Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Transfiguration Ruminations

I was thinking today, that the Transfiguration (according to Luke's account) is in a way, the "anti-Gethsemane" event. Notice the similarities/contrasts:

1. Peter, James and John go with Jesus

2. They are sleepy

3. Jesus is praying

4. At the Transfiguration: light like crazy. At Gethsemane: "the hour of the power of darkness"

5. The 2 ancient messengers of God (Moses and Elijah) converse with Jesus, while in Gethsemane, angelic messengers minister to him.

6. In both cases, Jesus is specifically concerned with the events of Good Friday - "his departure" and "this cup"

7. At the Mt. the Father speaks. In the Garden, Jesus specifically adresses the Father.

Am I on to something here?

3 comments:

Dan @ Necessary Roughness said...

Probably. Also, these two events being so close together is an interesting contrast.

The Reverend Lisa K. Schoonmaker said...

You don't think you've stumbled onto some new hermeuetic do you? The reason this pericope appears twice within the lectionary year is precisely because it foreshadows and is a reflection of Christs death and resurrection. Hardly a sermon will be preached tomorrow morning that doesn't allude to this in some manner.

Preachrboy said...

No new hermeneutics. I just never heard or read of anyone juxtaposing the Transfiguration and Gethsemane texts before.

Have you ever heard those two connected or compared?