This week’s blog is the second mountaintop experience in Jesus’ ministry in the space of six days. Previously, Peter boldly confessed Jesus as the Christ. Jesus received Peter’s confession and rewarded Him with a promise.
After the confession at Caesarea Phillipi Jesus made a concentrated effort to prepare His disciples for what was to come. He taught them about His death. They did not grasp the significance of Jesus’ words. Now Peter, James, and John would experience the pinnacle of the Jesus’ pre-resurrection life.
The Timing of the Pinnacle
Matthew 17:1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
This event happened six days after Jesus’ questions at Caesarea. He invited three of his disciples to go with him up the mountain. Peter, James, and John were the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples. They were not loved more but were steady and ready to understand.
The party of four steadily climbed the mountain. They must have been confused as to their destination or their purpose. They may have been climbing either Mt Hermon or Mt Tabor as both were within a reasonable range of Caesarea. If it was the latter, they climbed 9,200 feet above sea level.
Those disciples had no idea what was in store for them.
The Transformation
2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
Jesus was a carpenter from Nazareth. He willingly lowered himself to take on human form. We do well to remember that before he adorned Himself in humanity Jesus resided in heaven.
On that mountain everything suddenly changed. Jesus was immediately transformed. The word is an amazing word meaning to change form. The Greek metamorphothe easily translates into English. He is transformed in the same way a caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly. The transformation was not a change in appearance alone but transformed from one form to another.
In this one moment Jesus is restored to the glory He had with the Father before He came to earth. The glory of God was on display in the temple (see 1 Kings 8:10-11). The glory of God was on the face of Moses after he descended the mountain. But the glory of God has been largely veiled from human experience.
Not only was Jesus changed but His clothes were also changed. His appearance and His clothes were a dazzling white. He represented glory, purity, and holiness.
Accompanying the transformation process Jesus was surrounded on the one side by Moses and on the other by Elijah. These two represented the Law and the Prophets. These are the two primary Old Testament figures related to the story of salvation. They had both seen the glory of God in their world. (Exodus 24 and 1 Kings 19:1)
Peter’s Interruption
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
Peter rushes in, again. He is talking when he should be listening. Peter was enjoying the moment. He did not want this experience to end. Did he remember Jesus’ words about His death? Was he trying to delay the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy? Whatever his motive, Peter spoke up.
The Father Speaks
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
This is the second of three times the Father speaks about His Son. For three years Jesus has been publicly ministering. He has revealed the heart of the Father to mankind. Now we hear the heart of the Father as He speaks about His Son. He authenticates the Son. Jesus is holy and sinless.
The words of God are accompanied by a great cloud of glory. This is the Shekinah glory of God spoken of in the Old Testament. God first expresses His love for Son.
Second, God issues a command to those present. Listen to Jesus. Jesus’ word is akouete: it means more than listening but listening to do! The revelation of Jesus is the revelation of God’s Word. We must listen and do what He says.
The Response of the Disciples and Jesus
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
In response to the glory of God and the words of the Father the disciples fell down in terror. They were overpowered by the event. No one could stand proudly in a moment like this.
We do not know how long the disciples lay prostrate but the next thing they knew they felt the tender hand of Jesus on them urging them to get up. They looked around and the only one standing was Jesus. The mountaintop experience was over.
The Significance of the Transfiguration
- For Jesus, the significance of the transformation cannot be understated.
He knew the glory of God. He resided in heaven before being implanted into Mary’s womb. This was not the first time He talked with Moses and Elijah. This glory was what he longed for. He even asked the Father to give him the glory back when He prayed in John 17.
The Father gave this experience to Jesus to remind Him of who He was and where He was going. Jesus is now back in heaven, experiencing this glory. Doubtless His heart was strengthened by this revelation.
- A testimony to the disciples. Jesus could have had this moment on the mountain without the presence of the disciples. Why were they included? Because God wanted to testify to them about who Jesus is.
- A preview of the kingdom to come. Jesus allowed us to see in this story what awaits us in our heavenly home. We will live in the glory of God. That glory will shine so brightly that we will not even need the sun. Scripture makes it clear that we will share in the glory of the son. This promise is found throughout the New Testament.
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- Jesus prayed that you would share His glory. John 17:24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”
- Paul assures us that we will indeed be in His glory. Colossians 3:4 “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
- When that day comes, we will be like Jesus. We shall be like Him. 1 John 3:2 “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”
- That transformation begins with our salvation and continues until we stand with Jesus in glory. We are being transformed into His glory. 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
