THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD

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THE BREAD OF LIFE

CATHOLIC BIBLE STUDY

 

THE TRANSFIGURATION

 

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

 

Pray and ask God to speak to you through His Holy Spirit.  “THE PARACLETE, THE HOLY SPIRIT WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, WILL INSTRUCT YOU IN EVERYTHING, AND REMIND YOU OF ALL THAT I TOLD YOU.”  (JOHN 14:26)

 

 

FIRST DAY  Reread last week’s readings.

 

  1. What was a helpful or new thought from the readings or from the homily you heard on Sunday?

 

  1. From what you learned, what personal application did you choose to apply to your life this week?

 

 

SECOND DAY          READ DANIEL 7:9-10, 13-14      FIRST READING

 

(“…his kingship shall not be destroyed.”)

 

 

  1. Who was having visions during the night? Daniel 7:1

 

 

  1. What did he see coming on the clouds of heaven, and into whose presence did he come?  Daniel 7:13

 

 

  1. What will we all see? Mark 14:62

 

 

  1. What will the son of man receive? Daniel 7:14

 

 

  1. What did Jesus say was given to him? Matthew 28:18

 

 

  1. What shall the Lord do in the time of kings?

Daniel 2:44

 

 

  1. Who shall serve the Lord? Daniel 7:14

 

 

  1. What two things did Jesus come to do? Matthew 20:28

 

 

  1. What is his dominion, and what shall not happen to it?

Daniel 7:14

 

 

  1. We who are receiving the unshakable kingdom should do what? Hebrews 12:26-29

 

 

Personal – In what area in your life does God not have dominion over you?  How can you give him complete control and kingship over every area of your life in regard to your spouse, family, friend­s, neighbors, and church?

 

THIRD DAY             READ 2 Peter 1:16-19        SECOND READING

 

 

FOURTH DAY             READ MATTHEW 17:1‑9               GOSPEL

(“His face became as dazzling as the sun,

his clothes as radiant as light.”)

 

  1. Who did Jesus take up on a high mountain and what happened to him?      Matthew 17:1-2

 

  1. Who suddenly appeared there and what did Peter then say?      Matthew 17:3-4

 

  1. As Peter was speaking, what overshadowed them and what came out of the cloud?       Matthew 17:5

 

  1. What prevents us from listening to the Lord?

 

Exodus 7:13 – being obstinate

Deuteronomy 1:43 – defiance and arrogance

Deuteronomy 21:18 – being stubborn, unruly and                                disobedient

Acts 28:27 – growing sluggish

Hebrews 12:25 – refusal to hear or listen

 

Personal ‑ In what way have you been able to tune your mind into hearing what God is saying to you through prayer and his Word? Meditate on this.

 

  1. How did God the Father address Jesus in Matthew 17:5? Matthew 3:17

 

  1. What happened to Peter, James, and John when they heard the voice from the cloud and with what were they      overcome?   Matthew 17:6

 

  1. What did Jesus do and what did he say? Matthew 17:7

    

  1. In the following scriptures, what happened to those on whom Jesus laid his hand? Matthew 8:3, 14‑15,

Matthew 9:23‑25

 

  1. What does 1 John 4:16‑18 say is the relationship of God, love, and fear?

 

  1. What did God say to Abram about fear in Genesis 15:1?

 

  1. To whom did Jesus say “Do not be afraid?”

Matthew 28:1, 8‑10

Mark 6:45, 49‑50,

Luke 5:10

 

  1. When Peter, James and John looked up, whom did they see and as they were      coming down the mountain      side, what was Jesus’ command to them? Matthew 17:8-9

 

Personal ‑ In what way have you felt Jesus’ healing touch upon you? Have you laid your hand on those in your family who may be sick? If a friend or a family member is afraid, lay your hand on them and reassure them of God’s presence.

 

FIFTH DAY           READ PSALM 97:1-2, 5-6, 9

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Read and meditate on Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 9

 

What is the Lord saying to you personally through the Psalm?

 

How can you apply this to your life?

 

SIXTH DAY          READ ALL OF THE COMMENTARY

 

DANIEL 7:13-14

 

This passage reveals Daniel’s vision of the end times. Daniel describes the arrival of a man; this man is the Messiah. Jesus used the above verse to refer to himself in scripture (Luke 21:27). Daniel, while feeling disturbed and confused about these prophe­cies, recognized, as we need to recognize today, that their full meaning has not been revealed. The full implications of these prophecies or any other of God’s prophecies will not be known until God reveals them to his people.

 

Daniel’s prophecy is a tremendous message of hope and comfort for the many who are sick, lonely, abandoned and lost. This vision was told to many people, and the Son of Man was, of course, the Messiah who is Jesus Christ. We today can look at prophecy and see that the full meaning is still to come. Jesus has come to free us from the grasp of Satan, but there is still much evil in our lands. We know that the power of the Holy Spirit is his power, and that power is eternal. We also know that the government of the Lord is a corrupt-free government.

 

Jesus tells us that he will return to raise up all his fol­lowers to the Father. We all must stand before God and give an account of our lives. If you were to see God arrive on clouds from heaven and your life were judged by God today, what would he say about it? How would he measure your life against his word? We need to ask what we would like him to see at that time. Then we should live that way beginning now.

 

MATTHEW 17:1‑9

 

The Transfiguration was a special revelation of Jesus’ divinity to three of his disciples. God affirmed everything that Jesus had done and was about to do in the near future. The presence of Moses and Elijah with Jesus confirmed his mission of salvation. Moses represented the law. He is the central figure in the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible), and he predicted the coming of a great Prophet (Deut. 18:15‑19).

 

Elijah represents the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5‑6). Jesus is the fulfillment of both the law and the prophets. God’s voice at the Transfiguration gave authority to Jesus’ words. Peter wanted them all to stay and offered to build a place for all three. He wanted to act, but it was a time to pray and worship.

 

We must remember that before anything is acted upon, we must first pray and give worship to God. Peter did not realize that Christ was not to be compared to anyone, especially on any mountain top. Today much of the world looks at Jesus Christ as being a good leader, a good influence or a great prophet. The fact is, he is more than that, he is the Son of God. When you understand this incredible truth, the only appropriate response is worship.

 

We need to know about Christ in order to obey him completely. We must pray, read scripture, study scripture, share scripture and then live the scripture. Jesus told the disciples not to tell what they had seen until after his resurrection. He said this because he knew that they did not fully understand who he was, or what his mission was all about. They knew he was the Messiah, but they had much more to learn about him through his death and resurrection. The disciples were amazed at the radiance of Jesus’ face and they were transfigured themselves.

 

The incredible reality of who Jesus really was hit them full force. When a person meets Jesus and accepts him personally, a great transfiguration takes place. The amazement and radiance of Jesus is imprinted on the person’s heart. The change or “metonoia” brings about a radiance that glows from within the person. Jesus wants you to be transfigured and he wants your heart to shine like the sun and be dazzling bright, just like his.

 

Application – The first reading talks about the brilliance of God and who we are to worship. The second reading

The Gospel reading shows that Jesus wants us to be changed and he wants us to give him glory by our response to him.

 

Posted in Bible Study Lessons.