What a glorious sight it must have been! Moses asked to see it, but he clearly did not understand what he was asking for. “show me your glory”[1], Moses said. He had seen glimpses, displays, manifestations of the LORD’s glory. He saw the Lord’s glory concealed in a burning bush, he saw the LORD’s glory bring the pharaoh of Egypt’s to his knees, he saw the LORD’s glory part the waters of the Red Sea. But now, as Moses spoke with the LORD in the tent of meeting, he asked “show me your glory”. But the LORD said, “20… you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” However, the LORD continued, “21… There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”[2]
Early the next morning Moses climbed up mount Sinai and stood in the cave the LORD had told him about. The LORD came down from heaven concealed in a cloud. And even though Moses only saw the backside of the LORD’s glory ; even though he did not see the full radiance of the LORD’s glory, it was enough to bring Moses to his knees. As Moses bowed before the LORD’s glory The LORD spoke to him about the covenant that He was establishing between Himself and the people of Israel, and, as the LORD instructed, Moses wrote on two tablets the words of the covenant, --The Ten Commandments[3].
What a glorious sight it must have been! Peter, James, and John did not expect to see it, but when they saw it, they didn’t want to leave it. Speaking for the other two, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here.”[4] They had seen glimpses, displays, manifestations of their LORD’s glory before. They saw Him walk on water, they saw Him drive out demons, they saw Him raise a girl from the dead, but they had never seen Him like this.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As He prayed He was transfigured. His face shone like the sun. His “clothes became as bright as a flash of lightening”[5]. Moses and Elijah appeared in “glorious splendor”[6]. The three of them were talking about Jesus’ coming departure; they were talking about the sacrifice He was about to make to secure salvation for sinners like you and me. As Peter rambled on about shelters, a cloud appeared and covered them, and even though Peter, James, and John did not see the full radiance of the LORD’s glory, it was enough to bring them to their knees when the voice of the Father came from heaven and expressed His approval for the sacrifice Jesus was about to make saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”[7]
Today, our first reading from the book of Exodus and our Gospel lesson from Luke take us to two different mountain tops. Atop both mountains the glory of the LORD is revealed in dramatic fashion. Atop mount Sinai we stand with Moses as the LORD dictates the Law. Atop the mountain of transfiguration, we stand with Peter, James, and John as Jesus discusses the Gospel. It is easy to see why both our first lesson and gospel lesson were chosen for Transfiguration Sunday and it would have been fun to preach on either one of those texts. But I chose our second reading from 2 Corinthians 3:7-18, because in that section of scripture saint Paul seems to visit both mountain tops as he compares and contrasts the glory of the LORD as it shines from the Law on mount Sinai and the glory of the LORD as it shines from the Gospel on the mountain of Transfiguration.
In verses 7-11 saint Paul writes about the glory of The Law that shines from the mount Sinai. In verse 7 Paul describes The Law as “the ministry that brought death” and in verse 9 he describes it as “the ministry that brought condemnation”. However, despite the ominous description saint Paul says The Law is “glorious”.
We don’t tend to think of The Law as glorious. Probably because The Law brings nothing but death and damnation to the sinner. No one has ever been declared righteous by observing the law; rather, “through the law we become conscious of sin.”[8] The Law doesn’t allow us to compare ourselves to other people in an attempt to make ourselves look better. The Law forces us to compare ourselves to the LORD saying, “be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.”[9] The Law isn’t satisfied with our best efforts. The Law demands perfection saying, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”[10] The Law does not let us pretend to be good people. The Law peels the mask of hypocrisy from our face and asks, “Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD.”[11] The Law shows us our sin and then The Law tells us that “the wage of that sin is death”[12].
We don’t think of the Law as glorious because The Law shines an uncomfortably bright spotlight on us. But just because we don’t like what the Law does, doesn’t change the fact that the Law is glorious. The Law that Moses brought down the mountain, that is preached from this pulpit, that exposes your sin was authored by the Almighty, written in righteousness, penned in perfection, and, as a result The Law in and of itself is glorious.
The Law in and of itself is glorious and it would have been awesome to stand beside Moses atop Mount Sinai as he received the Law. However, saint Paul tells us the Law, as glorious as it is, when placed beside the Gospel is pale by comparison. In verses 7-11 saint Paul writes about the glory of the gospel as it shines from the mountain of transfiguration. In verse 8 Paul calls the gospel the “ministry of the Spirit” and in verse 9 Paul describes the gospel as “the ministry that brings righteousness”. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to us when Paul says the Gospel is glorious.
It is so much easier for us to think of the Gospel as glorious. Probably because The Gospel presents the sinner with forgiveness and salvation. Through the gospel righteousness is given to us as a gift from our Savior Jesus. The Gospel asks nothing of us; requires nothing of us, rather the Gospel gives. It gives love to those who don’t deserve love saying, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” It gives for forgiveness to those who don’t deserve forgiveness promising to, “blot out our transgressions and remember our sins no more.”[13] It gives salvation to sinners who have no right to expect salvation by pointing to Jesus and saying, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”[14] The Gospel shows us our Savior and then the Gospel tells us, ““everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved”[15]
It is easy for us to think of the Gospel as glorious because the Gospel shines an appropriately bright spotlight on Jesus. And that is what causes Paul to conclude that the Gospel is more glorious than the Law. Take another look at verses 10 and 11 and you will notice Paul doesn’t simply describe the Gospel as glorious; Paul described the Gospel as a “surpassing glory”, a “greater glory”. Whereas the Law focuses on the sinner and brings death the Gospel focuses on our Savior and brings life. Whereas the Law focuses on the sinner and brings judgement the Gospel focuses on our Savior and brings forgiveness. Whereas the Law focuses on the sinner and brings condemnation the Gospel focuses on our Savior and brings salvation.
As Paul compares and contrasts the Law and the Gospel, he concludes that the Gospel is more glorious. But Paul’s conclusion is more than an academic exercise. Paul comes to this conclusion in order to motivate and equip the men and women who have been sent to share the glory of the Gospel with others; Paul comes to this conclusion to motivate and equip you. Through the pages of Scripture, the Holy Spirit has caused you to visit both mount Sinai to see your sin and the mountain of transfiguration to see your Savior. Then In verse 12 Paul tells you to be “bold”. In verse 18 he reminds you that the glory of the LORD as it has been revealed to you in the Gospel is transforming you “into his image with ever-increasing glory”. Just as the glory of the LORD shone from the face of the man who brought the Law to the Israelites, so also, and even more so, the glory of the LORD shines from the faces of the men, women, and children who bring the Gospel to the nations. Men, the glory of the LORD shines from your face when you lead your family in devotion and bring them to worship. Women, the glory of the LORD shines from your face when hospitality and help is offered to those in need. Children, the glory of the LORD shines from your face when you forgive a friend for hurting your feelings.
Every time you share the gospel with your words or actions, the glory of the LORD shines from you as brightly as it shone from mount Sinai and the mountain of transfiguration. That is why, even though it would have been awesome to stand in the glory of the LORD atop mount Sinai with Moses or on the mountain of transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, I think I would rather stand here with you where the glory of the LORD continues to shine. Amen.
[1] Exodus 33:18
[2] Exodus 33:20-23
[3] Exodus 34:28
[4] Luke 9:33
[5] Luke 9:29
[6] Luke 9:30
[7] Luke 9:35
[8] Romans 3:20
[9] Leviticus 11:45
[10] Galatians 3:10
[11] Jeremiah 23:24
[12] Romans 6:23
[13] Isaiah 43:25
[14] Acts 4:12
[15] Romans 10:13