian” your life changes. It starts to become a reflection of not only Jesus, but God Himself.
So those that become “Christian” and seek after worldly wealth and big homes, are in reality NOT becoming Christ like. They are becoming just the opposite.
To become “Christ like” we seek after moderation. We live modestly. We do not seek to bring attention to ourselves, but to God and His Son. We obey the laws of the land, like going the speed limit. We do not join the speed crowd to “go with the flow of traffic.” That is in essence saying I am sinning because everyone else is sinning. Again this is not a reflection of God. However this insight has distracted from true course of this article.
So the words of God make it very clear. Jesus IS His Son and all that he teaches we are to listen to and apply to our lives so that in time, as we grow in our faith, we too can hear the words from God Himself.
“This is my beloved child.”