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| New Westminster: Colourized, originally from trekearth |
Luke 9: 28-46: Brief on knowing former strangers
COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.
I recently listened to an online sermon from Pastor Courson on Luke 9: 28-46. The transfiguration is within this section of the New Testament.
In his commentary, Pastor Courson opines as he did in the sermon, that the transfiguration was the Father's intent for humanity, if the fall did not occur.
I have listened to Pastor Courson since 1987; I reason he is not Reformed theologically, but rather is definitely evangelical and at least has some fundamentalist leanings. However, he is a biblical scholar (based on his commentary) in regard to evaluating the Scripture verse by verse. He, at least, adequately exegetes the Scripture. I do appreciate his commentary which I ordered from his ministry.
Bible and Biblical theology
Based on a Reformed biblical view and biblical theology, God wills all things within good and pure motives. The holiness and goodness of God expressed in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament.
Biblically, from a human perspective, human sin against God occurred willingly and was not forced or coerced as humanity was/is morally accountable. This is documented in Genesis 3 and in Hebrew Bible and New Testament atonement concepts.
Philosophical Theology and Philosophy of Religion
Within my philosophical theological and philosophy of religion approach (s), God causes all things, whether intentionally willing them or willingly allowing them. God is a primary cause of all things.
Human beings can serve as a secondary cause as can angelic and demonic beings. Human beings are the secondary cause of human thoughts and actions where there is significant human moral accountability. This is reasoned to be without divine or angelic/demonic force or coercion in order that humanity significantly embraced these thoughts and actions in moral accountability. If there is no significant moral accountability, I would reason this hard determinism, sometimes defined as determinism, in contrast with my position which is soft determinism, sometimes defined as compatibilism.
Therefore:
The fall of humanity was predestined.
Further:
This was willed by God in order to save those in Jesus Christ through the atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ, and the eventual resurrection of humanity in moral perfection and immortality (1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 21-22).
Based on the biblical record, Peter knew the names and recognized the other two transfigured individuals other than Jesus Christ, those being Moses and Elijah (v 33). Unless Peter was informed of this by human means (biblically undocumented) it seems to be by supernatural, divine means. Pastor Courson reasons that those that opine persons in the Kingdom of God will not remember the past, including known persons, are incorrect. From the sermon (paraphrased) he opines that human beings will not be as stupid as present, and so therefore those in God's Kingdom would know by appearance and name, each member of the Kingdom of God by supernatural means. Former strangers would be known by supernatural means,
Browning explains that some within scholarship state that this section from Scripture is wrongly placed in the gospels (Also Matthew 17 and Mark 9) and is instead a post-resurrection account. (375). But, Browning rejects this as the form of the narrative is too different than 'Easter narratives.' (375-376).
Stanley Harakas also notes the theory that this is a misplaced resurrection narrative. There are other theories that this is a largely symbolic story in support of the messiahship of Jesus Christ. (579). Other scholars reason it is an historical event presented in literal fashion. (579). Harakas explains that some Latin Fathers reasoned the story was a revelation of the Trinity. Historically, others reasoned this section has allegorical, symbolic and metaphorical meanings. (579).
But on this particular biblical section, I side with Pastor Courson and his largely plain literal approach to the New Testament. The context and the scholarship I have read has me conclude it is a (an) historical event presented in a literal fashion.
Those in Christ in the culminated Kingdom of God, having been purged of sin and provided resurrected, immortal bodies through limited free will and the guidance of the Holy Spirit should posses greater knowledge and intellect than in the previous earthly realm.
BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.
HARAKAS, STANLEY S, (1999) A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, SCM Press, London.
