Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 152:606 (Apr 1995)
Article: Revelation and Discipleship in Matthew’s Transfiguration Account
Author: James A. Penner

BSac 152:606 (Apr 95) p. 201

Revelation and Discipleship in Matthew’s Transfiguration Account

James A. Penner

[James A. Penner is pastor of the Emmanuel Evangelical Missionary Church, Holden, Alberta.]

In his book The Training of the Twelve, Alexander B. Bruce wrote that “the transfiguration is one of those passages in the Saviour’s earthly history which an expositor would rather pass over in reverent silence.”1 More than a decade ago, Thomas Best referred to the Transfiguration as “arguably the most neglected of the major synoptic traditions.”2 This situation has improved very little, especially in regard to the account in Matthew, perhaps because it is less unique than the account in Luke. However, “reverent silence” contributes little to understanding, and importance should not be measured by uniqueness.

The purpose of this article is to help break that silence and perhaps inspire exegetical study of this passage through outlining two particular elements in Matthew 17:1–9.

Theological Motifs

Liefeld suggests that a number of motifs are present in the Transfiguration narrative, and he states that the central theme of the Transfiguration is revelation.3 However, he considers all the

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Synoptic accounts together, rather than looking at the emphases of the individual Gospel writers. Not all the themes he mentions relate to the account in Matthew and one of his primary motifs, namely, an eschatological one, seems to be minor, if not lacking, in Matthew’s account.4 In noting Matthew’s unique contributions as well as his use of traditional material,5 this writer contends that Matthew’s account centers on a revelation of Jesus as the Son of God and the impact of that revelation on the disciples.

The Nature of Jesus

In Matthew 16:16, Peter confessed Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God,”6 to which Jesus replied that such an identification can come only through revelation (v. 17). The Transfiguration pericope is linked to this confession through the temporal reference of “six days” in 17:1 and the similarity between Peter’s confession and the proclamation by God in 17:5 .