Transfiguration & Healing a Demon Possessed Boy | Matthew 17:1-20

The Transfiguration

17 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8 And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 He replied, “Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things, 12 but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.

Jesus Cures a Boy with a Demon

14 When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, 15 and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has epilepsy and suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” 17 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured from that moment. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

---

Reflection

In the Gospel of Matthew 17:1–20, Jesus leads a small circle of trusted companions up the mountain and is transfigured before them, his face shines and his clothes dazzle with a brilliance that cannot be contained. This moment is not about Jesus becoming something new, but about something deeply true being revealed in a way that can no longer be hidden. It is an unveiling of identity, a sacred kind of coming out in which what has always lived within him is made visible to those closest to him. God’s voice responds not with correction or hesitation, but with clarity and affirmation, naming him Beloved. In this, we are invited to see that the truths we carry in our own bodies and souls—especially those that have taken courage to name—are not outside of God’s intention but are held within God’s love. The radiance of Jesus points us toward a deeper understanding: authenticity before God is not something to fear but something that reflects divine glory.

As the story continues, the brightness of the moment does not remain visible in the same way, and Jesus leads his companions back down the mountain into the ordinary and often difficult realities of life. This movement reminds us that moments of clarity about who we are do not always stay constant or easy to hold, especially in a world that does not always make space for truth to shine freely. Still, the transfiguration leaves a lasting imprint. It assures us that our own processes of becoming, including the ways we come to understand and express our identities, are sacred and worthy of reverence. Even when that radiance feels quieter or more vulnerable, it does not disappear. God has already named it and called it good. We are invited to listen for that voice, to trust what has been revealed within us, and to carry that light with us as we move through our lives, offering it gently and bravely in ways that bring healing and recognition to ourselves and to others.

Prayer

Beloved God,

You see us fully and call us by name.

Give us courage to trust the light within us,

and to honor the truth you are revealing in our lives.

Help us listen, and help us follow.

Amen.

Action

Notice one place this week where your true self feels most alive. Honor it, and share a glimpse of that light with someone you trust.

Rev. Alyssa Kaplan

Trinity Lutheran Church of Manhattan, New York, NY

One Year as Faculty