SEEING JESUS CLEARLY
Luke 9:28-36
Transfiguration of Our Lord, Year C
Analysis by Ben Williams
28Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” 36When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
From Wikimedia Commons
“The Transfiguration is not a detour from the cross but a revelation that the cross is central to Jesus’ glory.”
Author’s Note: The Transfiguration appears in all three synoptic gospels at a pivotal moment – between Jesus’ first and second predictions of his suffering and death. In Luke’s account, especially with the RCL’s extended reading (Luke 9:37-43a), we see just how difficult it is for the disciples – and for us – to grasp what it truly means to follow Jesus to the cross. Yet for Jesus, the cross is not just an obstacle in his path; it is the very way of salvation. No wonder the disciples kept silent, unable to comprehend what they had witnessed on the mountain! Only after the resurrection do they remember and finally understand, proclaiming this revelation as good news for the world.
DIAGNOSIS: A Troubling Sight
Step One: Initial Diagnosis (External Problem) – Changing Appearance
Like the disciples on the mountaintop, we often struggle to grasp who Jesus is and what he is about. Their eager expectations of Jesus as a powerful Messiah clouded their understanding of what was happening before their eyes. We, too, are shaped by cultural assumptions and personal desires, preferring a Jesus who aligns with our agendas rather than challenges them. We want a Savior who confirms our beliefs, blesses our plans, and makes our lives easier. Like Peter, we might be tempted to set up structures to contain and control our experience of Christ. But Jesus resists our attempts to domesticate him, forcing us to confront the question: Are we seeing Jesus as he truly is, or as we want him to be?
Step Two: Advanced Diagnosis (Internal Problem) – Clouded by Fear
The disciples’ fear overtakes them as the cloud descends, revealing their inability to grasp the full reality of Jesus. Fear has a way of distorting our faith, making us hesitant to trust where Jesus leads. When we are confronted with suffering, uncertainty, or the call to sacrificial love, we often recoil, just as the disciples did. Rather than following Jesus down the mountain and toward the cross, we seek comfort in what we can control. Our fear keeps us from fully surrendering to Christ’s way, as we cling to illusions of safety rather than stepping into the unknown with Him. The disciples’ terror mirrors our own reluctance to embrace a Messiah who suffers rather than conquers.
Step Three: Final Diagnosis (Ultimate Problem) – Distorted Vision before the Glory of God
Our vision of who Jesus is has become distorted when we separate his majesty from his mission. But the real terror for us happens even as we enter the cloud of divine presence with all our fear and our faithlessness. Seeking to grasp glory through power, prestige, and victory, we have turned out backs on God’s glory and the Lord whom we cannot see. Standing before God’s glory terrifies us and silences us, for it calls us to account. Who can stand?
PROGNOSIS: Seeing Redemption
Step Four: Initial Prognosis (Ultimate Solution) – Clarified Vision in the Cross of Christ
But there is One who stands with us in the midst of this terrifying cloud of fear and judgment. The One who stands for us is the one who receives the divine claim in the voice and word of clarity: “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” He is now “found alone” – even as he “found alone” and also standing for us on the cross, taking the blast of our judgment before the glory of God so that we may have hope in the glory of his mercy. The Transfiguration is not a detour from the cross but a revelation that the cross is central to Jesus’ glory. Jesus is not simply a dazzling figure of divine power – He is the One who will suffer, die, and rise for the sake of the world. Through his death and resurrection, God reveals his true glory in self-giving love. We see Jesus clearly not when we look for him in power, but when we see him in his sacrificial love for us. His path to Jerusalem is not a mistake; it is the way God’s redemption unfolds.
Step Five: Advanced Prognosis (Internal Solution) – Clouded in Faith
Faith does not remove all uncertainty, but it allows us to trust even when we do not fully understand. The disciples descend the mountain with questions, yet they remain with Jesus. So it is with us – our faith does not eliminate fear, but it teaches us to walk forward in trust. Like the cloud that overshadowed the disciples, faith sometimes feels unclear, even disorienting. Yet in that cloud, we hear the voice of God calling us to listen to Jesus. Faith clings not to a vision of earthly glory but to the One who walks the way of the cross for us.
Step Six: Final Prognosis (External Solution) – Changing Focus
Seeing Jesus clearly means seeing him where he has promised to be: in the suffering, the overlooked, the places of deep need. When we listen to him, our focus shifts from seeking comfort to embracing the mission of love. We no longer try to build booths to contain Jesus on the mountaintop; instead, we follow him into the valleys of life, where real transformation happens. In our daily lives, we witness to Christ by serving those who are hurting, advocating not only for justice, but for mercy and forgiveness, and loving with the same self-giving love he has shown us – even in the suffering cost of discipleship. The Transfiguration is not just a moment of revelation – it is a call to live in the light of Christ, seeing the world through his eyes and responding with his love.
