Introduction
In the 13th century B.C., God called Moses to deliver his people out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land of what is now called Israel. His job included forming the descendants of Abraham into a nation, the kingdom of God. Soon after leaving Egypt, he led the people to the foot of Mt. Sinai where he received the commandments of God and established the covenant nation of Israel. Here is his description of his “mountaintop experience.”
12 The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their instruction.”
13 Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. 14 He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.”
15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights (Exodus 24:12-18).
Four centuries later, God called Elijah to be his prophet to his people who lived in the northern branch of the then divided kingdom – Judah in the south and Israel in the north. Elijah was the first of the “pure” prophets, whose only calling was to prophesy God’s message. He tenure as prophet marked a new age, so to speak, of God’s message being delivered through prophets. Elijah was given the daunting task of challenging the wicked policies of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. His greatest triumph was at Mount Carmel where he challenged the priests of Baal to compete against him in calling down fire. It was his God Yahweh versus their god Baal. He won of course, but then had to flee for his life from Jezebel. God ordered Elijah to meet him on top of Mount Horeb for a meeting. This is the description of it.
11 The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
15 The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus... 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:11-18).
Nine centuries later an even greater leader and prophet climbed a mountain for an encounter with God. Our passage today records that wondrous experience.
The Text
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone.
This is the second time Jesus separates Peter, James and John from the rest of the disciples. The first time was at Capernaum in the synagogue ruler’s house where he allowed only those three of the disciples to enter the house of the young girl whom he would raise from death. The only other time will be in the garden of Gethsemane. It is evident that he considered them his closest companions and that he was preparing them for leadership.
There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.
What a wondrous and fearful sight that must have been for the disciples. They have seen Jesus do some incredible things that put the fear of God into them, particularly calming the storm and walking on water. But this time they see something happen to him. Jesus himself changes; he is transfigured.
What does that mean? Simply put, he is glorified. He is transfigured into an image of glory. Appearance wise, he becomes bright. His clothes become dazzling white, whiter than the best bleaching job could do. Matthew describes them as white as light. Matthew also describes Jesus’ face as “shining like the sun.” Interestingly enough, John does not record this incident, but he does describe a vision that he has of Jesus in the book of Revelation:
His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire... His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance (1:14,16).
The disciples receive a glimpse of what Jesus will be like in his glorified state. We ought to take note of this, by the way, since it gives us an idea of what we will see when Jesus returns. This description helps explain another passage in Revelation 21 of the heavenly city, Jerusalem: 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. What an incredible experience for these three men to have!
But there is more. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Elijah the first and greatest of the prophets; Moses the leader and founder of the nation of Israel; the two towering figures of the Old Testament who represent the word of the prophets and the law; Elijah who is believed to return to prepare the way of the Messiah; Moses who first prophesied about the great prophet to come who would be like him – these two men appear with Jesus and engage in discussion. Luke tells us that the topic was his final work in Jerusalem. We are not sure of what the disciples actually heard. Luke also tells us that the men had fallen asleep during the prayer meeting Jesus was holding before the transfiguration occurred. That is the same problem they are going to have in Gethsemane.
But they do see the two men who also were in a glorified state, as Luke informs us, and somehow they know who the men are. Can you imagine being in the disciples’ position? Talk about having rapid heartbeats and sweaty palms! They must have been speechless. Well, Peter manages to think of something to say.
5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
Peter’s guiding principle in life must have been, “If you don’t know what to say, then say something.” Luke adds after this less than brilliant remark, “He did not know what he was saying.” Obviously.
Again, Mark tells us He did not know what to say, they were so frightened. If they were frightened then, how do you think they felt when the next phenomenon happened? 7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them. Matthew tells us it was a bright cloud. What was surrounding them, or overshadowing them, was the shekinah glory.
What then is the shekinah glory? We’ve already read about it in the first passage.
15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain.
The cloud is God’s dwelling place. Shekin means “to dwell.” It is the same cloud referred to as the pillar of cloud which went in front of the Israelites in the wilderness, and which appeared as a pillar of fire at night. God, of course, is not restricted to the cloud, but it serves as a visible means to indicate his presence with man. The cloud, in other words, is for the benefit of his people. Its purpose then is to both impress upon us God’s glory – thus the shining brightness – and that God is with us.
My guess is that the disciples preferred God not to be quite so “with them.” We like to sing songs about wanting to see God and wanting to feel him close to us. These three guys might tell us to be careful about what we want!
And then, THE VOICE: and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” Matthew tells us that when they heard the voice they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. I bet they did! What a contrasting perspective we are given of God than the modern interpretations of him. The modern person regards God as a gentle grandfather who just wants everybody to know how sweet he really is. These disciples are overwhelmed by the glory and power that surrounds them. They are filled with fear.
One reason is that they are being rebuked. This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him! They have not been doing a good job of that lately. Imagine what is going through Peter’s mind now as he recalls his presumption to rebuke Jesus a few days earlier.
Where have we heard these words before, by the way? At Jesus’ baptism. Remember, as he was coming out of the water a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (1:11). At that time, God the Father affirmed his Son. Now he testifies to the disciples his affirmation of his Son. “So, listen to him!”
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. I think by now they were ready for the guests and cloud to go away. So the mountaintop experience comes to an end, and they head back down the mountain. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. “Okay, boss. Whatever you say, we will listen!”
Why did Jesus want the matter kept quiet? I think for the same reason he had been telling everyone else, including the demons, to keep quiet. The time had not yet come for his identity to be fully declared publicly. He must first carry out his work of redemption. He wanted to convey his identity first through his teaching and ministry, and then finally through his act of redemption. Why then this show for the disciples? One reason is to prepare them for the humiliation he is about to undergo, lest they doubt who he is. The transfiguration reveals his glory, and the appearance of Elijah and Moses confirms that Jesus fulfills the promise of the Old Covenant. Another is to teach the lesson that they need to be listening to him. A little word from the Father helps. A third reason is to give us all a glimpse of the glory which now fills Jesus. Finally, this episode gives to the disciples the confidence and credibility they will need as apostles. As Peter years later will say:
16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain (2 Peter 1:16-18).
The disciples did pick up on that phrase rising from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. Rising from the dead – what does that mean? So they ask Jesus the obvious question, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” They just do not want to deal with the subject! Jesus patiently responds and indicates that John the Baptist filled the role of Elijah. But clearly his thoughts are elsewhere and he directs a question at them which keeps even Peter silent: Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?
Lessons
Two things are made clear through the transfiguration and following discussion. One is the central role of Christ’s sufferings, death and resurrection. This started back in chapter 8 with the confession of Jesus as the Christ. Yes, he is the Christ. That means, he tells his disciples, that he must suffer, die, and rise again. They don’t want to hear this. Well, they had better get used to it if they wish to follow him. He then takes them on top of the mountain where his true glory is revealed to them, and they get a reprimand from God the Father to listen to his revealed Son. “Everybody, listen up,” Jesus is still saying. “I came to die. I came to make atonement for your sins. And through the humiliation of suffering and death, I rose to glory.”
The other observation is that the disciples did not want to listen to this message. They were not going to argue with Jesus, but they did want to avoid the subject. How many of us do the same thing?
How many people have stiff-armed any presentation of the gospel simply because they did not want to listen? The disciples did not want to hear Jesus talk about suffering and dying. What is it that people today do not want to hear? Maybe their own dying. To seriously listen to the gospel of Christ, one must consider one’s own death. Dying is not a favorite topic. Or maybe they do not want to hear about their sin? Jesus died to atone for sin. Most people don’t like hearing they are so sinful that only Jesus’ sacrifice could save them. Perhaps they do not want to hear about their own cross to bear. Jesus made the unpleasant connection between his cross and the crosses that his followers would have to bear.
How many times have we been met with silence when we’ve raised the subject of having a relationship with Jesus Christ? How many times have we had the subject changed? I am convinced that the reason most people raise so-called intellectual objections to the gospel is that they don’t want the spotlight turned on their hearts.
But we Christians are just as guilty. How many of us are not following Jesus as we ought, but we have turned deaf ears to him? We will pray to God about our concerns, but we don’t take the time to be silent and listen to his concerns about us. “Lord, help me get the job promotion I want.” Have you even asked God if he wants you in your job? “Lord, help us find the right house to live.” Have you considered that he wants you living in the poor part of town so you can minister in his name? Or maybe he wants you in another country as a missionary?
I don’t know. But how much of our lives are spent merely assuming that God is okay with what we are doing, all the while we have not listened to what he has to say. We don’t want to hear about suffering; we don’t want to hear about crosses. How many times have we, not knowing what to say, said something because we are afraid of what God will say to us in the silence?
Do you want a practical lesson? It is this. Each day when you pray, say to God, “Lord, I am listening. What do you want to tell me?”
