BEMA Episode Link: 120: Truth and Light
Episode Length: 41:15
Published Date: Thu, 06 Jun 2019 01:00:00 -0700
Session 3
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings join Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration as Jesus talks about his exodus with Moses and Elijah.

Discussion Video for BEMA 120

The BEMA Messenger

Shaping Faith #5: Fasting sermon — YouTube

Transcript for BEMA 120

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 120: Truth and Light - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 120 - Truth and Light
Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: Matthew 17 - The Transfiguration and surrounding passages

This episode explores the profound theological and scriptural connections within the story of Jesus’s transfiguration on the mountain, traditionally identified as Mount Tabor but argued here to be Mount Hermon. The discussion reveals how this pivotal moment in the Gospels deliberately echoes the Mount Sinai experience, functions as a turning point in Jesus’s ministry, and connects to ancient Jewish midrash about Messiah, Moses, and Elijah. The hosts demonstrate how understanding the Jewish context transforms what might seem like a strange or inexplicable story into a rich tapestry of scriptural fulfillment and messianic revelation.

Key Takeaways

  • The Transfiguration story is a deliberate retelling of Moses’s Mount Sinai experience, with seven parallel elements: high mountain, three companions, cloud covering, glory present, changed appearance, glory settling (shakan), and occurring after six days
  • Peter’s suggestion to build three tabernacles is not foolish bumbling but demonstrates his sophisticated understanding of Torah - building tabernacles is exactly what happens next in the Exodus narrative after Sinai
  • God’s declaration from the cloud (“This is my Son, whom I love, with Him I am well pleased, listen to Him”) quotes all three parts of the Hebrew Scriptures: Ketuvim/Writings (Psalm 2), Nevi’im/Prophets (Isaiah 42), and Torah (Deuteronomy 18)
  • The appearance of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus together fulfills an ancient Jewish midrash on Psalm 43 that identifies Moses and Elijah as “truth” and Messiah as “light”
  • The Transfiguration marks a pivotal turning point in the Gospel narrative structure - before this moment Jesus focuses on teaching, afterward He resolutely sets His sights on Jerusalem and His coming death
  • The location is likely Mount Hermon (meaning “holy mountain”) rather than the traditional Mount Tabor, based on proximity to Caesarea Philippi and Peter’s later reference to the “holy mountain”
  • Peter’s brilliance is consistently underestimated by modern readers who lack the Jewish scriptural literacy he possessed

Main Concepts & Theories

The Seven Parallels to Mount Sinai

The Transfiguration narrative contains seven specific elements that directly mirror Moses’s experience at Mount Sinai in Exodus:

  1. High Mountain: Both explicitly described as a “high mountain”
  2. Three Companions: Moses took Aaron, Joshua, and Hur; Jesus took Peter, James, and John
  3. Cloud Coverage: A cloud covered both mountains
  4. Glory Present: The glory of God was manifest on both mountains
  5. Changed Appearance: Moses’s face became radiant; Jesus’s face shone like the sun and His clothes became white as light
  6. Glory Settling (Shakan): The Hebrew word for the glory “dwelling” or “settling” is used in both accounts
  7. Six Days: Both events occurred “after six days”

This parallel structure signals to Jewish readers that Jesus is experiencing a new Sinai moment, positioning Him as the new Moses figure anticipated in Jewish messianic expectations.

Peter’s Misunderstood Brilliance

Modern interpreters have often characterized Peter as an impulsive fool who blurts out nonsense about building tabernacles. However, when understood within the Jewish narrative framework, Peter demonstrates profound scriptural understanding:

  • After Sinai in the Exodus narrative, the next major movement is building the Tabernacle
  • Peter recognizes the Sinai parallels and logically suggests the next step in the sequence
  • The word he uses is literally “tabernacles” (sukkot), not just “shelters”
  • Peter is only six days removed from his rebuke by Jesus at Caesarea Philippi and is trying to get things right
  • God’s response is not chastisement but affirmation, joining in Peter’s understanding by quoting Scripture
God’s Threefold Scriptural Witness

When God speaks from the cloud, He strategically quotes from all three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh):

  1. Ketuvim (Writings) - Psalm 2:7: “You are my Son”
  2. Nevi’im (Prophets) - Isaiah 42:1: “whom I love/in whom I delight” (the Servant Song)
  3. Torah (Law) - Deuteronomy 18:15: “Listen to Him” (the promise of a prophet like Moses)

This threefold witness fulfills a Jewish teaching that when Messiah comes, all three parts of Scripture would testify about Him. God Himself provides this comprehensive scriptural validation of Jesus’s messianic identity.

The Midrash of Psalm 43 - Truth and Light

An ancient Jewish midrash (commentary) on Psalm 43, predating Jesus by approximately 80 years, provides crucial context for understanding the Transfiguration:

Psalm 43:3 - “Send me your light and your truth”

The midrash interprets this as:

  • Truth = Moses (giver of Torah) and Elijah (passionate prophet of truth)
  • Light = Messiah (based on Isaiah 42 - “a light to the nations”)

The midrash teaches: “When you are in trouble and need vindication, pray for Moses, pray for Elijah, and pray for Messiah.”

This is the only midrash outside the Gospels that places Moses, Elijah, and Messiah together in the same narrative. The Transfiguration is the literal fulfillment of this ancient expectation.

The Psalm continues: “Let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell (shakan)” - the exact language and imagery of the Transfiguration account.

Mount Hermon vs. Mount Tabor

Traditional Christian interpretation places the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, but several factors support Mount Hermon as the actual location:

  • Etymology: “Hermon” means “holy mountain” - Peter later refers to being with Jesus on the “holy mountain” (1 Peter)
  • Proximity: Mount Hermon sits directly behind Caesarea Philippi, where the previous episode occurred
  • Timeline: “Six days later” makes more sense as a waiting period rather than travel time
  • Thematic Connection: The Caesarea Philippi confession and Transfiguration form a connected narrative unit

The six-day waiting period likely relates to ritual purification requirements rather than travel distance.

The Transfiguration as Narrative Turning Point

The Transfiguration appears at or near the center of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, potentially forming the central point of a chiastic structure:

Before Transfiguration:

  • Focus on teaching and instruction
  • Feeding the 5,000 and 4,000
  • Emphasis on partnership and learning
  • Expanding understanding to include Gentiles

After Transfiguration:

  • Jesus “resolutely sets His sights on Jerusalem”
  • Repeated predictions of His death and resurrection
  • Shift from teaching to embodiment
  • Movement toward the cross becomes central

This structural pivot suggests the Transfiguration represents the transition from Jesus establishing His teaching to Jesus fulfilling His mission through sacrifice.

The Demon-Possessed Boy and Idolatry

The episode following the Transfiguration parallels Moses descending from Sinai to find the golden calf:

Sinai Pattern:

  • Moses descends from mountain encounter with God
  • Finds people in idolatry (golden calf)
  • Calf is burned in fire and mixed with water
  • Harsh judgment on “wicked and perverse generation”

Transfiguration Pattern:

  • Jesus descends from mountain encounter
  • Finds disciples unable to cast out demon
  • Boy is thrown into fire and water
  • Jesus calls them “unbelieving and perverse generation” (quote from Song of Moses, Deuteronomy 32)

Jesus’s response about “prayer and fasting” addresses the heart issue - attempting to use spiritual authority from a posture of pride rather than humility. The disciples may be practicing a form of spiritual idolatry, seeking power and position rather than servant humility.

The Temple Tax and Disciple Ages

The final story in Matthew 17 provides insight into the ages of Jesus’s disciples:

  • Jesus pays the temple tax only for Himself and Peter
  • The other disciples apparently don’t require tax payment
  • Temple tax began at age 18 (or possibly 21)
  • This indicates Peter is older than the tax age, while the other eleven disciples are younger
  • Contradicts common artistic depictions of middle-aged disciples
  • Aligns with rabbinic practice where young men (teenagers/early twenties) followed rabbis

The method of obtaining the coin (fish with four-drachma coin in its mouth) likely contains a remez (hint) to a Hebrew Scripture passage that the hosts haven’t yet identified.

Examples & Applications

Understanding Cultural-Historical Context Changes Interpretation

Modern Western readers approaching the Transfiguration without Jewish literacy might see:

  • A strange, mystical experience with unclear purpose
  • Peter making a foolish, impulsive suggestion
  • God interrupting and correcting Peter
  • An isolated supernatural event

Jewish readers in the first century would immediately recognize:

  • A new Sinai experience establishing Jesus as the new Moses
  • Peter’s brilliant next-step thinking within the Exodus narrative
  • God affirming and joining Peter’s insight with comprehensive scriptural witness
  • Fulfillment of ancient messianic expectations about truth and light

Application: Our interpretive frameworks dramatically shape what we see in Scripture. Recovering the original Jewish context often transforms apparent weaknesses into sophisticated theological affirmations.

The Danger of Spiritual Power Divorced from Humility

The disciples’ inability to cast out the demon illustrates a crucial spiritual principle:

  • They had successfully cast out demons before (earlier sending of the twelve/seventy)
  • They possessed the authority Jesus had given them
  • Yet in this instance, they failed

Jesus identifies the issue as faith, but in another Gospel adds “prayer and fasting.” Fasting represents humility and proper posture before God. The disciples may have begun treating miracle-working as a validation of their position rather than an act of humble service.

Application: Spiritual gifts and authority must always flow from humility and dependence on God. When we begin to use spiritual practices to establish our own importance or position, we practice a form of idolatry that renders us ineffective.

Peter’s Redemption Arc

Six days before the Transfiguration, Peter:

  • Made the greatest confession of faith (“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”)
  • Immediately rebuked Jesus for predicting His death
  • Was himself rebuked (“Get behind me, Satan”)

At the Transfiguration, Peter:

  • Demonstrates sophisticated scriptural understanding
  • Responds appropriately to the Sinai moment
  • Receives divine affirmation through God’s voice

Application: Spiritual growth is not linear. Moments of profound insight can be followed by serious missteps. The key is continuing to engage, learn, and grow rather than being defined by our failures.

The Progressive Nature of Understanding

The disciples repeatedly demonstrate partial understanding:

  • They recognize Jesus as Messiah
  • They understand John the Baptist fulfilled the Elijah role
  • They grasp theological concepts from their tradition

Yet they fundamentally misunderstand:

  • The nature of God’s Kingdom (not violent overthrow of Rome)
  • The method of Kingdom arrival (through suffering and death)
  • The timeline and fulfillment (not immediate political revolution)

Application: Spiritual understanding develops progressively. We can be correct about important truths while still misunderstanding crucial aspects. Humility requires acknowledging our partial vision and remaining open to deeper understanding.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

  1. Chiastic Structure of the Gospels: Investigate whether Matthew, Mark, and/or Luke are intentionally structured as chiasms with the Transfiguration at the center. How does this structural analysis inform interpretation of the Gospel narratives?

  2. The Fish with the Coin Remez: What Hebrew Scripture passage is referenced by the miraculous provision of the tax coin in a fish’s mouth? What additional meaning does this remez contribute to the teaching about the temple tax?

  3. Fasting and Humility in First-Century Jewish Practice: How was fasting understood and practiced in Second Temple Judaism? What specific connections existed between fasting and humility/repentance?

  4. The Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32): What is the full context of Jesus’s quote calling the generation “wicked and perverse”? How does the Song of Moses inform our understanding of covenant faithfulness and judgment?

  5. Temple Tax History and Economics: What was the specific purpose of the two-drachma temple tax? How did this relate to Herod’s temple renovation project? What was the total tax burden on first-century Jews?

  6. Mount Hermon in Ancient Jewish Thought: Beyond its name meaning “holy mountain,” what other significance did Mount Hermon hold in Jewish tradition and Scripture? Are there other biblical narratives connected to this location?

  7. Rabbinic Age and Discipleship Practices: What were the typical ages for beginning rabbinic study? What responsibilities did a rabbi assume for his disciples? How does this compare to modern educational models?

  8. The Dialogue Between Moses, Elijah, and Jesus: Luke specifically mentions they discussed Jesus’s “exodus” - what theological significance does this word choice carry? How does Jesus’s death and resurrection function as a new exodus?

  9. Glory (Kavod) and Dwelling (Shakan) Theology: How do these theological concepts develop through the Hebrew Scriptures? What is the relationship between God’s glory, the tabernacle/temple, and the incarnation?

  10. Prayer as Kingdom Practice: If the disciples’ failure related to attempting power without proper posture, how does prayer function as the essential practice of Kingdom humility? What does “these kinds only come out by prayer and fasting” teach about spiritual warfare?

Comprehension Questions

  1. Identify and explain the seven parallels between the Transfiguration account and Moses’s experience at Mount Sinai. Why is recognizing this pattern important for understanding the story’s meaning?

  2. How does the ancient midrash on Psalm 43 provide context for understanding the appearance of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus together on the mountain? What do “light” and “truth” represent in this interpretive tradition?

  3. Explain why Peter’s suggestion to build three tabernacles demonstrates scriptural literacy rather than foolish impulsiveness. What does this reveal about common misinterpretations of Peter’s character?

  4. When God speaks from the cloud, He quotes from all three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures. Identify these three divisions, the specific passages quoted, and explain the significance of this threefold witness.

  5. How does the Transfiguration function as a turning point in the Gospel narrative structure? What changes in Jesus’s ministry focus and the disciples’ understanding before and after this event?

Personalized Summary

The Transfiguration stands as one of the most profound moments in the Gospel narrative, yet its significance is often obscured when read without awareness of its Jewish context. This episode brilliantly demonstrates that what appears to modern readers as a strange, isolated mystical experience is actually a carefully constructed parallel to the Mount Sinai revelation. Every detail - from the six-day waiting period to Peter’s suggestion of building tabernacles - connects to the Exodus narrative and Jewish messianic expectations.

The revelation goes even deeper through the ancient midrash on Psalm 43, which envisions Moses and Elijah representing God’s truth and Messiah representing God’s light, all meeting together on the holy mountain. The Transfiguration is the literal fulfillment of this centuries-old hope. When God speaks, affirming Jesus as His Son, He doesn’t merely validate Jesus’s identity but provides a comprehensive scriptural witness by quoting from all three divisions of the Hebrew Bible - the only way the ancient world would recognize truly authoritative revelation.

Peter emerges not as the bumbling disciple of popular imagination but as a sophisticated student of Torah who recognizes the patterns and responds appropriately. The subsequent healing of the demon-possessed boy parallels Moses descending from Sinai to confront the golden calf, suggesting that the disciples’ failure stemmed from attempting to exercise spiritual authority from a posture of pride rather than humble dependence on God.

This story marks the structural and thematic center of the Gospels - the pivot point where Jesus’s ministry shifts from teaching to embodying, from gathering disciples to marching toward Jerusalem and the cross. Understanding the Transfiguration in its full Jewish context transforms it from a puzzling interlude into a thunderous declaration that Jesus is the new Moses, the fulfillment of prophetic hope, the light of God sent to bring vindication and deliverance to His people.

These notes are based on BEMA Podcast Episode 120: Truth and Light, hosted by Marty Solomon and Brent Billings.

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