Download Epiphany C

Jesus is the Savior of All People
The Epiphany of Our Lord—C
God’s Word for Today
The season of Epiphany (the Greek word for “appearance”) recalls
how Jesus proved himself to be the Son of God and the Savior of
all people. The Festival of the Epiphany of Our Lord is celebrated
on January 6, the twelfth day of Christmas, and is often called the
Gentile Christmas. In the lessons and the Gospel, God makes it
abundantly clear that his salvation is not only for his chosen Old
Testament people, but also for the Gentiles (non-Jews). Jesus is
the Savior of all people!
First Lesson (Isaiah 60:1-6)
1. To whom is the Lord speaking in these verses?
2. From where will people come to fill up the New Testament
Christian church?
Second Lesson (Ephesians 3:2-12)
3. Who wrote the letter to the Ephesians? (cf. 3:1)
4. What job had God given to this apostle? (vv 8-9)
Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12)
5. From where did the Magi come to worship the newborn
Savior?
6. Were the Magi Jews or Gentiles?
7. What gifts did they bring Jesus? (cp. Isaiah 60:6)
Answers:
1. The Lord is speaking to the New Testament Christian
church, which has Jesus as its head. Jesus once said that
he is the light of the world (Jn 8:12). He also said that
Christians are the light of the world (Mt 5:14). When the
prophet announces that “nations will come to your light,” he
is speaking of Christ and the Christian church in the New
Testament era, when people throughout the world would
come to faith in Jesus.
2. From all nations, both Jews and Gentiles. (vv 3,4)
3. St. Paul wrote Ephesians, probably during his first
imprisonment in Rome in about 60 AD. The congregation in
Ephesus was made up of both Jews and Gentiles, two
groups that often disliked one another. Paul wanted these
two groups to live peaceably with one another (Eph 2:1418).
4. Paul’s specific mission was to proclaim the good news
about Jesus to the Gentiles (non-Jews). The fact that Jesus
was the Savior of all people, not just the Jews, was the big
“mystery” that God wanted Paul to proclaim.
5. From the east, perhaps from Persia or Arabia.
6. We really don’t know, since the Scriptures don’t make that
clear. It has always been assumed that they were Gentiles.
7. They brought him gold, incense and myrrh, all quite
expensive items. The prophet Isaiah had predicted such
gifts in Isaiah 60:6.
Jesus is Our Unlikely, Yet Perfect Savior
Answers:
The First Sunday after the Epiphany—C
The Baptism of Our Lord
1. Saul.
God’s Word for Today
“Why did Jesus need to be baptized? I thought baptism was for
sinners?” It seems strange that our Savior, who was perfectly
sinless, would need to be baptized, and yet he was. Why?
Because Jesus had come to be our perfect Savior, and he is
revealed as such in his baptism. God laid on him the sin of the
world (Jn 1:29). Even from birth he endured the effects of our sin.
Though Jesus wasn’t a sinner himself, he was carrying our sin,
pain and sorrow (Is 53:4), making him seem an unlikely Savior.
But by taking our sin and suffering on himself, Jesus actually
became our unlikely, yet perfect Savior (Heb 2:10; 5:7-9).
First Lesson (I Samuel 16:1-13)
1. Whom had God rejected as the King of Israel?
2. When Samuel went to anoint a new king, did he and the
Lord agree on who would be the “perfect” king?
3. Whom did the Lord finally choose as Israel’s new king?
Second Lesson (Titus 3:4-7)
4. According to St. Paul, why did God save us?
5. According to St. Paul, how did God save us?
Gospel (Luke 3:15-17, 21-22)
6. What was the purpose of the baptism given by John?
7. If Jesus was sinless, why was he baptized?
8. Which three special persons were present at the baptism of
Jesus?
2. No. Samuel was impressed with the oldest sons of Jesse
because they were big, strong and handsome. But the Lord
had different ideas, as he explained: “The LORD does not
look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward
appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
3. God chose the youngest son of Jesse, David, the forefather
of our perfect Savior, Jesus. Jesus, too, would seem like an
unlikely choice to be our perfect Savior (cf. Is 53:2,3).
4. Paul plainly states that God did not save us because of
righteous things we had done (our good works), but
because of his mercy. In other words, our salvation
depends entirely upon God’s love for us and not our love
for him, a concept that seems unlikely to human reason.
5. Paul explains that God saved us “through the washing of
rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” The Christian
church has always understood this to be a reference to
Holy Baptism, where God washes away our sin through this
water connected to his Word of promise.
6. The purpose was the same as the baptism we have today:
it’s “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”
(Mk 1:4).
7. Though Jesus did not have any personal sin, in his role as
our perfect Savior he was carrying the sins of the world (Is
53:6; Jn 1:29; 2 Co 5:21). He welcomed the promises of
God that baptism gives sinners.
8. The Holy Trinity (God the Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit) were present at Jesus’ baptism. In the same way, the
Holy Trinity was present at our baptisms, as we are
baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19).
Jesus is Our Gracious Savior
The Second Sunday after the Epiphany—C
God’s Word for Today
“Grace” is a beautiful Bible word. We normally define grace as
God’s undeserved love. And that’s exactly right! Grace
suggests the idea of giving a gift without a sense of obligation.
(We should never feel obligated to give a gift! If we do, it’s no
longer a gift!). Jesus loves us not because he is obligated. He
didn’t die for us out of a sense of guilt. He didn’t owe us.
Everything Jesus does for us, he does for one reason only:
he’s gracious. He does it because he wants to, freely! Yes,
Jesus is our gracious Savior.
First Lesson (Isaiah 62:1-5)
1. Who is speaking in these verses through the prophet
Isaiah? For instance, who’s the “I” of verse 1?
2. For whose sake would Jesus do what he did as our Savior?
3. What is the result of Jesus’ gracious work for his people?
Second Lesson (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)
4. What subject does St. Paul begin to address in these
verses?
5. Who is the giver of all Christian gifts?
6. For whose sake does the Holy Spirit give us gifts?
Gospel (John 2:1-11)
7. What problem arose at the wedding in Cana to which Jesus
and his disciples were invited?
8. How did Jesus react when Mary told him that they had run
out of wine? Why did he react this way?
9. What did Jesus do to resolve the problem?
Answers:
1. The pre-incarnate Son of God, the second person of the
Trinity, is the speaker.
2. Jesus says that he would speak “for Zion’s sake” and “for
Jerusalem’s sake” (In the Old Testament “Zion” and
“Jerusalem” often represent the people of God, the Church.
That is the case in these verses). In other words, Jesus
serves as our advocate; he speaks on our behalf before his
heavenly Father (1 Jn 2:1; Ro 8:34).
3. No longer are we estranged from our heavenly Father
because of our sin. Instead the Lord delights in us
(Hephzibah) and we are “married” (Beulah) to him. All this
is a result of Jesus’ work as our gracious Savior.
4. Paul begins to address the subject of spiritual gifts. The
Corinthian Christians were extremely gifted (1 Co 1:5-7),
but they were not putting their gifts to use according to
Christian love, which is the greatest gift (1 Co 13).
5. No matter what gift we have, the Holy Spirit is the gracious
giver of that gift. Christians have many different gifts, but
the Holy Spirit is the giver of them all.
6. Christians are not to use their gifts for their own selfish gain
or benefit. Instead, Paul explains that all gifts are “given for
the common good.” In other words, each Christian is to use
their gifts to benefit their fellow Christians.
7. They had run out of wine. It was customary in Jesus’ day
for weddings to be celebrated for several days. It seems
clear that the wedding hosts had not adequately prepared.
8. Jesus wondered why Mary involved him, stating, “My time
has not yet come.” Jesus seems to be suggesting that it
wasn’t yet time for him to publicly reveal himself as the
promised Savior through his miracles. As it was, the
forthcoming miracle seemed to be performed quietly.
9. He changed water into wine. Although his disciples put their
faith in him, it seems his miracle went otherwise unnoticed.
Jesus is the Only Savior from Sin
The Confession of Saint Peter—C
God’s Word for Today
Jesus had asked his disciples the most important question of
their lives: “Who do you say I am?” It’s a make-or-break type of
question that wouldn’t be graded on a curve. There wasn’t, and
still isn’t, more than one right answer. Peter finally spoke up,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” Peter was
saying much with those few short words. His confession was
clear and totally accurate: Jesus is the only Savior from sin!
First Lesson (Acts 4:8-13)
1. What were circumstances of Peter preaching the sermon
recorded in these verses?
2. How had Peter and John healed the cripple?
3. To what deeper, spiritual truth does Peter connect this
man’s healing?
Second Lesson (2 Peter 1:1-4)
4. According to Peter, what gives us “everything we need for
life and godliness”? (verse 3)
5. Through faith in Jesus, what do Christians have to look
forward to? (verse 4)
Gospel (Matthew 16:13-19)
6. What were others saying about Jesus?
7. Whom did Peter say Jesus was?
8. How did Peter and the other disciples come to this
knowledge?
Answers:
1. Peter had healed a crippled man (Ac 3:7), but as a result
Peter and John were arrested by the temple guard (4:3).
Now they stood before the Jewish ruling council, the
Sanhedrin, to answer for themselves.
2. Peter plainly confesses that the man’s healing was “by the
name of Jesus Christ, whom [the Jews] crucified but whom
God raised from the dead.”
3. Peter declares that not only was this man physically healed
(the Greek word also means saved) by Jesus, but that all
salvation (physical, spiritual, and eternal) “is found in no
one else” but Jesus. He is the only Savior from sin.
4. Peter says that Jesus’ “divine power” gives us everything
we need. With these two words Peter confesses what he
believes about Jesus, namely, that he is our powerful God.
5. Peter says that only through faith in Jesus do we
“participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption”
of this evil world. Already now Christians begin to realize
the fulfillment of these words as we put off our sinful flesh
and live according to our new Christian nature (Ro 6:1-11).
Even now we are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Co 3:16). But
we also await the complete fulfillment of these words when
Jesus comes again (Php 3:20,21; Ro 8:23).
6. They thought he was John the Baptist, or maybe Elijah or
another of the prophets raised from the dead.
7. Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the promised
Messiah, the Son of God.
8. Jesus says that Peter didn’t come to this faith by himself.
He didn’t “make his decision” for Jesus. Instead these
things had been revealed to him. Only God can work faith
in our hearts.
Jesus is Our Long-Foretold Savior
The Third Sunday after the Epiphany—C
God’s Word for Today
Jesus’ arrival on the scene in Palestine shouldn’t have been
that surprising to the Jews. They had known of the coming
Messiah for a long time, dating back to the promise given
Abraham (Gen 12:3), even to the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:15).
Yet, when Jesus finally arrived, “his own did not receive him (Jn
1:10). He wasn’t the kind of Savior that many were looking for,
but that doesn’t change the fact that Jesus is our long-foretold
Savior.
First Lesson (Isaiah 61:1-6)
1. Who is speaking in these verses?
2. What would the Savior come to do according to Isaiah?
Answers:
1. Jesus is speaking through the prophet Isaiah.
2. Jesus would come to proclaim the good news of salvation,
particularly to the spiritually downtrodden of this world (Mt
9:13; Lk 19:10).
3. Jesus promises that we will have a part in his heavenly
kingdom (priests and ministers) and that we will inherit
eternal riches.
4. In a beautiful way, St. Paul compares the Christian Church
to our bodies. As our bodies are made up of many different
but essential parts, so also the Church is made up of many
different but essential parts. We all work together to form
the body of Christ.
Second Lesson (1 Corinthians 12:12-21, 26,27)
5. Paul encourages us to work together in unity as a body.
Just as our own bodies wouldn’t work well if the eyes, ears
or feet decided not to work anymore, so also the Church is
thrown into disarray when one of its member parts
becomes divisive and schismatic.
4. How does Paul illustrate the Christian church and our
relationship as Christians to one another?
6. Jesus read the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 61, the
First Lesson appointed for this Sunday.
5. What encouragement does Paul give to us as Christians?
7. Jesus said of these words: “Today this Scripture is fulfilled
in your hearing.” In other words, Jesus was emphatically
declaring that he was the fulfillment of the words of Isaiah,
that he was our long-foretold Savior. The people who first
heard Jesus make this claim were furious (Mk 4:28,29).
3. What promise does the Lord make to Christians in verse 6?
Gospel (Luke 4:14-21)
6. What portion of Scripture did Jesus read in his hometown
synagogue?
7. What amazing words did Jesus use to conclude his
reading?
Jesus is Our Powerful Savior
The Conversion of Saint Paul—C
God’s Word for Today
What’s the most difficult disease to overcome? Cancer? Heart
disease? Diabetes? AIDS? All of those are terrible diseases,
but they’re not the most troublesome disease that human
beings face. The most challenging disease to conquer is sin
and unbelief. It infects us all from conception (Ps 51:5), and
many are still completely held in the clutches of both until the
day they die. What a miracle it is when some are brought to
faith in Jesus and their sins are washed away in his blood
through faith! Who alone can beat such diseases? Only Jesus
is strong enough to destroy them. Jesus is our powerful Savior!
First Lesson (Acts 9:1-19a)
1. Who was Saul, and what did he think about Jesus and his
followers?
2. How did Jesus change Saul’s life?
Second Lesson (Galatians 1:11-24)
3. True or false: Paul’s conversion was an accident, merely
random.
4. Where did Paul get “his gospel” from?
5. Why would Paul feel compelled to defend himself and his
message?
Gospel (Luke 21:10-19)
6. What important subject does Jesus treat in these verses?
7. What encouragement does Jesus offer in these verses to
his followers?
Answers:
1. Saul was a leader among the Jews who were persecuting
the church of Jesus. He would later describe himself this:
“circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of
the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to
the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as
for legalistic righteousness, faultless” (Php 3:5,6). In other
words, Saul was a near blameless Jew.
2. The resurrected Jesus met Saul on the road to Damascus
and asked this Jewish leader why he was persecuting him.
This episode led Saul to reconsider his persecution of
Jesus and his followers. Later Saul would change his name
to Paul and become the greatest missionary the Church
has ever known. This shows the power Jesus has!
3. False. The Lord had chosen Paul as his special instrument
even before he was born (v 15).
4. He didn’t get it from any ordinary man. He received it by
revelation from Jesus Christ.
5. Some were suspicious of Paul because he had persecuted
the Church (Ac 9:26). Others believed that Paul went too
far in overturning the Old Testament Law (Ro 3:8; Ga 5:112). Still others thought Paul to be an unimpressive
preacher (2 Co 10:10).
6. Jesus discusses the signs of the End Time. First will come
the birth pains (21:10,11), then Jesus’ followers will face a
short time of terrible persecution (21:12-13, 16-17).
7. Jesus promises to give his disciples the words they will
need to defend themselves in the face of persecution. He
also promises that we will face no lasting harm to our
bodies. He concludes: “By standing firm you will save
yourselves.” Jesus is powerful to save!
Jesus is a Rejected Savior
The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany—C
God’s Word for Today
True or false: Jesus’ earthly ministry was a huge numerical
success. If you think the answer is true, then think again. After
Jesus had ascended into heaven, the church gathered at
Jerusalem numbered only 120 (Ac 1:15). The fact of the matter
is, Jesus wasn’t the type of Savior that people were expecting.
He wasn’t flashy enough. He didn’t offer instant gratification.
Instead, he promised a life of suffering and sorrow in this world
(Mt 16:24). As a result, people in Jesus’ time and our own time
are hesitant to follow Jesus. Yes, so often Jesus is a rejected
Savior.
Answers:
1. He was not interested in serving God this way. He argued
that he was too young and not able to speak.
2. The Lord had planned to use Jeremiah as his specially
appointed prophet even before he was born.
3. Though Jeremiah would face much rejection as a prophet
of the Lord, the Lord promised him that he had nothing to
fear. He would give him to words to speak, “to uproot and
tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”
First Lesson (Jeremiah 1:4-10)
4. The Corinthians wanted to have those gifts that would most
readily put them in the spotlight. They wanted to be
prophets, apostles and teachers. They wanted to perform
miracles and speak in other languages.
1. When Jeremiah was called to be God’s prophet, how did he
react?
5. Paul argues that the greatest Christian gift is love. It is the
gift that we should most desire.
2. How long had God planned to use Jeremiah as his
representative?
6. Love is the greatest Christian gift because love is what
makes all other gifts valuable. If we have many gifts, but do
not use them lovingly in service to others, they will be of no
benefit to others and will not bring glory to God. Eventually
these gifts will be taken from us and given to someone who
will use them wisely (Mt 25:28-30).
3. What promise did the Lord give to this young man?
Second Lesson (1 Corinthians 12:27–13:13)
4. What gifts did the Corinthians most desire?
5. What is the greatest Christian gift, according to Paul?
6. Why does love rate as the greatest gift?
Gospel (Luke 4:20-32)
7. When Jesus claimed that he was the fulfillment of the Old
Testament prophecies, what question did the people raise?
8. What did Jesus say that aroused the people’s anger?
7. They asked themselves, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” The
people of Nazareth had seen Jesus grow up among them.
They had a hard time believing that he was the promised
Messiah.
8. Jesus said that “no prophet is accepted in his home town.”
He alluded to the prophets Elijah and Elisha, who helped
Gentile foreigners because God’s Old Testament people
were for the most part unwilling to listen to the prophets’
message. Jesus would have much the same experience.
“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not
receive him” (Jn 1:10). Jesus was a rejected Savior.
Jesus is Our Compassionate Savior
The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany—C
God’s Word for Today
What does it mean to have compassion? The word
“compassion” comes from the Greek language. “Passion”
means “suffering,” and “com” means “with,” so if you have
compassion for someone, it means that you suffer with them.
That’s why is so appropriate to call Jesus our compassionate
Savior, because he came to suffer with us and for us in this
world of suffering. He shows his compassion by calling us to
his side to serve in his kingdom, even though we fall far short of
his perfection. Yes, Jesus is our compassionate Savior!
First Lesson (Isaiah 6:1-8)
1. What did Isaiah see, and how did it make him feel?
2. What did the Lord do to ease Isaiah’s anxiety?
Second Lesson (1 Corinthians 14:12b-20)
3. What gift were the Corinthian Christians most desiring?
4. What goal does Paul suggest we should have as we use
our Christian gifts?
Gospel (Luke 5:1-11)
5. How did Jesus end up on Simon Peter’s boat?
6. After Jesus finished preaching, what did he ask Peter to do,
and what was Peter’s answer?
7. What happened when they let down the nets?
8. When Peter saw the great catch of fish how did he react,
and what did Jesus say to him?
Answers:
1. Isaiah saw and heard the Lord’s glory filling the temple.
Isaiah cried: “Woe to me! I am ruined!” He realized that he
was a sinful man standing in the presence of the holy God.
2. The Lord had compassion by assuring Isaiah that his sin
was paid for and forgiven. Then he called Isaiah to be his
prophet.
3. The Corinthians wanted to be able to speak in tongues (real
languages that they had never learned, not the gibberish
that one often hears).
4. Paul says that we should strive to use our gifts to build up
or edify the church, our fellow Christians. He also points out
that speaking languages that people don’t know is not
edifying for them because they don’t know what you’re
saying. Paul concludes that he “would rather speak five
intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words
in a tongue.”
5. He was preaching to so large a crowd that he asked Simon
Peter for the use of his boat so that the people could see
and hear him better.
6. Jesus asked Peter to put down his nets for a catch of fish.
While Peter suggested that they wouldn’t catch anything,
he did it anyway because Jesus said so.
7. There was such a great catch of fish that the nets began to
break.
8. In amazement and fear Peter fell at Jesus feet and said,
“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” But Jesus had
compassion on Peter and called him and his colleagues to
be fishers of men.
Jesus is Our Surprising Savior
The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany—C
God’s Word for Today
Jesus did some surprising things during his life and ministry.
For instance, he was born in a manger. He instructed the
teachers of the law at twelve. He associated with the tax
collectors and sinners. He allowed himself to be crucified. He
also said some surprising things, things that ran directly
contrary to the basic convictions of the world in which we live.
For instance, he commands us to love our enemies and to
follow him patiently in suffering. And in all these things he
promises to be our Savior. Yes, Jesus is our surprising Savior!
First Lesson (Jeremiah 17:5-8)
1. Whom does the Lord curse in these verses?
2. Whom does the Lord bless in these verses?
Second Lesson (1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20)
3. What misconception did some of the Corinthian Christians
have about the resurrection from the dead?
4. What arguments does Paul put forth to prove that there will
be a general resurrection from the dead?
Gospel (Luke 6:17-26)
5. Whom does Jesus say are the blessed of this world, and
why?
6. What does Jesus suggest we should do when the people of
this world hate us because of Jesus?
7. To whom does Jesus preach woe?
Answers:
1. The Lord curses those who would put their trust in man and
the things of this world. This is the fundamental approach of
sinful mankind: they put their hope in things and people that
they can see. They desire honor, glory and power in this
world.
2. The Lord blesses those who put their trust in him. Such
faith is not always easy because we do not see the Lord,
and he does not always work in our lives in a most obvious
way. But the Lord promises, when trouble comes our way,
we will have no worries when we put our faith in him.
3. Apparently there were some Corinthians who, although
they didn’t deny Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, did not
believe that all people would one day be raised from death.
4. Paul argues that the Corinthians can’t have it both ways. If
they say that there is no resurrection, then they can’t claim
that Christ is raised. And if Jesus is still lying in a grave,
then our faith in this dead person is worthless, we are still in
our sins, those who died in the faith are eternally lost, and
we are to be pitied more than all people. But, thanks be to
God, Christ is indeed risen!
5. Surprisingly, Jesus says that the blessed of this world are
those whom the world would say are the less fortunate and
the downtrodden. The reason why these people are
blessed, Jesus says, is because through faith in him they
will have eternal riches.
6. Surprisingly, Jesus tells us to rejoice when we are
persecuted for the sake of Jesus. Our reward will be great
in heaven.
7. Surprisingly, Jesus indicates that the powerful, rich and
happy of this world are in danger of eternal woe. Those
who have so much in this world don’t often realize their
need for a Savior. They have their “reward” in this world but
will suffer for an eternity because of their rejection of Jesus.
Jesus is Our Glorious Savior
The Last Sunday after the Epiphany—C
The Transfiguration of Our Lord
God’s Word for Today
There was only one time recorded in Scripture when Jesus
revealed his future glory before his resurrection. That one time
was on the Mount of Transfiguration, where Peter, James and
John had a firsthand (and terrifying) look at Jesus’ perfect
glory. Why did Jesus do this? He did it to give his disciples a
glimpse at what the future holds for all believers. They were
about to enter a difficult time as disciples. They would see their
Messiah crucified, but they would also see that Jesus is our
glorious Savior!
First Lesson (Exodus 34:29-35)
1. What had happened to Moses’ face when he went to
receive the two tablets of the Testimony on Mt. Sinai?
2. How did the people react?
3. What did Moses do to help relieve their anxiety?
Second Lesson (2 Corinthians 4:3-6)
4. Who is the god of this age, and what has he done to the
unbelievers of this world?
5. How is it that we have seen Christ’s glory?
Gospel (Luke 9:28-36)
6. Who met Jesus and his disciples when they climbed this
high mountain?
7. What happened to Jesus when they arrived?
8. What suggestion did Peter make in verse 33?
Answers:
1. Moses’ face began to reflect the glory of God.
2. Aaron and the people were afraid to come near Moses.
Paul tells us that “the Israelites could not look steadily at
the face of Moses because of its glory” (2 Co 3:7). This is
the natural reaction of sinful people to the glory of God (The
disciples of Jesus would react the same way when he was
transfigured before them [Mk 9:6]). Moses was eventually
able to first coax the leaders back to him (v. 31) and then all
the people (v. 32).
3. Moses placed a veil over his face, which he took off
whenever he went into the Lord’s presence.
4. Satan is the god of this age, and he has darkened the
hearts and minds of unbelievers so that they are unable to
see Jesus for who he is: our glorious Savior.
5. Paul says that God “made his light shine in our hearts to
give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Christ.” In other words, he has brought us to faith
through the preaching of the gospel (Ro 10:17).
6. They met Moses and Elijah, who were generally considered
by the Jews to be the two greatest prophets in the Old
Testament.
7. He was transfigured before their eyes. The Greek word is
our English word: metamorphosis. This is what a caterpillar
does when it changes into a beautiful butterfly, his outward
appearance changes dramatically. So also Jesus’ body
underwent a metamorphosis, in which he put off his state of
humility and took on a glorious appearance.
8. Peter wanted to build shelters on the mountain for Jesus,
Moses and Elijah, in order to preserve the glory of God for
themselves. St. Luke suggests that Peter was speaking
foolishly.