“Down from the Mount of Glory”
Christian Worship #97 -- “Down from the Mount of Glory” is a fairly new hymn. It was written by Werner Franzmann in 1968, while he was the managing editor of the WELS
Read Mark 9:2-9 for the biblical account on which Franzmann bases his hymn.
1. In his hymn, Franzmann connects two different mountains. What are the mountains and the purpose for each?
He is comparing and contrasting the Mount of Transfiguration withMount Calvary
The glory Jesus received on the Mount of Transfiguration showed Him to be God’s beloved Son. Jesus loses none of His divine majesty in His incarnation, but He humbly hid that majesty with His human nature. Now on the Mount, His glory shines through His human nature. The glory He received onMount Calvary
He promises that our faith will benefit and its fruit will bear forth in our lives – “Will in your life appear.” How true that is any time we stop to ponder and digest God’s Word – the Word made flesh in Christ.
4. Stanza 2 describes Jesus being transfigured on the mountain. What does it mean to be “transfigured?”
It is a metamorphosis – a complete change in form and appearance. Christ’s human appearance where He is described in Isaiah as having “no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him” (53:7). Yet the Gospel writers describe Him as His face shining like the sun (Matthew 17:2); His face changed (Luke17: 29 ); and His clothes were whiter than anyone could bleach them (Mark 9:3).
5. Why did the Father voice His approval of His Son?
Jesus was carrying out the plan of salvation formulated in eternity before the foundations of the world were laid. What Peter, James and John had not heard at Jesus’ baptism (because they weren’t present), they hear now. Jesus was transfigured to show His deity, to show that He was the true God, the greater prophet promised to whom all should listen. “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him” (Deuteronomy18:15 ).
6. But as quickly as it happened, it was over. Why, according to stanza 3, did Jesus descend the mountain and not remain there in His glory?
He was willingly treading toward His suffering and death. He had to face humiliation and degradation and deepest woes – beyond what anyone can comprehend or know.
7. How did the transfiguration strengthen Jesus during the last weeks of His life?
Jesus had heard the Father putting his stamp of approval on Him. He spoke to the two great prophets of the Old Testament – Moses and Elijah – who would have encouraged Him to continue on with His journey. Jesus also saw the glory that would be His when He accomplished our salvation.
Someday we will enjoy Jesus’ glory in all its fullness for eternity. But now we must take up our crosses and follow him, showing ourselves to be His disciples. We, too, must follow Jesus by ascending the hill of shame to the foot of the cross. That is where we witness the true glory of Jesus as our Redeemer.
How ironic that this journey which began on a mountain would end on a mountain – but this time not of glory but of shame. There Jesus offered His life, He gave Himself over to agony and the cross in order to set guilty sinners free and afford full peace and joy for all.
This hymn is sets before us beautiful bookends to the Lenten season. We ask God to bless our Lenten journey from mountain to mountain.
Read Mark 9:2-9 for the biblical account on which Franzmann bases his hymn.
1. In his hymn, Franzmann connects two different mountains. What are the mountains and the purpose for each?
He is comparing and contrasting the Mount of Transfiguration with
2. Twice, in stanzas 1 and 5, Franzmann mentions “double glory.” To what does this “double glory” refer?
The glory Jesus received on the Mount of Transfiguration showed Him to be God’s beloved Son. Jesus loses none of His divine majesty in His incarnation, but He humbly hid that majesty with His human nature. Now on the Mount, His glory shines through His human nature. The glory He received on
3. Stanza 1 bids us to revisit this first mountain. What does he promise will happen?
He promises that our faith will benefit and its fruit will bear forth in our lives – “Will in your life appear.” How true that is any time we stop to ponder and digest God’s Word – the Word made flesh in Christ.
4. Stanza 2 describes Jesus being transfigured on the mountain. What does it mean to be “transfigured?”
It is a metamorphosis – a complete change in form and appearance. Christ’s human appearance where He is described in Isaiah as having “no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him” (53:7). Yet the Gospel writers describe Him as His face shining like the sun (Matthew 17:2); His face changed (Luke
5. Why did the Father voice His approval of His Son?
Jesus was carrying out the plan of salvation formulated in eternity before the foundations of the world were laid. What Peter, James and John had not heard at Jesus’ baptism (because they weren’t present), they hear now. Jesus was transfigured to show His deity, to show that He was the true God, the greater prophet promised to whom all should listen. “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him” (Deuteronomy
6. But as quickly as it happened, it was over. Why, according to stanza 3, did Jesus descend the mountain and not remain there in His glory?
He was willingly treading toward His suffering and death. He had to face humiliation and degradation and deepest woes – beyond what anyone can comprehend or know.
7. How did the transfiguration strengthen Jesus during the last weeks of His life?
Jesus had heard the Father putting his stamp of approval on Him. He spoke to the two great prophets of the Old Testament – Moses and Elijah – who would have encouraged Him to continue on with His journey. Jesus also saw the glory that would be His when He accomplished our salvation.
8. Why must we too leave the Mount of Transfiguration and accompany Jesus back down the mountain? Why can’t we just stay in the joyful season of Epiphany instead of trudging through the dark and mournful Lenten journey to Mount Calvary
Someday we will enjoy Jesus’ glory in all its fullness for eternity. But now we must take up our crosses and follow him, showing ourselves to be His disciples. We, too, must follow Jesus by ascending the hill of shame to the foot of the cross. That is where we witness the true glory of Jesus as our Redeemer.
How ironic that this journey which began on a mountain would end on a mountain – but this time not of glory but of shame. There Jesus offered His life, He gave Himself over to agony and the cross in order to set guilty sinners free and afford full peace and joy for all.
This hymn is sets before us beautiful bookends to the Lenten season. We ask God to bless our Lenten journey from mountain to mountain.
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