Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:10-19; Matthew 17:1-9.
Read Matthew 17:1-9
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Communication is difficult. Not only must we convey what we want to say, we have to address the misunderstandings of those we speak to that may get in the way of what we want to communicate.
In today’s gospel reading, the central message God communicates to Peter, James, and John is, “listen to him.” In Greek it is just two words: “hear you” and “him.” And the word order makes it emphatic, putting the emphasis on “him.” It is the New Testament’s version of bold type, all caps, and an exclamation mark. No wonder that, “when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe.”
The people of Israel lived with the burden of having forsaken the Mosaic Law and spurned the prophets who called them back to covenant faithfulness to God. In fulfillment of the curses of that covenant, the northern tribes were dispersed and assimilated by their conquerors. The southern tribes were exiled, returned, and were now an occupied people. Fear of messing up again kept them vigilant about observance of the Law but gave them blind spots about love that Jesus revealed to them.
As the second person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus is the preeminent interpreter of the Law and one with the very Spirit of prophecy. Repeated conflict with the scribes and pharisees shows that fear and preconceptions were getting in the way of Jesus’ communication to them. God the Father cut through all that to ensure that Jesus’ apostles were clear that Jesus is with Moses and the prophets but is greater than them. He did this so that they would pass on to us, “Listen to him,” to root out our misunderstandings and blind spots.