The Gospels are written to lead people to faith. St. Luke’s particular report of the Transfiguration of Jesus teaches something important about Christian belief. While the basic details are the same in all reports of the Transfiguration, St. Luke has three subtle differences. First, Moses and Elijah talk with Jesus about his “exodus.” The heavenly voice does not call Jesus his “beloved son” but his “chosen son.” And the cloud does not simply overshadow the disciples but envelopes them. Each of these images hark back to the foundation experience of the Jewish people in the journey from slavery to freedom. The third evangelist, who was not a Jew, wants us to understand that to know Jesus we must be in touch with his Jewish roots.
