And we are indeed a people who need this reminder. We are so prone to judge by appearances. When we see weakness, we assume defeat. When we see suffering, we assume God is absent. But the Transfiguration teaches us that humiliation does not nullify glory. The cross will not revoke Christ’s kingship. The One who will be lifted up in shame is the same One whose face shines like the sun.

This prayer is recorded in two of our Gospel accounts, both in Matthew and in Luke (11:2-4). The four Gospels being the first recognized books of the New Covenant[1], the early church recognized the importance of the Lord’s Prayer

When we read Paul, therefore, it is imperative to get into his head in order to understand rightly what he is trying to convey to the original audience and the reader in every age.

In the Old Covenant, we see the temple and tabernacle as the special dwelling place of God among his people. “As symbols or types, these institutions pointed to a future fulfillment. That fulfillment is found in Jesus Christ, the full and final manifestation of God’s presence with His people.”