The Beginning of the End: Mark 9:2-4

Sometimes the depths of God’s hand in motion is nothing less than awe-inspiring.

I don’t know if anyone can do justice to the depth of the transfiguration in 500 words.  Jesus goes up into the mountain and takes James, John, and Peter with Him.  We occasionally see an inner cadre among the disciples.  It shouldn’t be surprising, though.  Jesus interacts with the crowd.  At one point He sends out a group of seventy-two.  We frequently hear Jesus interact with the twelve.  At certain instances we see Jesus take that number down to a very intimate three.

Jesus is naturally going to have varying levels of interaction with people.  Some people just click together.  Some people are willing to devote more or less time to one another.  Some people have more or less feeling for independence.  There are many reasons why Jesus seems to be surrounded by varying groups of people.  Regardless of the reason, though, it is good to note it does happen.  We all have people who allow us to lean very deeply into their lives and people who let us lean in but not deeply lean in.  It isn’t something for which we should feel the need to apologize; when someone allows us to lean into their life deeply, we should treasure that gift of vulnerability.

Up on the mountain, Jesus’ appearance changes and He is surrounded by Moses and Elijah.  This is another great moment of symbolism.  Moses is the one to whom God chose to give the Law.  Elijah is considered by most Jews to be chief among prophets.  The transfiguration is the moment where Jesus looks to Jerusalem and looks to the conflict to come.  As Jesus prepares to march to the cross, the Father quite literally surrounds Him by the Law and the Prophets.  Jesus’ coming act in Jerusalem is solidly rooted in God’s ways and God’s Spirit.

While anyone can write those words, even after writing them I don’t feel like I really understand the depth of meaning being conveyed.  Again, it feels impossible to grasp all the layers of God’s action.  In one act the Father blesses His Son and confirms the path He is on.  In the same act He is foreshadowing the importance of the coming weeks for the disciples.  The Father is also once more lifting Jesus up before the disciples and confirming their choice to follow Him.  He is also weaving scripture together in new ways to bring more significance to prior understanding.

Passages like this make me wonder what it was like to be there in the moment.  What would it have been like to look back on this moment and realize I had been there to see it transpire?  It makes me crave those moments where God is at work and I know He’s at work but at the same time I know I don’t grasp the fullness of what He’s doing. 

Sometimes the depths of God’s hand in motion is nothing less than awe-inspiring.