Book Review: The Transfiguration of Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Reading by Patrick Schreiner

Patrick Schreiner, The Transfiguration of Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Reading‍

Grand Rapids, Michigan. Baker Academic. 208 pg.‍

A fascinating event from the life of Jesus is the Transfiguration. It shows up in three of the four gospels and is an event where the Trinity seems to be evident like at Jesus’ baptism. Schreiner invites the reader into this moment in the life of Christ that is known yet mysterious and rarely explained in our churches or studies. In The Transfiguration of Christ, Schreiner aims at looking thoroughly at this event from an exegetical and theological view. He looks at the event in an exegetical way by examining the word itself, metamorphoō, and the text in each passage faithfully. He also invites the reader to hear from theologians and voices throughout church history and other traditions to see the significance of the event. Schreiner currently serves Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as director of the residency PhD program and associate professor of New Testament and biblical theology. His expertise shines in this work from cover to cover.

Schreiner guides the reader up this mountain of an event of Christ’s life in his introduction and first chapter. Here, he highlights his main point that the Transfiguration shows the double sonship of Jesus Christ. This transfiguration, Schreiner believes, connects significantly to the rest of Jesus’ ministry but also the believer’s transformation. He admits, though, there has been a neglect of these texts and this story. As he fleshes out the neglect yet necessity of studying the Transfiguration, it becomes clear that this work is significant for this moment in time and our faith in general. 

As the writer lays out the structure of this work, he helps the reader in each chapter by providing the theological grammar, then lighting a path to discuss themes shown in this event, and finally informing the reader on how this powerful event forms us. This is what this reader found so powerful. Proper theology should change the believer’s life. The heart behind writing this work is hoping it would not simply grow one’s intellect but also his or her faith. Christ’s transfiguration informs our transformation in Him. 

Though, from the start, Schreiner shows this work will be rich and scholarly, he does much work to welcome in anyone curious about this moment in Jesus’ life, though they may have to do some adjacent study to familiarize themselves more with the Transfiguration. Schreiner deals with the setting of the Transfiguration, its signs, and the sayings surrounding the event. Lastly, he shows how the Transfiguration informs the rest of theology and events in the overarching story of the Bible. This work would benefit any student of God’s word. It would be a great resource for a pastor or church leader teaching a series on the life of Christ or a class on Christology for a congregation. Perhaps, once a pastor is through reading it, he may even want to preach a series on the Transfiguration event itself! 

Williamson Deavours

Associate Pastor of Pump Springs Baptist Church

Executive Director of First Priority Tri-States