THE TRANSFIGURATION (Mark 9:1-8)
INTRODUCTION:
The center of Mark’s gospel which is also the apex of the book is in chapter 8 where Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Everything in Mark’s gospel that came before this was leading up to this declaration of faith, and everything that follows flows from it. To acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Son of the Living God is to make the correct judgment concerning Him. In our passage for this morning, this confession of Peter is confirmed. What he affirmed by faith will be verified by sight as the divine glory of Christ is made visible.
The disciples struggled with the announcement by Jesus of His upcoming suffering, rejection by the religious leaders, and His death. This idea of a murdered Messiah did not fit their idea of the Messiah. Peter and the other disciples eagerly anticipated the glory of the kingdom, but not the humiliation and scandal of the cross. Then to add to that the requirements of being a true disciple that included denying oneself, taking up your cross, and obediently following Jesus as your Lord and Master. Jesus encouraged them by reminding them that He would one day return in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. As we enter into our passage this morning, Jesus makes a prediction and a promise to His disciples that was to give them confidence in His coming revelation of glory. Let’s pray and then get into our Scripture for today.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles to Mark 9:1-8, our passage for this morning. Please, if you are able, stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word, and follow along as I read.
Mark 9:1-8,
“And Jesus was saying to them, ‘Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.’ Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!’ All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.” (Mark 9:1–8, NASB95)[1]
JESUS TRANSFORMED (Mark 9:1-3)
It was difficult for the disciples to accept that Jesus would die; it would even be more difficult for them when it actually took place. Jesus knew this and He knew they needed their confidence, and their faith strengthened. Mark writes, “And Jesus was saying to them, ‘Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.’ ” (Mark 9:1, NASB95)[2] In promising some of the disciples a preview glimpse of the kingdom, Jesus was speaking of His divine glory being revealed, this revelation of His glory would for Peter, James and John cause their faith to become sight. The transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ was the greatest miracle recorded in the New Testament prior to the resurrection.
Mark along with Matthew inform us that this preview of the kingdom of God took place six days after Jesus made the promise. Luke states that it took place “some eight days” later. There is no contradiction here, Luke included the day the Lord made the promise and the day that it was fulfilled, while Matthew and Mark referred to the six days between those two events.
Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John. These three made up the inner circle of the disciples and were the Lord’s closest friends. Jesus took them with Him now in accord with the Law’s requirement that truth be confirmed by two or three witnesses.
Mark tells us that Jesus brought them up on a high mountain, just Himself and these three. Luke tells us that they went there to pray. The high mountain most likely refers to Mount Hermon that stands at 9200 feet in elevation. It is the highest peak in the vicinity of Caesarea Philippi and there is nothing to suggest that they had departed from there. Some have suggested Mount Tabor, but this is too far south of the region of Caesarea Philippi and not a high mountain but rather a hill (only 2000 feet in elevation). Mark describes for us what took place on the mountaintop but does so with an understated description of the most remarkable manifestation of God up to this point. He writes simply that Jesus was transfigured before them. Luke tells us that the three disciples had fallen asleep when this took place, but now became fully awake and saw Jesus transfigured before them.
Transfigured translates the Greek verb metamorphoō, from which we get the English word “metamorphosis.” Christ’s nature could not change, only His appearance. The brilliant glory of His divine nature blazed forth through the veil of His humanity, and Matthew says that His face shone like the sun. In addition to His face, Mark focuses on His garments and says that they became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launder on earth can whiten them. Matthew writes that they became as white as light and Luke writes that they became white and gleaming, using a Greek word that refers to lightning. It was the blazing glory that Peter, James and John saw when they woke up.
Jesus had possessed essential glory from all eternity but while on earth veiled it until this moment. His glory will be fully revealed to the whole world in the future when He returns to do away with His enemies and establish His millennial kingdom in power. For Peter, James, and John this was a glimpse, a preview of the glory of the One who would rule the kingdom of God in power, and an awesome display of God’s glory it was. If there was any doubt as to who Jesus is, this glorious display removed all doubt, what Peter had declared by faith became confirmed by sight.
THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS (Mark 9:4-5)
Mark relates to us that Elijah appeared to them along with Moses. We know that for those who have put their faith in God’s promise to send a deliverer, when they die, they go immediately into the presence of the Lord. The apostles would not have known who these two glorified men were unless they heard Jesus call them by name or they were introduced. Mark simply says that they were talking to Jesus, Luke informs us that they were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. In other words, Elijah and Moses were speaking about His upcoming death. Christ’s death is the truth for which the transfiguration was intended to prepare the disciples. Even though Jesus must suffer and die, that does not negate God’s plan and the glory that was to come. The testimony of these two men, who embodied the Law and the Prophets, confirmed the fact that the Lord Jesus had to die.
Moses was the most honored leader in Israel’s history, who led the exodus from Egypt when God rescued the nation of Israel from their captivity. Although Moses had the authority of a king, he never had a throne. He functioned as both a prophet, proclaiming God’s truth to the nation, and as a priest, interceding before God on behalf of the people. He was also the nation’s revered lawgiver, the agent through whom God gave His holy law to the nation. Moses was also the human author of the first five books of the Bible. He represented the Law.
While Moses gave and represented the Law, Elijah was its foremost guardian. Elijah fought against every violation of the Law. He battled against the idolatry that was rampant in the land, and He fought against it with courage and powerful warnings of judgment. His preaching was validated by miracles as Moses had done in Egypt and the forty years that Israel wandered in the wilderness. There was no lawgiver like Moses and no prophet like Elijah. They are the most reliable witnesses of Christ’s suffering and glory. And as they represented the law and the prophets, Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. Nothing could have brought the apostles more assurance or strengthened their faith and confidence that Jesus’ death would fulfill God’s purpose than hearing it from the lips of Moses and Elijah.
PETER’S RESPONSE (Mark 9:5-6)
You would think that after the stern rebuke Peter had received from the Lord Jesus just days earlier would have kept Peter quiet. But Peter was never at a loss of words and felt that what they were seeing needed some response. Interrupting the conversation that Jesus was having with Elijah and Moses, Peter blurted out, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.” (Mark 9:5a, NASB95)[3] Matthew tells us that Peter addressed Jesus as “Lord” (Matthew 17:4), Luke that he addressed Him as “Master” (Luke 9:33) The fact that Peter uses all three titles reveals that he repeated his request and just how overwhelmed and humbled he and the other two to be in the presence of these three men. Holy fear mixed with breathtaking wonder at this glorious and incomprehensible experience. Peter then made this suggestion, “let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (Mark 9:5b, NASB95)[4] This suggestion shows us Peter’s determined desire to avoid the suffering and the coming death of Jesus. He wanted the three to stay there permanently in their glorious state and establish the kingdom immediately. According to Luke’s account, Peter spoke as Moses and Elijah began to leave. He saw his dream of seeing the kingdom established slipping away and blurting this out was a last, desperate attempt to stop that from happening. Mark writes, “For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified.” (Mark 9:6, NASB95)[5] Peter’s fear caused him to respond when no response was needed, and his response exposed what was uppermost in his mind. Luke adds that Peter did not even realize what he was saying. (Luke 9:33)
It is important to understand that there were several things that prompted Peter to respond this way. First, he had wanted the kingdom to be established all along. Second, Jesus’ promise in verse one of this chapter when He said, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” (Mark 9:1, NASB95)[6] This promise had intensified Peter’s hope that the kingdom would soon be established. Third, that hope soared when Peter awoke to see Jesus transfigured and conversing with Moses and Elijah who also were in glorified form. Peter reasoned that those two prophets could certainly lead the people of Israel into the kingdom. For that matter, it was prophesied that Elijah would be associated with the coming of the kingdom. Fourth, the timing of this event increased Peter’s hopes. This event took place in the Hebrew month of Tishri, six months before Passover. During this month, the Feast of Tabernacles, which commemorated the exodus from Egypt, was celebrated. What better time, Peter must have thought, for the Messiah to lead His people out of the bondage of sin and into His righteous kingdom then during the Feast of Tabernacles?
THE FATHER’S DECLARATION (Mark 9:7-8)
Matthew records that while Peter was still speaking a cloud overshadowed them, this cloud interrupted Peter, much like he had interrupted Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. This cloud was the glorious presence of God the Father. Luke tells us that they were afraid as they entered the cloud, then God the Father spoke from within the cloud. To get the full message of God the Father we must look at all three accounts. Luke writes, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” (Luke 9:35, NASB95)[7] Matthew writes, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” (Matthew 17:5, NASB95)[8] Mark records, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” (Mark 9:7, NASB95)[9] Matthew writes, “When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified.” (Matthew 17:6, NASB95)[10] This command by the Father to listen to His Son again was a rebuke to Peter. He commanded Peter to listen to what Jesus had to say about His suffering, rejection, death and resurrection.
When God the Father finished speaking, Matthew records, “And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, ‘Get up, and do not be afraid.’ ” (Matthew 17:7, NASB95)[11] Mark writes, “All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.” (Mark 9:8, NASB95)[12] The promised preview of the kingdom was over, it was not to be established at that time. What Peter, James, and John witnessed was not a vision or a dream, but they had actually experienced the Lord Jesus Christ’s glory unveiled, they had seen the glorious appearance of the God the Father in the bright cloud that overshadowed them and heard His voice as He spoke to them concerning His Son. This experience of God’s actual and glorious presence had not occurred since Adam and Eve had experienced it in the garden before the fall. The days and weeks that followed this experience still had some misgivings and misunderstandings, but because of what they saw, and they knew to be true, the disciples would follow Jesus to the cross, and then devote the rest of their lives to preaching Christ crucified and resurrected to the Jews first and then to the world.
CONCLUSION:
The apostle John when writing his gospel in his old age remembered this event that he experienced and mentioned it in the opening chapter. John wrote in John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, NASB95)[13] Peter also remembered this experience later in his life and wrote about it in 2nd Peter 1:16-18, from our Scripture reading this morning. Peter wrote, “For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased’— and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.” (2 Peter 1:16–18, NASB95)[14] This experience was what Peter and John needed to give them the confidence to follow Jesus to the cross. This experience is what gave them the hope that through suffering comes glory, and again they saw Jesus glorified in His resurrection body. Peter and John understood that believers will suffer for the sake of the gospel before experiencing the glory of heaven. This truth is carried through the New Testament. This is the same message that Paul preached. Paul preached in Acts 14:22, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22, NASB95)[15] He wrote in Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” (Romans 8:16–17, NASB95)[16] He reminded Timothy in 2nd Timothy 3:12, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12, NASB95)[17] Peter wrote in 1st Peter 4:13, “…but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.” (1 Peter 4:13, NASB95)[18] This suffering and these trials are worth it because we know as Paul declares in Philippians 3:20-21, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20–21, NASB95)[19]
[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[9]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[10]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[11]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[12]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[13]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[14]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[15]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[16]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[17]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[18]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[19]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.