Introduction
Year B can be particularly jarring as we move from the early story of Jesus’ ministry (not even getting out of chapter 1 in the Mark) and then jumping into the middle of the Gospel with the transfiguration. We skip over a lot: Teaching parables, the exorcism of Legion, the healing of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with hemorrhages, commissioning the twelve, Herod’s execution of John the Baptist, the feeding of the 5,000 (and 4,000), the Syrophoenician woman, and Peter’s declaration of Jesus as the Messiah.
Incredible stories and great imagery. While these are important, in many ways these are stories that already expound upon who we have seen Jesus to be even within just the first chapter. So what does the transfiguration show us that’s different?
As David Schnasa Jacobsen writes, “We have argued both here and at the beginning of Mark’s Gospel, that Mark offers something to help frame his narrative about the gospel: namely, Jesus Christ and the reign of God that Jesus himself proclaims in word and deed. In this case, Mark had begun this frame by asking questions of Jesus’ identity that connect deeply with his sense of the gospel and the nature of discipleship. Jesus may have been the great miracle worker, exorcist, teacher, and preacher of the gospel of God’s reign. His revelatory actions on the waters of chaos may have provoked profound reflections on his powerful identity. Yet this same Jesus has just now announced his seemingly contrary destiny in suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection.”[1]
Confirmation of Jesus’ Direction Not Power
I think what’s interesting about Jacobsen’s point above is that it does help to show the narrative abruptly halts when Jesus predicts his death for the first time in 8:31. Jesus has to immediately rebuke Peter for misunderstanding the point of the Messiah and then talk to the crowd about carrying their cross.
The transfiguration happens immediately after this. And so, this moment on the mountain is not a confirmation of Jesus’ power, it is a confirmation of Jesus’ direction. In Mark, Jesus is arguably more susceptible to human conditions than in any other gospel. After being swarmed by crowds, he needs time to himself. After the disciples misunderstand, he shows frustration. After he comes down from the mountain he will be frustrated with the disciples and say, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you (9:19)?” Later in the gospel before at Gethsemane before he is arrested, he says to the disciples, “O am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here and keep awake (14:34).” And then he prays, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want (14:36).” On the cross, he shouts, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me (15:34)?”
After a climactic moment with one of Jesus’ closest and earliest followers, when Jesus (for the first time) has named that he has to die, he needs a moment of assurance and clarity. Jesus again needs to hear the words, “This is my Son, the Beloved” and he needs the disciples to hear the words, “listen to him.” As we hear later in Jesus’ prayer and cries, it will be hard enough walking towards the cross without the disciples fighting him every step of the way.
And so, who better to talk to than the greatest prophets of old and two prophets that had to walk impossible paths with tremendous conflict? Moses who had to escape Egypt and keep the Israelites from constantly going the wrong way (literally and metaphorically). Elijah who had to stand against rulers to try to bring Israel back towards God. Both who died or were carried away before the work was complete. Both who wished for the work to pass to someone else but still needed to carry through a little longer.
Truth be told, I don’t hear this as a “Shine Jesus Shine” text. Not in Mark’s gospel anyway. This is a heavy text. It really is a text that is appropriate to begin our Lenten perspective. Jesus is not on this mountain to receive greater power and authority. Jesus is on this mountain to receive affirmation for the hard work ahead. He needs to hear the words, “You can do this.” He needs to hear the words, “You have to do this.”
Preaching Possibilities
I see two preaching possibilities this week depending on what your congregation may be comfortable with. 1) Even Jesus needed a pep talk. 2) Listen to him.
Even Jesus Needed a Pep Talk
If you think your congregation can hear a message about Jesus being very human, then this is a great angle for this time of year.
February is a grueling month for so many of us. We are still in the doldrums of winter. The sun is still setting too early and rising too late. There wasn’t enough of a break in December and there isn’t another break for a long while. And for the church, it’s one of the shortest breaks between Christmas and Lent. Moving from one busy season directly into another. That is all on top of the already chaotic and scary realities of our world (war, climate change, financial insecurity, border disputes). On top of the political turmoil of an election year.
Truthfully, I find myself sometimes praying, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want (14:36).”
If we take our discipleship seriously, February is definitely one of those months annually where I feel like all of our cups are overfilled. Trying to be good parents, workers, disciples. Trying to be responsible citizens. Trying to keep up with our new years resolutions. Trying to think of a Lenten discipline. Trying to get it all right and (honestly) be perfect. And it’s right about now that many of us start giving up. Did you know that after January, some studies have shown that March is next busiest month for people searching for therapists? February just takes a toll.
So, what does it mean for us, in this month, that (at least in the Gospel of Mark) Jesus needed a pep talk too. And truthfully, we really need to think of it as more than just a pep talk. Jesus needed to be affirmed and loved. Jesus needed to hear from God, Moses, and Elijah that they see what he’s going through and that he can carry on. The finish sign is nearly in sight.
What if we need to hear some of those things right now too? This is going to be an important year in history, for many reasons. With multiple global wars, a Presidential election, an important climate year, we cannot just give up. But we also can’t just keep going until we can’t. How do we find the supports that we need to keep moving forward?
While we can learn from Jesus, we also have to remember that we are NOT Jesus. We don’t carry this mantle on our own. We are the Body of Christ in this world together. So how do we support one another in this mission? How do we hear that we are loved, affirmed, and sent to be the Body of Christ in this world together?
Listen to Him
Your congregation may be too uncomfortable with the humanity of Jesus and so another way forward is “listen to him.” These words from God come right after Peter shows some good non-listening skills. How have we, as individuals and as communities, refused to listen to God and instead tried to implement our own ways?
As we enter into Lent, this may be a time when we can introduce ways of discerning God’s voice in the world versus our voice. How do we pray for God’s direction and actually listen to God’s calling for us?
[1] David Schnasa Jacobsen, Mark, 124.
Micah Krey 
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