Transfiguration of Jesus Christ

The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ is a major event described in the New Testament, where Jesus is elevated at the highest point on Mount Tabor in the presence of three of His Disciples - Peter, James and John.
In Christian tradition, Mount Tabor (Hebrew: Har Tavor, the "Holy Mount" - 2 Peter 1:18) located in Lower Galilee, Israel, at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, 18 kilometres (11 mi) west of the Sea of Galilee has now become a site of pilgrimage.
Christian theology presents the Transfiguration as a pivotal moment for the temporal (worldly) and the eternal (spiritual), with Jesus as the connecting point between Heaven and earth.
The Miracle of the Transfiguration is unique in the Canonical Gospels because it happened to Jesus Himself.
Jesus becomes radiant with golden shafts of light as He was joined by the Old Testament figures of Elijah on His Right and Moses on His Left, confirming His Divinity that Jesus is indeed the promised Christ (Messiah).
The Three Disciples were in awe by the Splendor of Jesus' Glory in the midst of the two pre-eminent figures of Judaism who embodied "the Law and the Prophets."
Then, God proclaimed Jesus saying, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him." -
"Listen to Him", identifies Jesus Christ as the Messenger and Mouth-Piece of God - the Baptism of Jesus Christ and the Transfiguration both support the Identity of Jesus as the Son of God.
In Matthew 17:-6-7, the Disciples reacted with fear to the Heavenly Voice: "Hearing, the disciples fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came, and having touched them, said, "Rise and have no fear."
In 2 Peter 1:16–18 of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, God assigns to Him a special "Honor and Glory" exalting Him above all as Ruler and Judge.

Mount Tabor

Transfiguration of Jesus Christ
At the top of Mount Tabor are two Christian monasteries, one Greek Orthodox on the northeast side and one Roman Catholic on the southeast side.
The building of the Greek Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Transfiguration was started by a Romanian monk, Irinarh Rosetti, in 1859, the year of his death, and finished by his disciple, Nectarie Banul, in 1862 - on the northeast side of the Church of the Transfiguration is the Church of the Prophet Elijah.
The Roman Catholic church of the Franciscan order named "Church of the Transfiguration" on Mount Tabor was designed by Antonio Barluzzi and built between 1919 and 1924 on the ruins of an ancient 4th–6th-century, Byzantine church and a 12th-century church of the Crusader Kingdom era - rock near the entrance of the church has an engraving in ancient Greek and beside it there is an engraving of a Cross.

Purpose of the Transfiguration

In Greek, the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ is called Metamorphosis (Mεταμορφώσεις) and numbers among the Twelve Great Feasts in Orthodoxy.
The Transfiguration is meant to highlight the sufferings Jesus is about to endure and to strengthen the Disciples faith in the Divine.
It is also a preview of the future, when the Son of God will come in Glory to Consummate His Kingdom.
The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36) recount the occasion, and the Second Epistle of Peter also refers to it (2 Peter 1:16–18).
Luke begins his account of the Transfiguration with: “Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray” (Luke 9:28).

Transfiguration of Jesus Christ Feast Day

The Eastern Orthodox, Catholic Church, Lutheran and Anglican churches, commemorate the event in the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ as a major festival on August 6.
The miraculous event on the mountaintop (now referred to as the Mount of Transfiguration) has become one of the five major milestones in the Gospel narrative of the Life of Jesus - the others being Baptism, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension.

Elijah

Transfiguration of Jesus Christ
Elijah (Hebrew:ʾĒlīyyāhū - Greek: Ηλίας - Elias) was an Old Testament prophet and miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the turbulent reign of King Ahab (9th century BC) who defended the worship of the Hebrew God over that of the Canaanite-Phoenician deity, Baal.
King Ahab had formed an alliance with Sidon in Phoenicia (now part of Lebanon) by marrying their princess, Jezebel whose identity and name have come to signify a power-hungry, evil woman of idolatry and sexual immorality.
Through the Jews, God revealed Himself to humanity and established a people who would worship the One and Only True God in the midst of universal polytheism.
Through the Spirit of God, Elijah was sent to show Israel the evil of their ways through Baal worship and to guide them back to their Covenant relationship with God.
Elijah proclaimed there are no other beings that are Divine except the God of Israel.
Following Elijahs ascension to Heaven, Elisha, his most devoted disciple, took over his role as leader.

Moses

Transfiguration of Jesus Christ
Moses was born into slavery in the eastern Nile Delta of lower Egypt in 1393 BC and died 120 years later on Mount Nebo, the land of Moab (today in Jordan) at the age of 120.
In the Judaic tradition, he is revered as the greatest Hebrew prophet, teacher, leader and law-giver who, in the 13th century BC, led the Exodus of his people from Egyptian slavery after the Ten Plagues.
They crossed the Red Sea, after which they based themselves at Mount Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5) - this event is recorded in Jewish Scriptures, as well as the Christian Bible.
After forty years in the wilderness of the Sinai Desert, Moses led his people to the Land of Canaan promised by God to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob where the new nation's first one thousand years are recorded in the Old Testament.
Here, its cultural, religious and national identity was formed and passed down through the generations which continue to be felt in the religious, moral and social life of Western civilization.
Moses' life honored God and trusted Him.
His leadership traits included humility, empathy, heroism, patience, charisma and wisdom.
As God promised Moses in Exodus 6:6-7 that He would deliver the people of Israel from slavery, He can fulfill salvation for all people through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Christianity
The land of Israel is also the Birthplace of Christianity in the first century AD.
Christianity takes its name from the Greek word "Christ" (Xριστός - Chrīstós) meaning "Anointed One" whom John the Baptist recognized as Jesus, the Son of God.
Christianity has a common historical heritage with the ancient spiritual heritage of the Jews that is rooted in the Old Testament.
Both believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - the Creator of our universe and all that exists.
The Bible is the sacred Book of the Christian and Jewish religions.
The Old Testament tells of God's Message and Promises to humanity revealed through peoples lives and the sayings of the Jewish prophets.
The New Testament is sacred to the people of the Christian faith reveals the Divine and Human Nature of Jesus Christ and tells the Story of His Life, Sayings, Miracle Workings and the supernatural events of His Life.

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