Down Here
2 Peter 1:16-21
Matthew 17:1-9
For the last four weeks, the Gospel readings have come from
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in chapter 5 of Matthew’s Gospel. In Matthew, this is the beginning of
Jesus’ teaching and ministry.
Today’s reading describing Jesus’ transfiguration comes from the 17th
chapter of Matthew.
We’ve jumped from chapter 5 to chapter 17 in Matthew’s
Gospel.
In between chapters 5 and 17 Jesus has taught the disciples
how to pray with the words of the Lord’s Prayer. He healed a man of leprosy. He healed the Roman centurion’s servant and Peter’s
mother-in-law. He stilled a storm
on the sea of Galilee bringing safety and comfort to the disciples. He had dinner with tax collectors and
sinners. He healed some more
people. He taught about the Good
Shepherd and about how God’s people need the protection and guidance of a
shepherd. He shared parables about
the nature of God’s kingdom. He fed
five thousand people. He walked on
water. He healed a bunch more
people. And he fed four thousand people
who found themselves hungry and in a lonely place.
Those are just the highlights; I skipped over a lot. Now, in Matthew 17, Jesus is on the
road towards Jerusalem.
Right after the transfiguration he foretells his death and resurrection. Today’s collect sets this event “before
Jesus’ passion.” The end of Jesus’
earthly ministry is in sight.
But today the focus is on Jesus’ transfiguration on the
mountaintop. The author of the
Second Letter of Peter (almost certainly not Peter) describes what it may have
been like to be there, to be “eyewitnesses of his majesty,” to hear God’s voice
speak, to see the glory of God shining in the face of Jesus. This is the
ultimate epiphany, or more properly, theophany. God revealing God’s glory and presence and majesty in a way
that it can be seen and known. On
this last Sunday after the Epiphany we always hear one of the Gospel accounts
of Jesus’ transfiguration.
It must have been awesome. To be there on the mountaintop. To be an eyewitness to the bursting forth of God’s glory. Sometimes I think: if only I could have been there. My
experiences of God’s presence would probably be described as only low “hilltop” experiences at best. But, if I had been there, then surely my
faith would be totally secure. With
no doubts or uncertainties. With a
strong and clear vision of God’s presence.
But, it’s a funny thing, being there didn’t seem to really help
Peter, John and James’ faith very much.
There isn’t any evidence that their faith was strengthened or improved
after witnessing the transfiguration.
Soon after, James and John are bickering and seeking honor over the
other disciples. Hardly Kingdom
stuff. And it won’t be very long
until Peter denies even knowing Jesus…
If you are feeling wistful about missing the
transfiguration, remember also: 75%
of Jesus’ 12 disciples weren’t there.
There’s room for some fun midrash there! (Why just the three?
Did they need remedial work?
Were the others busy with something important?) And if you think of all of Jesus’
disciples, all of the people following him at this point in his ministry… we don’t have exact numbers to do the
math, but we can speculate that 99% were not there on the mountaintop.
And, of course, even Peter, James and John came down from
the mountaintop. The experience
passed. They came back down to the
dusty road to Jerusalem.
And it’s a good thing because:
It’s this life down here that Jesus’ blesses! Jesus’ teaching and healing and
blessing and sharing peace and feeding—both literally and soul-feeding. None of that happened on the mountaintop. It happened down here. In this life.
So don’t worry so much if you haven’t been to the mountaintop. Don’t spend time thinking wistfully, “if
only…” All of those things Jesus
did in between the Sermon on the Mount and the transfiguration. All of the people he met and
helped. He was with them. He brought the glory of God and the
love of God to all of those people in all of those circumstances in the midst
of their non-mountaintop daily lives.
Look for Jesus in the hospital room, at the dinner table, as
companion in the lonely hours of the night, sharing the joy and celebration of
the wedding feast, offering protection and guidance in times of uncertainty or
anxiety. Look for him in the people
around you. Look for him here.
He’s here. With
us down here. To feed and heal and
comfort and guide. To bring God’s presence
and glory to us HERE.
