What is Jesus trying to prove through the transfiguration? Why does he show Peter, James, and John this amazing sight of divine glory? The three disciples never told anyone about this seemingly life-changing event. So, what was the point of climbing a mountain, revealing divine glory, and getting no seeming impact? To appreciate this extremely significant event in the life of Jesus Christ as well as Peter, James, and John, it is helpful to consider the context
We are in the third cycle of readings through Lent, Liturgical Year C, which offers us the privilege of experiencing the Gospel of Luke for the events of Christ’s life and actions. Prior to the transfiguration in the nineth chapter of the Gospel of Luke is lessons of Jesus to “the twelve” on authentic discipleship. The first six verses are the missioning of the disciples to evangelize, along with the specific conditions Jesus sets for this task, such as having very few items for this mission. Then there is a short interlude about Herod’s impression of the impact Jesus is making around Galilee. Then, there is the reaction of the twelve after they returned from preaching, which leads directly into the feeding of the five-thousand off of five loaves and two fish. But after this powerful experience, Jesus has to teach his disciples about the reality of the role of the Son of Man. Being the Messiah, the Son of Man is not the life of a rock-star all of the time, crowd surfing over the five-thousand. Rather, the mission consists of rejection, severe persecution, and death at the hands of the civil authorities. The disciples clearly do not want to hear this and refuse to believe that Jesus would have to go through any suffering based on all the positive vibes he has received from the people so far along his mission. It is at that foreshadowing that Jesus scares the disciples. He tries to comfort them with the well-known but little understood passage, “there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” (9:27)
After making this comment, Luke precisely states, “About eight days after he said this…” He then takes Peter John, and James up the mountain to pray. So, why does he take Peter, James, and John up the mountain? – To show the benefits of discipleship. Again this whole chapter is on the lessons and implications of discipleship, the transfiguration is Jesus’s way of showing them the Kingdom prepared for all those who follow him as his disciples. Eight days is certainly important, the duration of time between when Jesus threatens the disciples with tasting death until they see the Kingdom and then actually showing them the kingdom through the revelation of the Transfiguration. Eight days is the extension of the week of Creation, it is the first day of the new week. In the last chapter of Luke, chapter twenty-four, the chapter of the resurrection, (Spoiler Alert!), it starts, “at daybreak of the first day of the week…” The eighth day is day of the Kingdom of God, Resurrection Day! Jesus shows Peter, James, and John the kingdom, thus allowing them to taste death.
The transfiguration is an essential Lenten theme, a tough climb up the mountain toward the opportunity of divine encounter, purging, fasting from all that is holding us back and weighing us down along the climb, but with the sure hope of divine glory once we die to self. Such a transfiguration is possible for us, in fact it is precisely what receiving the Eucharist is. Let us come to the table of the Lord and be radically transformed.