The Transfiguration Of Jesus
THE TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS
MARK 9:2-13
It must have been a hard climb up that high mountain, but who can deny it was worth it?
The “high mountain” on which Jesus was transfigured before the inner group of his three disciples is usually thought to be Hermon (9000 ft.). This was close to the Caesarea Philippi area; the scene of Peter’s recent confession.
How should we interpret the incident? Peter was at a loss, and his suggestions are disregarded. The final emphasis on “Jesus only” (9:8) points away from venerating Moses and Elijah and confirms Jesus as the central character. Most probably the incident was to be a confirmation of Peter’s confession by showing a glimpse of the glory which was to follow the sufferings of Jesus—his transformed person, glistening garments, the heavenly voice and the cloud, symbolic of God’s presence (Exodus 24:16)—all exalt him. The scene is therefore an anticipation of the exaltation and the second coming of Jesus, these two events being “run together” as happens in biblical prophecy with its foreshortened pictures of the future, and thus confirms that God’s rule is at work powerfully in Jesus. At the same time the transfiguration shows that Jesus had not lost his heavenly glory on earth, though normally it was hidden from sight. The picture thus presented is of Jesus as the Son of God and the Son of Man.
But what are Moses and Elijah doing here? They may perhaps be regarded as representatives of the law and the prophets which bear witness to Jesus, but Elijah certainly and Moses possibly were expected to appear before the end of the age, and there may be a reference to this rôle here.
On the way down from the mountain Jesus again issued a command to keep silent about what had happened until after the resurrection. This puzzled the disciples. They realized that Jesus must mean a special resurrection of the Son of Man before the general resurrection, and this was a strange idea. For the moment the problem remained unsolved, and a second difficulty was raised.
The Jews expected the return of Elijah to prepare for the coming of God or of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5f.). Now, if the Messiah had come in Jesus, as Peter had confessed, what had happened to Elijah? Jesus’ answer contained three points: