The Immortal Died (Luke 9:28-36)

“About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.” (Luke 9:28-29)

Who is Jesus? He was God and yet became in the likeness of man. He was so a man that no one could see God in Him. It was the third year of Jesus’ ministry and began to teach His disciples the suffering, the death, and the resurrection. Our Lord Jesus demonstrated that He was the source and origin of all power and authority by healing the diseases, calming down the winds and the raging waters, and driving out demons. He demonstrated that He is the Giver of life by feeding five thousand with five loaves and two fish and with twelve basketfuls leftover.

Jesus came to the earth as man who was the image of God. Two years passed since He began the Messianic ministry. People said that Jesus would be Elijah, John the Baptist, or one of the prophets of long ago. But Peter said He was God’s Messiah. Immediately after Peter’s confession, Jesus began to teach the disciples the upcoming suffering and death and the resurrection in Jerusalem. When Jesus taught the death and suffering, Peter rebuked the Lord, saying “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” (Matthew 16:22)

Our Lord Jesus rebuked Peter, saying “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Matthew 16:23) Why did our Lord Jesus teach the disciples about this repeatedly? Why must He suffer and die and rise again from the dead? That’s the reason why He came into the world. He was born to die. That’s the cup He must drink. It’s the way for Him to go back to the Father. Though He was God the Immortal He came into the world to die. Charles Wesley wrote a hymn:

“That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

What the people saw on the bloody cross in Cavalry was a poor and powerless man who hung on a tree surrounded by the veteran Roman soldiers, the hard-hearted religious leaders, and the ignorant and indifferent bystanders. They sneered and mocked Him, saying “He saved others, but he can't save himself! He's the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.” (Matthew 27:42) What they said was exactly right and precise except He could save Himself but did not in order to save many.

Our Lord Jesus just demonstrated what He said to His disciples. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24) He emptied Himself, denying all the rights and obeyed the Father even to the point of death. He did not save Himself but yielded His spirit to the Father for many. He sacrificed Himself as the ransom offering to God and became the propitiation for the elect.

Taking Peter, James, and John, Jesus went up a mountain to pray, where He was transfigured into a glorious being. The appearance of His face changed and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lighting. Apostle John saw Jesus Christ in glory and wrote down in the Book of Revelation.

“I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” (Revelation 1:12-16)

That’s our Lord Jesus was and is and will be forever. He is awesome in appearance and no one can stand before Him. King Solomon confessed that the heavens, even the highest heavens could not contain Him (2 Chronicles 2:6). He knows and fathoms even the deep things of the universe because He made them. Prophet Isaiah prophesied a long before our Lord Jesus came.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

     neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

     so are my ways higher than your ways

     and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

What does the transfiguration of our Lord Jesus signify? It tells that He didn’t have to die to enter into the glory in heaven. While He was praying in the mountain, His appearance changed and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lighting. Right there where Peter, James, and John were with Jesus, our Lord instantaneously entered into glory, the glory that He belonged in the beginning. It didn’t need any special ceremony for Jesus to be transfigured because He was all the time in such a marvelous and splendid glory except it was hidden within. But when God lifted up the curtain, the disciples could see the reality of Jesus.

There appeared two Old Testament figures, Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus about His departure, which He was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem (Luke 9:30-31). It tells that they are alive in glory and eternity with the Lord God forever. As Apostle Paul says, we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:51). We also shall be in glory with the Lord Jesus Christ forever.

It also tells that the transfiguration of Jesus was arranged not only for revealing His Majesty and Glory but for delivering the voice of God to the disciples. “While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.’” (Luke 9:34-35) This is the second time for God in heaven spoke concerning the Son of God. The first time was when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, saying “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

To know who Jesus is in fullness and perfection to listen to Him. Jesus says His disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24) No one can follow Jesus without first denying ourselves and taking our cross daily. It’s a logical choice for us to do because we do not have anything to rely upon. We’re just broke before God the Almighty.

His death is the substitutionary sacrifice of our death. He did not have to die for He was sinless but died in our place. No death, no resurrection. The secret of life lies here in our Lord Jesus Christ. He assumed all the shame, guilt, and despair of the world upon Himself and gave up His life unto the Father in heaven. The Immortal died in order to save many. How can it be? Around the corner of that cross, out of the cold tomb our Lord Jesus rose again from the dead. He gives eternal life to those who listen and follow Him.