Yesterday morning I felt led to read from Matthew 17, which includes the Transfiguration. As I was thinking about that experience, I was thinking that it must have been a very life-changing experience for James, John and Peter. Then I realized that John didn't even include an account in his Gospel, and yet his Gospel is focused so much on the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, the Word made flesh. This caused me to wonder about the reason He wouldn't have included it?
I read a couple of commentaries on that specific question, and the main idea presented was that John must not have written the Gospel, because in their opinion He would have included it. That thought doesn't really seem to answer the central question, but more provides an alternative possibility.
In my mind the question is, assuming John did write the Gospel that bears his name, why wouldn't he have included an account of the Transfiguration?
In thinking about it more a couple of things come to mind:
First, John, in his writing, does not like to call himself out, other than a few very specific times. He is focused on Jesus. He names himself once in identifying the sons of Zebedee (Acts 21) who went fishing after Jesus' death. He writes of the "Disciple that Jesus Loved" five times, and the second time was at the Crucifixion where Jesus told him to take care of His mother Mary. From reading other accounts, it is clear that this is John, for He and Jesus were first cousins and John's mother and Mary were sisters.
A note about him referring to himself as the Apostle that Jesus loved. While we might think this is a presumptuous title, I think it reflects the very way each of the apostles would have referred to themselves, and the quality of His relationship with each. In reflecting upon my relationship with the Lord, the fact that He loves me is primary. My Dad in his encounter with the Lord, heard the Lord say that He loved him, Gene Hall. If someone's encounter with Jesus doesn't find at its core Jesus' love for them, I think maybe that their experience is more religion than relationship.
Jesus, in giving the New commandment to the Apostles, defined it as 'loving as He loved them'. Specifically He said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” ( John 13:34-35 NIV). I am sure Jesus wasn't just looking at Peter, James and John when He said this! They must have had a very real experience of Jesus' love for themselves individually, so much so that Jesus used that as an example of how they should love one another.
Second, John was writing this Gospel later, possibly after he had read the other Gospel's, and it seems that He specifically (at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) adds other details to Jesus' ministry that others, who were not eye-witnesses had left out or considered them as unimportant. Most experts agree that it was written 90-100AD, and that would make John an old man. In two of his three letters, He refers to himself as the "The Elder" and, without any hint of bragging, that seems to be true. He was certainly the last of the twelve alive.
As I was thinking about this as if I was writing the story of my interactions with Jesus, I thought 'if I had available to me the other Gospels, would I write what was in them, or would I take a different approach'? John actually says basically that, when he writes, "Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:30-31 NIV)
Another related question would be, 'why did John felt led to write a Gospel when there were already three available?' Clearly, there must have been a need, and John must have felt that something was missing in the other three Gospels. We do know that John was addressing some of heretical themes that were present in the church at that time. According to Saint Irenaeus, John specifically wrote his Gospel to combat the Cerinthus heresy, which held that Jesus really wasn't the son of God, but just a human man, who had divine help during his ministry. We see in John's Gospel, a very focused recounting of Jesus' awareness of His divine nature, of His referring to Himself as I AM, and of His teachings and statements that are related to these; I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:45,48); I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25); I AM the way and the truth and the Life (John 14:6). While the Transfiguration would clearly help establish Jesus' divinity, the account was already available in the other Gospels.
Third, John as the last of the Apostles living, saw no reason to further highlight this experience. Even though it was probably one of the highlights of his life, John appears to have been content to treasure it in his heart, as we are told Mary did with all of her thoughts of her son (Luke 2:19). I have many memories of significant events in my life that I don't share widely. At least to me, regularly sharing about some special memory tends to lessen the intimacy of those memories.
Additionally, John had no need to use a recounting of his experiences to prove his intimacy with the Lord. By the time he was writing this gospel, it was well established that he was an Apostle, and like all the other Apostles, he pointed at Jesus, rather than at Himself. I see in this a maturity and an embracing of the true ministry of Jesus, which was one of service and love. I am sure there wasn't a single one who had their feet washed by Jesus, that didn't understand the call to servant leadership. Jesus taught on servant leadership many times, and demonstrated it every day! In one of His last teachings, Jesus spoke specifically on this as recorded by Luke 22:25-27 NIV:
[25] Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. [26] But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. [27] For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves."
Finally, I could not see a single one of the Apostles, that walked with and knew Jesus, using such an experience as their calling-card, the experience that validated their position of authority or public recognition. John didn't mention it and Peter only briefly and within the context of this experience pointing to the glory of the Lord, and as a confirmation of the rest of the prophecies concerning the Lord (See 2 Peter 1:16-18). He spoke as an eye-witness, nothing more. Paul did speak about his experience with Jesus on the Road to Damascus, as a conversion, and as the point of his transformation from one who tried to kill Christians to one who proclaimed the Gospel.
In summary, as I have thought and referenced scripture, I believe that John, in not writing about the Mount of transfiguration, was modeling the ministry of Jesus, and embracing the path of humility and love that was the calling card of Jesus' ministry. This continuing ministry wasn't about John, it was about following Jesus, representing Jesus! John and the rest of the Apostles were about one thing, bringing Glory to Jesus. They finally figured out what Jesus was trying to teach them. He wasn't establishing an earthly Kingdom, where they would rule with Him, sitting alongside Him on their own mini-thrones. The expansion of the Kingdom of God required them to lay down their lives for one another, to love one another and put one another's needs before their own! They modeled this life to the end, and all but John had the opportunity to lay down their lives in martyrdom, and none recanted, or changed their mind or decided that following Jesus, and daily carrying their own cross, wasn't worth it!
I pray that we might be encouraged and strengthened in our personal walk with the Lord! I pray that our lives might be impacted by the lives of these men that followed Jesus, and lived the rest of their life for one purpose, the continuation of Jesus ministry and the expansion of the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven.
Amen and Amen!
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