Jesus metamorphosed. Celebrities from the past. Petrified disciples. Luminous cloud. An event as important as Christmas or Easter! My friend Sarah has a new book coming out on the Transfiguration, and I think this conversation demonstrates why you’ll want to check it out.
Get in on the book here. It will go live on Tuesday.
Find out more about Sarah here.
Summary
Sarah discusses the significance of the Transfiguration and its importance in the church calendar. She explores the distinction between the transfigured Jesus and the risen Jesus, highlighting the unique characteristics of each. Sarah also delves into the misunderstood offer to build booths and its connection to the Festival of Booths. She examines the representation of Moses and Elijah in the transfiguration and their role in the eschatological narrative. Sarah emphasizes the Jewish reticence to capture the glory of God and the modesty of biblical miracle stories. She concludes by emphasizing the importance of listening to Jesus. In this conversation, Sarah Henlicky Wilson discusses the transfiguration in the Gospel of John and its connections to Sukkot and other Jewish festivals. She highlights the allusions to Sukkot in John and the significance of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem for the final Passover. Sarah also explores the presence of Greeks in the Sukkot story and their connection to Jesus' hour of glorification. She emphasizes the similarities between the synoptic transfiguration and the transfiguration in John, suggesting that both narratives are mapping the same thing in their own distinctive ways. Sarah concludes by inviting listeners to support her Kickstarter campaign for her book on the transfiguration.
Takeaways
The Transfiguration is an important event in the church calendar, often overlooked compared to Christmas and Easter.
The transfigured Jesus and the risen Jesus have distinct characteristics, and the transfiguration cannot simply be seen as a preview of the resurrection.
The offer to build booths in the transfiguration story is connected to the Festival of Booths and the eschatological gathering.
The presence and movement of God in the Old Testament are described with a sense of awe and reverence, avoiding capturing or naming the glory and splendor of God.
The transfiguration serves as proof for the second coming of Jesus, emphasizing the importance of his eschatological role. The Gospel of John contains allusions to Sukkot and other Jewish festivals, connecting them to the transfiguration.
The synoptic transfiguration and the transfiguration in John share similarities and are both mapping the same thing.
Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem for the final Passover is significant in relation to the transfiguration.
Sarah Henlicky Wilson has launched a Kickstarter campaign for her book on the transfiguration.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Book Project
00:30 The Significance of Transfiguration Sunday
01:40 The Neglected Importance of the Transfiguration
02:12 The Problem of Moralistic Preaching
03:25 The Transfiguration as Important as Christmas and Easter
03:54 The Distinction Between the Transfigured Jesus and the Risen Jesus
06:22 The Misunderstood Offer to Build Booths
10:10 The Festival of Booths and the Eschatological Gathering
12:22 The Significance of Peter's Mistaken Offer
15:06 The Transfiguration and the Eschatological Jesus
19:19 The Presence and Movement of God in the Old Testament
22:07 The Representation of Moses and Elijah
25:45 The Role of Moses and Elijah in the Transfiguration
28:46 The Transfiguration as Proof of Jesus' Second Coming
30:27 The Jewish Reticence to Capture the Glory of God
35:15 The Absence of Visual Detail in 2 Peter
38:09 The Modesty of Biblical Miracle Stories
39:37 The Importance of Listening to Jesus
39:47 Transfiguration in the Gospel of John
40:20 Allusions to Sukkot in John
41:16 Connection between Sukkot and Palm Sunday
41:43 Greeks and the Sukkot Story
42:13 Jesus' Hour Has Come
42:40 Incomprehension of the Crowd
43:28 Mapping the Same Thing in Different Ways
44:13 Jesus' Pilgrimage Festivals
44:39 Hanukkah in the New Testament
45:39 Importance of Ascension and Pentecost
46:32 Sarah's Kickstarter Campaign
48:57 Sarah's Contact Information
49:42 Memories of Sarah
50:03 Harry Potter Trivia Challenge
Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration