Feast of Booths
John Kleinig suggests that Luke’s account of the Transfiguration alludes to the feast of booths: Luke “alone of the Gospel writers relates that the transfiguration occurred on the eighth day after Peter’s confession of faith (Lk 9:28). The transfiguration was the epiphany of Jesus as God’s Son. It showed Peter, James, and John that the age of the Messiah ahd come when the righteous would be overshadowed by God’s presence and dwell with him in ‘heavenly shelters’ (cf. Lk 16:9), just as the Israelites had dwelt with him in earthly shelters in the desert and at Jerusalem during Booths. And so Peter offered to build ‘shelters’ for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah (Lk 9:33).”
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
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