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Transcript

Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration

A conversation with Sarah Hinlicky Wilson

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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.

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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

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Tamed Cynic
Jason Micheli
Stick around here and I’ll use words as best as I know how to help you give a damn about the God who, in Jesus Christ, no longer gives any damns.