Exodus 34:29-35

This passage ends the whole difficult unit from Exodus 32 on. The sinfulness of Israel at the very point when God was given Torah to Moses bears a deep analogy to our lives. Yet the idolatry and subsequent violence within Israel is not the last word here. The broken first tablets do not end God's promise to Israel. Moses again goes up the mounting. Compare Moses first coming down from the mountain with this coming down. Where the Israelites afraid the first time? Why now? Why does Moses veil himself? What does the "glowing" of Moses face indicate? How is it related to Torah, the giving of the Law?

2 Peter 1:13-21

Why would the repetition of the story of the transfiguration be toldin the context of the prediction of Peter's death? What is it about death that points back to Jesus' transfiguration?

What is recalled in the restatement of the transfiguration narrative? What is important to the writer?

How does this story confirm "the prophetic message"? What would be then the "morning start that rises in our hearts"? How does this relate to how the passage begins.

Luke 9:28-36

Notice the Gospel reading also has Jesus, Moses, and Elijah speaking of Jesus' departure. How does the heavenly voice differ from Peter in his suggestions on what they should do? Why? What is the difference? Who is Jesus here, especially given the other passages?

The following was taken off a web site of Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church (http://www.sspeterpaul.org/transfiguration.htm): Discuss it and how it relates to our passages.

"God became as we are so that we may become as He is. St. Peter greets the Church: "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our LORD, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (II Peter 1:2-4). We are called to this vision of divinity, and this participation in the Divine life because we are called to be really human instead of merely human; and to be really human is be a meeting point where the presence of God shines forth to a dark, broken and sinful world -- just as Jesus Christ was and is."

Have a wonderful time together!