#111. Jesus is Transfigured on the Mountain.

The Hope of the Transfiguration.

Jesus had traveled to the region of Caesarea Phillipi. There Jesus ask a very important to the disciples, Who do you say I am?

Peter made his famous profession “Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God. After such a positive event, Jesus explains that he was suffer and die and rise again. Then Peter rebuked Jesus. Jesus rebukes Peter and lets Him know that peter is seeking the will of God but the will of men.

Jesus then shares with the disciples the cost of discipleship.

Jesus then gives them a promise.

mark was supposedly written first, but there is more detail in Matthew and Luke.

John did not include the Transfiguration in his gospel. His gospel was demonstrate the deity of Jesus christ, the transfiguration demonstrated His humanity. This was the pinnacle of Jesus’s humanity as he was preparing for His appointment in Jerusalem.

I. The Hope of seeing Jesus in His Glory. 16:28-17:2

Matthew 16:28 KJV

28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Matthew 17:1 KJV

1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

The traditional sight of the transfiguration is Mount Tabor. Scholars think that it was more than likely Mt. Hermon which is near Caesarea Phillipi. which was Jesus’s location in 16:13.

Luke 9:28 KJV

28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

Luke says 8 days, both Matthew and Mark say six days.

“Luke wrote that this event occurred “about eight days after” (Luke 9:28), which includes the beginning and ending days as well as the six days between.” (BKC).

There is no contradiction.

Notice that Luke adds the reason why Jesus went up on the Mountain, it was to pray.

II. There is the hope of being changed.

Luke 9:29 KJV

29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

He was transfigured while he was praying. Prayer can change a lot of things. And it changes you from the inside out.

Matthew 17:2 KJV

2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

He was changed from the inside out. There was not a light shinning on Him, the light was coming from Him.

When we accept Jesus, we are changed.

Romans 12:2 KJV

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV

18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

III. The Hope of the Resurrection. 17:3a.

Moses had been dead for long time. Elijah had been caught in a world whirlwind and had not been seen since. But here they stood. This demonstrates clearly that physical death is not the end.

Matthew 17:3 KJV

3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

These two had been off the scene for many years. They did not have photographs back then. Yet, the disciples knew who they were.

Luke 9:31 KJV

31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

Luke tells us what the conversation is about. His decease. The Greek word is exodus, it is where we get the english word exodus. it is speaking of His impending death.

Luke 9:32 KJV

32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.

IV. There is the hope of hearing from God. 4-

Matthew 17:4 KJV

4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Peter knew this was a big deal. He thought they should do something.

Some claim this is a reference to the feast of Tabernacles.

Which was to commemorate the time in the wilderness represented by Moses and Elijah. Then there was the present time represented by the disciples, then there was the future represented by Jesus and God.

Mark 9:6 KJV

6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

This was not just a vision it was a phsical event that peter wrote about much later.

2 Peter 1:17–18 KJV

17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

Matthew 17:5 KJV

5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

The cloud is a picture of the Shekinah glory that filled the temple and the cloud of smoke that led the Children of Israel.

Much the same words as God spoke at Jesus’s baptism. But God adds 3 important words.

Hear ye Him!

we are to listen to what Jesus has to say and then be obedient.

Matthew 17:6 KJV

6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

They knew that this was God speaking and that Jesus was the Son of God. This was being in the presence of God Himself.

They could not see God but Jesus said if you seen Him, then you have seen the Father.

Jesus is God in the flesh.

Matthew 17:7 KJV

7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

It was all over. Jesus goes and gently tells them to get up and not be afraid.

Matthew 17:8 KJV

8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

Moses and Elijah were gone, only Jesus was left. The Law and the prophets had their time, it was now time for grace.

V. The Hope of fulfilled prophecy.

Matthew 17:9 KJV

9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

Mark 9:10 KJV

10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

They were still understanding Jesus’s death and resurrection. They had a totally diffrent idea of what the Messiah was suposed to be like. They had no concept of the Messiah dying and then raising from the dead.

Matthew 17:10 KJV

10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

They knew that Elijah had to come before the Messiah, they were waiting for Elijah to come back like all Jews did.

Matthew 17:11 KJV

11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

Matthew 17:12 KJV

12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

Jesus was speaking of John the Baptist.

Matthew 17:13 KJV

13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

If John the Baptist was Elijah, it meant that Jesus had to be the Messiah.

Suffering is the path to glory