Full in His Wonderful Face

The Epiphany season comes to a climax this week with the story of Jesus being transfigured on the mountain, accompanied by Peter, James & John. 

What was that like do you think? To see Jesus with the glory that he always has on the inside? To see Jesus glowing and shining? 

It certainly affected Peter. In that moment he falls on his face terrified. But, it also stuck with him. It left an indelible impression on Peter, so much so that in 2 Peter 1 he writes about it, reminding the Christians he was writing to that he told them about the transfiguration, maybe often. 

Do you ever wonder why Jesus took only Peter, James & John? The disciples are already a select group of people, hand picked by Jesus. And yet this moment is even more exclusive. Maybe it is because Peter, James and John were (with Andrew) the first disciples picked by Jesus. So they are the three who get picked here for this glory story. 

Later on it will be these same three disciples who are invited into prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. 
But that does not really answer the question - why only them? 

Why show the glory of who Jesus really is on the inside to only them? 

Commentators posit theories about why. But to be honest, I don’t know why. But maybe it’s worth exploring WHY we wonder in the first place. Why do we notice and wonder about Jesus showing glory to only some of his disciples? I think it is because we worry that we would be left out. We think of ourselves as being on the outside of that glory; not among the inner crowd. 

But that’s the thing. The fact that the story is recorded for us means that we ARE there with Peter; seeing Jesus and looking full in his wonderful face. But the difference is - we see Jesus with our ears. We walk by faith. And faith comes by hearing. 

So, come and join us on Sunday when we like Peter, will be invited to behold our good and beautiful Jesus.