Why the Transfiguration?

The Transfiguration is a mysterious event. It sort of just pops out of nowhere, suddenly and unanticipated. 

Usually it is discussed in terms of what. That is, we get descriptions of the bursting forth Christ’s glory, which up to then was, in some mysterious way, contained (at least metaphorically) by his human form. Suddenly his glory is displayed in all its radiant brilliance (at least all that Peter, John, and James could bear), an emitted brilliance that must have been infinitely more spectacular than the “mere” reflected glory that was displayed by Moses. I cannot resist the obvious SAT analogy: 

 Jesus:Moses :: Sun:Moon 

At the Transfiguration we have the Prophets, in the person of Elijah, who was taken up, but now with his feet back on terra firma. And we have the Law, in the person and Moses, who after a rather lengthy delay is finally kicking dust in the Holy Land. And we have the voice of God signifying a paradigm shift: we are not to listen to either of these giants of the faith any longer, that is in any authoritative sense. From now on we are to listen to his Son. 

 But why? Why the Transfiguration? For that we need some medias res. 

Six Days Earlier 

Six days earlier we have the initiation of the long journey from the vicinity of Mt. Tabor through Samaria into Judea and finally to its terminus at Jerusalem, a journey that will climax in the death of Jesus. In Mark’s gospel we read: 

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31) 

This is the start of the end game of Jesus' ministry. In my opinion, the primary why of the Transfiguration is not to show the three disciples a glorious triumvirate of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus—although that was partly the reason—otherwise they wouldn’t be there. No, the why is this: Jesus, the man, needed encouragement. He was a dead man walking. He was about to experience the worst death in history. Not because it was the most painful—although we know crucifixion was brutal and horrifically agonizing, but because he would be regarded by the Father as having committed the all sins of all the elect, which would include innumerable quantities of the worst sins imaginable. 

Although I can’t find the reference, I have been told that Luther said: “no man ever feared death as much as Jesus.” If he didn't really say it-- well whoever said it was correct. And this is not questioning Jesus’ courage, it is acknowledging the unique awfulness that Jesus had to endure. 

The accounts of the Transfiguration tell us that at the Elijah, Moses, and Jesus were huddled together, talking. I believe what was happening, and what was the real purpose of the Transfiguration, is that Elijah and Moses, who (unlike the disciples) knew and accepted what was coming, were giving Jesus encouragement. The Transfiguration was for Jesus’ benefit. The benefit to us is secondary.