Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord Year A

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation for Feast Days

A feast day brings an additional level to interpretation of the readings. For a feast, all three readings are chosen to correspond to the theme of the feast. In a sense they all go together but they do not necessarily depend on one another. Each reading stands alone and is interpreted primarily through the lens of the feast day.

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

In the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament) and, hence, the Christian Old Testament (which follows the content of the Septuagint), Daniel is placed with the prophetic literature. In the Jewish Old Testament, Daniel is placed in “the writings.” Among other things, Jewish rabbis did not appreciate the seemingly positive relationship between Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar as portrayed in the book.

The book was written in its final form around 165BC and is considered to be the last composition of the Jewish scriptures. The narrative is set in the 6th century BC. The figure of Daniel is intended to be a model hero that everyone can and should emulate. The purpose of the book is to explore what it means for God’s chosen people to live under foreign domination.

Chapters 1-6 are haggadic genre: stories with a moral purpose not necessarily based in fact. I always think of the fairy tale “the boy who cried wolf.” The purpose of that story is to convey a message about honesty. Is it “true”? Yes. Did it actually happen? Maybe. Does it matter if it actually happened? Not really – it’s still “true.” These chapters cover Daniel coming to Babylon and being made part of the King’s household. Also recounted are Daniel in the lion’s den, Daniel’s friends in the fiery furnace, and the writing on the wall. These are “court legends” – stories that portray Jewish figures excelling under foreign powers.

Chps 7-12 are apocalyptic genre. Chapters 13-14 are not in the Protestant Bible and contain more court legends.

Apokálypsis in the Greek means “laying bare; disclosure of truth; manifestation, appearance, revealing.” Apocalyptic literature foretells cataclysmic events that will transpire at the end of the world. It takes a narrative form, employs esoteric language along with spectacular visions, expresses a pessimistic view of the present, and treats the final events as imminent. This genre flourished in the 1st century BC to 1st century AD – Christianity was smack dab in the middle of it and the book of Revelation is a spectacular example of it. The genre was especially popular in times of catastrophe or persecution.

Most scholars regard early Christianity as a fervently apocalyptic religion, intent on the imminent “Second Coming” of Christ to preside over the Last Judgment and the end of the world.

The genre mostly disappeared after the Middle Ages but it continues to be popular among fringe groups of disenfranchised people. Some Protestant denominations in the United States propound apocalyptic beliefs. Preachers like Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell could be classified as apocalyptic preachers. Books such as Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth and The Left Behind book series are also apocalyptic.

This form of writing comes in handy when the values and structures of a society lose all meaning for some minority group and are being replaced by new meanings and systems. In some ways it is negative but, thinking of Christianity, it can also be prophetic of what is to come. A common feature of this genre is that the small minority, or remnant, is preserved while the enemies are destroyed.

Features of apocalyptic writing:

Dualism (world is bad; heaven is good, us and them)
Alienation from and despair about the dominant culture
Conviction that the world is headed for destruction and hope that God will save a remnant of the truly deserving. (hint, most of us are not in that group)
Conviction that it’s possible to read signs of the end in historical events
Metaphorical and symbolic languages
The purpose was to encourage the faithful to endure their suffering in the sure knowledge that God’s purposes would prevail. It is both practical and pastoral. Hang in there – God prevails!

Chapters 7-12 contain 4 visions. The first vision is all of chapter 7. In this vision, there are four creatures, ferocious predators who represent the major ruling empires of that time: winged lion (Babylon); ravenous bear (Medes); winged leopard (Persia); a beast with ten horns (the Greek empire with ten Seleucid successors to Alexander the Great). These are described in v4-8. The chaos and destructive power of these beasts is followed by an awesome judgment scene in v9-14.

Verses 9-10 describe the Ancient One taking his throne and opening the books for judgment. It’s significant that there is no combat here. Instead, God is portrayed as having absolute sovereignty with no need to establish authority through conflict.

In verse 13 a figure descends before God’s throne in clouds. In ancient culture and throughout the Old Testament, clouds are associated with the presence of the divine. Some examples are the Exodus story where God guided the Israelites in the desert by day in a cloud; Moses on Mt Sinai covered by the cloud of God’s presence; there is also a common image in the Psalms of God riding a chariot of clouds.

The figure is called “like a son of man.” “Son of man” is a generic way in the Old Testament to describe human beings. But this person is “like” a human, human in form. Jewish interpreters would probably have seen this as Michael the Archangel. Christians later interpreted it as Jesus in his post-resurrection form. Earlier in this chapter, the beasts he talks about are described as coming from below; this son of man comes from above.

The passage ends in verse 14 with a description of the authority and power the one “like a son of man” receives from God.

We can get very caught up in day to day life. Take a few moments to picture your life in the scale of this passage – a judgment of good and evil. What difference does it make that God is firmly in charge of this endeavor and that Christ has already prevailed?

Matthew 17:1-9

Two things to ponder from this story. First the command to listen to Jesus. Second is the pronouncement that God is pleased with Jesus.

Sometimes it’s tempting to think God couldn’t possibly be pleased with us, flawed as we are. But that does not reflect a loving God. God is well pleased with each of us simply because we are his creation and he loves us. Take some time to bask in the pleasure of God in you.

There are many parallels in this story to the stories of Moses. You could read Exodus 24 and 34 and see what parallels you pick up on.

At the beginning of Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration, he says very simply that “Jesus was transfigured before them.” He uses the Greek word metamorphoó which comes from meta meaning (among other things) “change” and morphoo meaning “form embodying inner essence.” It suggests that Jesus’ form was changed in a way that defies explanation. A better English translation would be transformed. The term transfiguration comes to us from the Latin Vulgate “transfigura”; trans which means across and figura which means shape.

Verse 3 references Moses and Elijah. You can read relevant scriptures about them in Deuteronomy 34:5-6 and 2 Kings 2:11. Both had experienced God on holy mountains and both had some uncertainty surrounding their deaths – mystery and speculation about what happened to them and what their future roles might be.

Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets. Throughout the Old Testament, the people are commanded to listen first to the Law and then to the Prophets. In Verse 5, we are now commanded to listen to Jesus. Earlier in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” Jesus is the fullness of everything that had come before.

As in the Daniel reading, there is a reference to a cloud in verse 5.

There is a beautiful detail in verse 7 that I just love: Jesus touches them. After the resurrection he will do the same to prove to them he is not a vision, that he is real. It reminds us that God is not remote and removed; God is intimately present, touching us in many ways.

Where and how do you make space to listen deeply to Jesus?

2 Peter 1:16-19

This is probably the last New Testament book to be written and is dated anywhere from 120-140AD. 3:15-16 alludes to a “collection” of Paul’s letters which would not have existed until much later than the historical Peter. Most scholars argue Paul’s letters only began to be collected by the beginning of the 2nd century.

This is an anonymous author writing in the tradition of Peter’s teachings.

The genre is something like a form letter. It’s analogous to modern papal encyclicals – letters meant for a wide audience that are pastoral, teaching us how to live as Christians, addressing new questions for each new age.

The book as a whole is a call to personal responsibility.

In today’s reading, the author seems to be countering those who might say that the second coming and maybe even the first coming of Christ is a myth – a story that may hold moral teaching value but which is not illustrative of the way things will actually play out. Peter himself was there when Christ was transfigured and Peter glimpsed the glory and presence of God. He knew that the first coming was real, as real as he believed the second coming to be, no matter how delayed it seemed.

The author points to two authorities for coming to know and believe in Christ. The first is personal experience and the second is scripture (the prophetic message). The value of our own personal experience is often downplayed in the Catholic tradition I think. This is the legacy of St. Thomas Aquinas’ intellectual approach to the faith. It has always intrigued me that when St. Thomas had a transformative experience of Christ’s presence towards the end of his life, he laid down his pen and wrote no more. Christ’s presence is beyond words and we need to trust our experiences of that presence.

Scripture is another primary way we come to know Christ. Dei Verbum, the Vatican 2 document on Scripture, says “in the sacred books the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children.” Although it is certainly not the only way we can encounter God, Scripture allows us to encounter God in a very real way.

What has been your own personal experience of Jesus?

How have you encountered Jesus in Scripture?

Questions to ponder

What do these readings say about how to live day in and day out as Christians?