“Very God of Very God: His Divine Glory”
Luke 9:28-36

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
The Transfiguration of Our Lord–Last Sunday after the Epiphany—February 27, 2022

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

During the Epiphany season, we have focused on the doctrine of the DIVINITY of Christ, as we confess in the Nicene Creed: “The only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God.” 

This doctrine of Christ’s divinity is based on the testimony of the sacred Scriptures, in which he does divine WORKS, is given divine NAMES; possesses divine ATTRIBUTES; and has divine GLORY, as at the Transfiguration in today’s Gospel Reading: “The appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. . .   a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and . . . a voice came from the cloud, saying.  ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.’”

Peter vividly recalls the Transfiguration in today’s Epistle Reading, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”  For most of his earthly life, Jesus was like a king who dresses in commoner’s clothes, so that he can leave the palace and walk the streets among his people. 

As Paul says in Philippians, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself.”  The King of Kings “came down from heaven and was made man,” taking on the commoner’s clothes of human flesh, so that he could live here among his people. 

But, toward the end of his time here on earth, Jesus allowed three of his disciples to be “eyewitnesses of his majesty” during the Transfiguration, as he pulled back the veil of his humanity and for a few moments gave them a glimpse of his true divinity.  As the Gospel of Matthew reports: “Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.  There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun.”  He is revealed to be not a commoner, but the glorious King of Kings.

“And his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.” The Gospel of Mark probably records the reminiscences of Peter, and he puts it this way: “His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.”

The bright, dazzling white clothing of Jesus in the Transfiguration symbolizes his perfect holiness.  In contrast to his perfect holiness, Isaiah says: “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”  Even the best good works we have to offer are unable to obtain for us entrance into heaven.  For, in God’s sight, even our good works, even our righteous acts, are still filthy rags, stained by sin. 

But, the Book of Revelation says of those in heaven: “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”  Just as Jesus put on a commoner’s clothes when he came down from heaven in order to live among us, to get you into heaven he clothes you in a royal robe, the dazzling white royal robe of his own perfect righteousness. 

“Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.”  Moses and Elijah symbolize all the prophets of the Old Testament, and all their many detailed prophecies about the coming of the Messiah.  They appear now to add their testimony: This is the promised one who was to come, the fulfillment of all the prophecies and promises of old.

Matthew reports, “A bright cloud enveloped them.”  Notice that it is a “bright” cloud.  Clouds usually symbolize for us trouble, doom and gloom.   But, this cloud that envelopes them on the mountain is not a dark and threatening cloud, but a bright cloud.  It symbolizes the presence of God surrounding us with his love, his protection.

Matthew continues: “And a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”  Another time when the Father’s voice thundered from the clouds, Jesus told the disciples, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.”  Jesus knew what lay ahead for him, as he told the disciples after the Transfiguration, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified.” 

Despite this grim prediction from Jesus himself, the disciples were expecting that at Jerusalem Jesus would finally put aside the commoner’s clothes he had worn during his earthly life and take his rightful place as King, the earthly king of Israel.  They expected that at Jerusalem Jesus would receive great glory, not a gory death upon the cross.

Jesus tried to explain to the misguided disciples his true mission, to suffer and die for the sins of the world.  “For the Son of Man did not come to be served,” he said, “but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  “No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”  “I am the Good Shepherd . . . and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

It was for the benefit of the disciples, to help prepare them for the impending shock of Jesus’ suffering and death, that at the Transfiguration, just before those terrible events, God the Father declared once again, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”  Even though he will suffer and die, yes, because he will suffer and die and give his life for the salvation of the world, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Listen to him!”

We often hear the sentiment expressed today that all religions really worship the same God.  But, Jesus tells us bluntly: If you don’t worship ME as God, then you don’t worship the true God—at all.  “All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.”

It is impossible to worship to true God apart from faith in Jesus as the divine God the Son.  As he said at the Last Supper, “I am the way, the truth, and the life . . . no one comes to the Father except through me.”

Other faiths are willing to admit that Jesus of Nazareth was a great teacher, a wise prophet, a pivotal personality in human history, a towering figure in the realm of religion.  But, God the Father himself testifies that Jesus is much more than that.  “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Listen to him!” 

Amen.