Lent Devotional // Week 2
by Cade Gremillion
Mark 9:2-8 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters––one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
Consider This
Every year, the Sunday before Lent begins is marked and celebrated as Transfiguration Sunday where Christians across the world join in celebration of the account you’ve just read through. However, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve never heard of this Christian holiday and that you’ve never celebrated it. Even in traditions that pay close attention to the Church Calendar, the celebration of the Transfiguration, much like the story itself, is frequently overlooked.
The Transfiguration of Jesus can be a challenging story to wrap our heads around. It appears in three of the four Gospels (Matthew 17:1-13, Mark 9:2-13, Luke 9:28-36) and seems to be a significant event for the gospel authors as the glory of the Son is revealed and the voice of the Father is heard by Peter, James, and John. We recognize that this is something that we should probably pay attention to, but we don’t always know what to do with it. It can seem like it comes out of nowhere and it doesn’t lead to other major events in the gospels in an obvious manner. Therefore, it can be tempting to skip over this part of the narrative when we’re reading Matthew, Mark, or Luke and get back to the main story. However, to do so would be a mistake.
If you look closely at where the gospel authors place this story, you’ll notice a few things. First, that it generally appears at or near the middle of the book. Second, that there are two passages that are always included directly before this account––Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah and Jesus’ prediction of his own death. And third, that shortly after this, Jesus begins his journey to Jerusalem where he would surrender his life. By structuring their narratives this way, the gospel authors communicate something important to us: that God’s glory in Christ Jesus is revealed through suffering.
It happens on a predictive scale when Peter rightly confesses that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and Jesus immediately follows it with a prediction of his own death and suffering. The same dynamic then plays out on a much larger scale as Jesus is revealed in his full glory on the mount of transfiguration before he begins his journey towards the mount of crucifixion. We are supposed to hold these two together in our minds as we read and meditate on the gospels. When we think of Jesus robed in white and standing in glory while the Father proclaims that he is His Son, we should also think of Jesus beaten and bloody as he hangs upon the cross at the same time. These two images are not contrasting, but complementary.
Lent reminds us that Jesus’ glory is revealed through his self-denial and suffering––specifically through taking up the cross. There’s one more thing that you might notice about all three occurrences of the Transfiguration. Located right along with the account of the transfiguration is Jesus’ call to any who would follow him to first deny themselves, take up their cross, and then follow after Jesus. As we strive to bear our cross through the empowering of the Spirit, we embody the character of Jesus and reveal the character of God to a world that is in desperate need. In this season of Lent, we focus our hearts, minds, and bodies to follow Jesus in this path of self-denial.
Prayer
A prayer from the Book of Common Prayer
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who live and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Question
What specifically does it look like for you to take up your cross and follow Jesus?
Where have you seen the character of God displayed by someone else denying themselves?
How does following Jesus change your view of both glory and suffering?
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