I'm continuing my thoughts on the Transfiguration with another post here. In some study and reflection, I came across some more insight (or what I like to call "insight") on Peter's hasty conclusion to build three tents to mark the sighting of Moses and Elijah with Jesus. You can re-load the story of the Transfiguration here: (Luke 9).

I've always wondered about Peter's 'vomitting of the mind,' and Luke's description that he had no idea what he was saying. Many of us have been in that situation before. We are presented with a scenario, and then we fill the air with meaningless words. Perhaps the situation is so uncomfortable, we add the words to give us a security blanket, or to ease our anxiety. I think people can certainly relate to Peter's circumstance of not knowing what to do with what he just saw.

But I've always been perplexed by why Peter offers the words he does. What drives him to say those phrases, even if he didn't know what he was saying? Here's something I'm recently considering as an answer for this question, and I offer it to the greater conversation that surrounds this reading.

Peter sees Moses and Elijah standing with Jesus, and instead of seeing the "transfiguration," Peter sees the "Trans-posation" (a new word that I have coined, I'd like you to know). The "Trans-posation" is kin to the musical term of "transposing," of seeing notes in one key and reworking them into a new key.

Peter sees Jesus with Moses, and he transposes Moses' life work into the key of Jesus. Perhaps, Peter thinks, Jesus will be like Moses who negotiated with Pharaoh for the release of the Hebrews from Egyptian slavery. Maybe, just maybe, Peter thinks, Jesus will negotiate with Caesar for the release of Israel from Roman control, and Israel may return to its birthright.

Or, perhaps, Peter sees Jesus with Elijah, and transposes Elijah's life onto Jesus. Maybe, just maybe, Peter thinks, that Jesus will be like Elijah and enter into the temple courts, throw out the idolaters, uproot kings, and return Israel to its true devotion of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, just as Elijah battled with Ahab, Jezebel, and their prophets.

Is it too much of a stretch to assume that Peter had these "transposing" thoughts flying through his head when he saw Jesus transfigured before him? One thing we do know for certain: Peter wasn't satisfied with Jesus' mission as Messiah, revealed to the disciples 8 days before our transfigured scene. Peter wasn't so quick to follow up on Jesus' invitation "to take up your cross and follow me." He'd rather build an attraction for people. If the attraction coudl get word out that Jesus was seen with Moses AND Elijah, then there'd be all the motivation to build a large army for a great revolution to throw out the Romans. Right? This was the modus operandi for "messiahs" at this time.

Imagine this over-the-top scenario: how would President Bush's credibility change IF he were to be seen standing with Abraham Lincoln AND Franklin D. Roosevelt (this assuming that they both agree with our current war, which I don't want to make their assumptions for them)? Receiving counsel from those two might just banish the Democrats to Canada, and galvanize a country. Now imagine the same intensity and credibility being given to Jesus with Moses AND Elijah standing with him. See what I mean? Enough motivation to galvanize a revolutionary force to storm Jerusalem as many of the other "messiahs" were doing in the first century.

Jesus AND his Father want none of it. In fact, Jesus' Father wants us to listen only to Jesus for the lead on what it means to be Messiah, not Moses, or Elijah, or any other of our preconceived notions about 'messiah.' Follow the bouncing ball on this one, Peter. Listen to Jesus.