In this message we come to 9:27-50. This portion of the Gospel of Luke also is related to the jubilee. Here we see that it was necessary for the Lord Jesus to be transfigured. According to the entire revelation of the New Testament, we need transfiguration in order to enjoy the jubilee.
The Greek word rendered “transfigured” in Matthew 17:2 is the same as that translated “transformed” in Mark 9:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; and Romans 12:2. The same Greek word is used also in Philippians 3:21. The point here is that for the enjoyment of the jubilee we need transfiguration, transformation.
The Man-Savior in the flesh needed transfiguration because He was in the likeness of the flesh of sin, the likeness of the flesh of fallen man (Rom. 8:3). Just as the brass serpent on the pole had the form of a serpent but not the poisonous nature of a serpent (Num. 21:8-9), so the Lord Jesus in the flesh had the likeness of the flesh of sin but not the nature of the flesh of sin (John 3:14). When He became flesh, He took on the form of the old man. Man had already become fallen when the Lord Jesus became flesh. He became flesh long after man’s fall, coming in the likeness of the flesh of sin. John 1:1 and 14 indicate that the Word, which was God, became flesh. In Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 3:16, this was a matter of God manifested in the flesh. Because the Lord Jesus, God incarnate, came in the flesh, even He was in need of transfiguration.
The New Testament age is the age of the jubilee. However, this is not yet the time of the full application of the jubilee. The full application of the jubilee involves transfiguration. Do you know when the Savior was transfigured in full? He was fully transfigured in His resurrection. The transfiguration on the mountain was on a small scale. But when the Lord was resurrected from among the dead, He was fully transfigured. He now remains in this state of transfiguration. According to Philippians 3:21, when He comes back, we all shall be transfigured.
Presently our transformation, or transfiguration, is taking place in our soul. Our spirit has been regenerated, and our soul is being transformed. A matured believer is one who has been fully transformed in his soul, that is, transformed in his mind, will, and emotion. Such a believer only needs his physical body to be transfigured at the coming of the transfigured Savior. This transfiguration of the body is called the redemption of the body by Paul in Romans 8:23. The redemption of the body is also the entering into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. Paul’s word in Romans 8 indicates that although we are in the jubilee today, we are not yet in the jubilee in a full way. When our body has been fully redeemed, fully transfigured and transformed, then we shall be brought into the freedom of the glory of the children of God, and that will be the jubilee in full.
Here we need to see a basic principle: When we are in our old man, we cannot participate in the jubilee. Even though we are in the year of jubilee, the acceptable year of the Lord, which is actually the entire New Testament age, if we remain in the old creation we have nothing to do with participating in the enjoyment of the jubilee. This is the reason the situation among Christians today is pitiful. Many believers know only that their sins have been forgiven, but they do not know that their spirit has been regenerated. However, a forgiven person who does not know that he has been regenerated still remains in the old creation and cannot participate in the enjoyment of the jubilee.