The Gospel of Luke
THE CHRIST OF GOD. Lk 9,18-36
The Christ and consequences: 9,18-27
For Mark, the turning point or hinge in the Gospel (Mk 8,27-9,8) is formed by the passage which we are now considering in Luke. For Luke, the departure for Jerusalem occurs later, 9,51. Thus the location of this passage within the unfolding story has a greater importance in Mark (and Matthew) than it has in Luke. As a result, 9,18 becomes a simpler and less formal introduction than Mark 8,27. He omits Caesarea Philippi as the place. Instead, this passage begins with Jesus at prayer.
These verses are marked out by the three time references, in verses 18, 28 and 37. Verse 37 quite strong and is a change by Luke from Mk 9,9: the next day coming down the mountain. Verse 28 is more a connection, especially with the reference to Jesus at prayer in both 9,18 & 9,28. The two parts of this episode are to be read together.
In all three Gospels, the basic confession that Jesus is the Christ or Messiah is followed by a prediction of his Passion, what it means for Jesus to be the Christ. This is then applied to the lives of his disciples (take up the cross and follow me). For Christians, the journey is through suffering to glory (Romans 8,17). Thus the Transfiguration is an integral part of this scene, linked by the time reference (9,28) as well as Jesus at prayer. The voice from heaven (9,35) gives a wider context to Peter's statement (9,20).
Luke omits as we noted the reference to Caesara Philippi in Mark and Matthew because it is outside Galilee. Luke keeps Jesus in Galilee until his departure to Jerusalem (9,51)
Instead, Luke begins the episode with Jesus praying - very typical of this Gospel as we have seen (3,21; 6,12...)
Luke has Jesus saying a simple "I am" instead of the reference to the Son of Man, though see verse 22. He adds a reference to one of the prophets risen again. This questioning reflects Herod's questions earlier (9,7-8).
Peter's statement that Jesus is the Christ of God echoes a theme of Luke's, beginning with the sermon in the synagogue in Nazareth ( 4,18). There will be no rebuke of Peter as in the other Gospels, especially Matthew (Mt 16,22-23). Generally Luke is kind to Peter as the future leader of the Church (22,32).
The command to silence in verse 21 means that the disciples have to learn what it means for Jesus to be the Christ of God. You may have picked up that Luke connects the prediction of the passion (9,22), more closely to the confession than the other two evangelists with the link word "saying" in verse 22.
The prediction in verse 22, the first of three, is a simple statement of Jesus' fate, including his resurrection (which is why I avoid the traditional "passion prediction"). It is close to Mark (Mk 8,31), including the mention of rejection.
This is followed by the teaching on discipleship as following the same path as Jesus. The distinctive Lucan emphasis is on taking up the cross daily to follow Jesus.
In verses 26 and 27, Luke has added that the Son of Man comes in his own glory as well as that of the Father. This makes a clearer link to the Transfiguration which now follows.
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The Transfiguration: 9,28-36
Luke has a looser connection than the other two evangelists with what has preceeded. Given the differences between the accounts, it is possible Luke had his own source for this episode. Once again Luke has located a signifcant event in the life of Jesus as prayer, as also in 9,20. There are similarities here with Jesus' baptism (3,21-22).
Both Moses (Exodus 19,20) and Elijah (1 Kings 19,11) met God on Mount Sinai or Horeb (two names for the same mountain). In general, mountains are the place where heaven and earth meet. Whereas Mark speaks of a high mountain (Mk 9,2), Luke speaks specifically of the mountain. This may recall the mountain of 6,12 where Jesus prayed.
Luke does not use the word "transfiguration" but the description is similar to Mark. "Transfiguration", literally "metamorphosis" had overtones in Greek culture which Luke may have wished to avoid. There are echoes here of Moses after he had been talking with God (Ex34,29).
Traditionally, Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets. Both met God on a mountain as we have seen. Both also went up to heaven (Dt 34,6; 2 Kings 2,11).
Luke tells us that Jesus was discussing with Moses and Elijah his exodus, his fate in Jerusalem. This pointing to the future is then followed up by the disciples sleeping just as they would in Gethsemane (22,45-46), another scene of Jesus at prayer.
Peter's suggestion of three tents is an attempt to hold on to the special experience. This then leads to the appearance of the cloud, a sign of God's presence (Exodus 13,21 & 19,9) into which they enter (9,34)
The voice then stresses the Son as the chosen one, words which recall the Servant of the Lord in Isaiah (Isaiah 41,9). At the Baptism, the voice was personal to Jesus: "you are..". Now it is a public proclamation: "This is ...".
Deuteronomy 18 speaks of Moses as a prophet to whom the people are to listen (Dt 18,15.18). In the Acts of the Apostles, this verse is quoted by Peter as refering to Jesus (Acts 3,22).
The finale of this scene is that Jesus is found alone. This is an important stress on the unique role of Jesus. The story ends simply, without Mark's reference to the resurrection (Mk 9,9-10). The three disciples remain silent at this stage because they are witnesses. The time for their proclamation will come later, after the resurrection.
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The Sunday Gospel
The importance of this reading for the Church is that it gives us the first confession of faith by the disciples in Jesus as the Messiah or Christ. Its special importance may well arise from the version of Matthew and the special commission to Peter by Jesus which is given there. (Mt 16, 17-19). Yet this special stress on Peter is unique to Matthew. Luke as we saw has a different emphasis.
The reading from the prophet Zechariah is throughly obscure. What matters is that early Christians picked up the phrase "They shall look on him whom they have pierced" (Zech 12,10) and applied it to Jesus (Apoc 1,7). The Gospel of John then uses it to reflect on the meaning and importance of the wound in Jesus' side (Jn 19,34-37).
Thus the use of the Zechariah reading on this Sunday may be the editors' wish to use somewhere in the three year cycle a passage which is important in tradition . In the present setting of Luke, it must point towards the prediction of the passion (7,22).
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