Sunday, 24 March Luke 9:28-50
Written by Dr Graham Leo. ©2019.
In yesterday’s reading Jesus gave his disciples the really startling news that he would be rejected by the religious authorities and killed. This was so surprising and so far away from the disciples’ opinion of his mission, that they simply didn't get it. Today's reading shows just how far away from getting it they really were.
We start with what we can only imagine, based on the story we have. No-one has ever seen anything quite like it, so we have to let our minds visualise just what happened here. Why not close your eyes and try to imagine the scene in your mind? (I'm not sure how you will do this and continue to read at the same time, but I'm sure you’ll manage!)
We’re on a mountaintop. Jesus is in deep and passionate prayer. Suddenly his entire being becomes infused with light. It’s as though he is lit up with thousand watt bulbs from the inside. You can't actually look at his clothes; they are bright as a flash of lightning, and you know how your eyes squeeze shut when you see that close up.
Now, two men, whom we somehow recognise to be Moses and Elijah suddenly appear (no, I don't know how they knew them either, but I think I know now why we won't need name tags in heaven). They, too, are lit up with brilliant, infused light.
Now, as wonderful as all that is, here’s the most important bit: they are speaking about Jesus’ departure, which he was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem. (v31) Now this word, departure is the key to this whole story. The Greek word that Luke uses is exodon. We know it more familiarly as the English word exodus.
Of all the narratives that defined the nation of Israel,
of all the images of who God is,
of all the images of how he saves his people,
of all the images that tell of the power of God to overthrow foreign armies who are tyrannising his people,
there is none more powerful than that of the Exodus from Egypt, and the Passover meal that preceded it.
Every Jew knew the story. It was re-told every year in the Passover meal. Every Jewish child had play-acted it just like your children or grandchildren play superheroes.
The Exodus created the nation of Israel. It defined their faith. It was the occasion for the giving of the Law, and for the construction of the tabernacle. It was the departure point for the entry into the Promised Land.
I looked up probably the ten most common Bible translations of this word, exodon. Five used departure; three used death; only two used exodus (NLT and The Message)
Because our translators have consistently chosen to dampen the force of exodon, (no, I don't know why) we have entirely lost the force of this revelation for the Jewish disciples, and the Jewish audience, largely for whose benefit I presume it was afterwards written down.
Jesus is not just taking a trip to Jerusalem to die. (Or to depart as if he were taking a No. 63 bus.) We’d been told about his death already yesterday, anyway. We didn't need a sound and light show on top of a mountain to give us that news. This is new news, delivered in the most spectacular way imaginable. The Jews present there heard ‘exodus’; we hear ‘departure’.
Jesus is going to Jerusalem to achieve an exodus which will be the final fulfilment of what the first exodus was all about anyway, in a prophetic way.
That’s why the Passover becomes the Lord’s Supper.
That’s why Easter happens around Passover time.
That’s why Jesus is the sacrificial Passover lamb for the nation and the world.
That’s why his death occurred at the time the Passover lambs were being killed at the Temple.
This cinematic display on the mountain is God’s way of telling his three main disciples – Peter, James and John – exactly what was going on. This is not a mission just to heal a few people and make people feel happy about perhaps getting rid of the Romans. This mission is a global project – a cosmic project, even – to rescue the planet earth from the dark powers of evil which have bent it so far out of shape.
You might have thought that the three disciples might have got it after all this, but Luke makes it clear that they were still a long way from understanding.
By the end of our reading, they are engaged in a childish discussion about who would get the best leadership position in the new kingdom. Talk about political plotting, in-fighting and back-stabbing!
Jesus doesn't exactly tell them that they are acting like big kids, but he calls a child over and points out that they had better quickly review their ideas of leadership, because this little kid standing there in his shorts and T-shirt with hamburger stains and baseball cap on backwards would be closer to the top job than any of them would be. Or something like that.
So now Luke has built up even further the tension. This trip up the mountain has told us what Jesus’ mission is all about. I can't wait till tomorrow!
Prayer: Forgive me Father, for my posturing and grandstanding. For trying to boss other people about and make sure that my name gets noticed above everyone else’s. You're the Boss, and the only one that matters. I’m just one of the workers. Help me to be happy with that.
To be your worker handing out hymn books at the church door is far better than being up front as the star celebrity. I say that, because I believe it, but I do ask you to help me truly learn it. And live it. Please. Amen.
