Genuine Glory: A Reflection on Matthew 17.1-9

The more I see so much of public-facing Christianity descend into madness, the more I’ve appreciated Martin Luther’s distinction between a theology of glory and the theology of the cross. The former is triumphant and triumphalist and sees God’s blessing revealed in power, success, and wealth. The latter understands that as Christians there can be no triumph as long as we live amidst the kingdoms of this world, and sees God’s presence revealed in weakness, disappointment, and poverty, that is, in the way revealed by Jesus of Nazareth. That said, today’s Gospel reading on this last Sunday before the start of Lent is all about God’s glory manifesting itself in the world, so it’s worth paying attention to it. Will it rehabilitate a theology of glory? Let’s take a look.

Today’s Gospel reading is Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration:

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (Matthew 17:1-9)

Long-time readers here will know that I love both this story and its placement here right before Lent (in addition to the feast of the Transfiguration in August). It speaks of Jesus bringing his closest friends up onto a mountaintop, where he begins to shine with glorious light alongside appearances of Moses and Elijah. These two ancient figures are important not just because they symbolize the Law and the Prophets respectively, but also because they both experienced dramatic encounters with the divine glory in their lives: Moses on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 24.12ff, which is today’s Old Testament reading), and Elijah when he was taken up into heaven on a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2.11-12). So their appearance here in the story of the Transfiguration primes us to understand what’s happening to Jesus here in similar terms: this is nothing other than the glory of God shining out from him. As always, a theology of glory proves tempting for the disciples, who want to stay up there on the mountain in God’s glory as long as possible.

But, this is not a story about glory understood in human terms. For a voice comes from heaven that tells the disciples to listen and obey Jesus, whom the voice identifies as God’s beloved Son. Even remembering the fact that in the Bible, the term ‘Son of God’ likely doesn’t carry the messianic (to say nothing of trinitarian) weight we’d like it to (‘Son of Man’ was actually a far more evocative title), it still refers one who genuinely follows in God’s footsteps and is therefore an accurate reflection of God in the world. If you want to see what God’s glory and power and wisdom and strength look like in human form, the voice is telling them, look no further than to Jesus.

This instruction is particularly powerful because in all three Gospels in which the story is told, it follows directly after (and is even directly linked to in the text, though the timelines differ) the famous incident where Peter identifies Jesus as the Messiah, but is then rebuked for rejecting Jesus’ assertion that he will die. That story, which again direct precedes today’s, ends as follows:

Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. (Matthew 16.24-28)

The heavenly voice tells the disciples to listen to Jesus, and the teaching we are set up to think about is precisely about the way of the cross.

So then, there is a genuine and true theology of glory. But it has nothing to do with earthly wealth, political power, or military might. God’s glory, our Scriptures tell us, is revealed only in and through the way of the cross. Inasmuch as we follow that way, we too will come to find our lives and ways transfigured. That is the Gospel, God’s Good News for the world. What an appropriate message for us as we prepare to enter into the season of Lent on Wednesday.

Almighty God,
on the holy mount you revealed to chosen witnesses
your well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured:
mercifully deliver us from the darkness of this world,
and change us into his likeness from glory to glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.