What Happened Eight Days Ago?

     Our story for Sunday begins at Luke 9:28, with Jesus' transfiguration.  The story's cold open comes with this hook "Now about eight days after these sayings, Jesus took..."  Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain and they experienced heavenly conditions as Jesus consulted with Moses and Elijah.  Now, of all the Old Testament people to return to talk to Jesus, why Moses and Elijah?  That is its own blog post.

    But what happened eight days ago?  If this was a television show, maybe this is how the episode would begin.  Jesus brings these three up the mountain, he prays, the appearance of his face changes, his clothes become whiter than a Canadian blizzard, Moses and Elijah are there.  Peter, James, and John looked shocked and amazed.  Then we cut away to a caption that reads "Eight Days Earlier".

    Why do I spin my wheels around a transitional phrase in the gospel?  Its just half a sentence long.  For two reasons.  The first is that there is nothing in the Gospel, much less the Bible, that is insignificant.  But the second is that this is, in fact, a transition.  For example, at the beginning of chapter 9, "Then Jesus called the twelve together..."  Then?  What then?  We jump off a couple of miracles to this conclave.  

    Or 9:18, the story before the Transfiguration. "Once when Jesus was praying..."  This right on the heels, in the text, of the feeding of the 5000.  Jesus prayed lots of times.  Which time is this? 

    We don't get transitions that often.  When we do, they mean something.

    It may not be the level of paying attention to when Jesus says "Truly, truly I say unto you..." but there is a point here.

   The centerpiece of this story before the Transfiguration are Peter's words about Jesus.  Jesus asked, "But who do YOU (the disciples) say that I am?"  Peter answers, "The Messiah of God."  I can almost picture Jesus tapping his finger on his nose, telling Peter "On the Nosey" before sternly ordering them not to tell anyone.

    This is the set up to the Transfiguration.  The disciples suddenly "get it" about Jesus.  He's not John the Baptizer (recently executed), he's not Elijah, he's not one of the ancient prophets arisen.  He is something else entirely.  Something new and unique.  He is the Messiah.

    Eight days later, up on the mountain, God in heaven will affirm that, in an unprecedented display of heaven's inbreaking to the earth.  God will say, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!"  

    When the disciples finally figure it out, God returns (remember, he spoke at Jesus' baptism).  Then God was well pleased with His Son.  Now he commands the three to listen to Him.  

    What now?  This grand connection based on a simple transitional phrase?  Yes, because Luke doesn't use them, not unless he wants to understand that there is a two part episode unfolding before us.

    Look at it another way.  God tells the disciples, and us, that Jesus is His Son, His Chosen.  That we must listen to Him.  Read Luke 9:18-27 to see exactly what Jesus has to say.

Peace
Pastor Peter