Learning about the transfiguration of Jesus

Today's Gospel reading comes from Mark 9:2-10, "2 Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. 4 Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents; one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

6 He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. 7 Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him. 8 Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them."

If you examined closely what the Transfiguration of Jesus was all about... it was clear proof to his Apostles that their master, Jesus of Nazareth wasn't an ordinary mortal... he was Divinity himself walking with them, eating and drinking with them, praying with them and teaching them the ways of God. It was also here that they got a glimpse of the reality that indeed, there is an afterlife. After all, they saw two of the greatest prophets featured Scripture or in the Torah, Moses and Elijah, who are supposed to be dead. While our Lord Jesus did not introduce the two figures that were with him... somehow by God's grace, the Apostles recognized them... and to think they did not have pictures of Moses or Elijah back in those days.

The Transfiguration of Jesus also gave the Apostles a glimpse of the Glory of God... when Jesus turned into dazzling white. In order to dig deeper into the Transfiguration of Jesus, let's open our Bibles to Luke 9: 28-36, "About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John and James and went up the mountain to pray. 29 While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.

32 Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." But he did not know what he was saying. 34 While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my chosen Son, listen to him." 36 After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen."

That the three figures in the Transfiguration talking about the coming exodus of Jesus in Jerusalem gives us an idea that both Moses and Elijah knew that our Lord Jesus was going to be sacrificed for our sins in Jerusalem. If you recall, it was Jesus who revealed to his Apostles that Elijah had indeed returned... in the person of John the Baptist... as it was written that when Elijah had returned... then the Messiah would already come.

If you've read your Bible well, you will notice that there was an incident similar to this, which happened at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. You'll find this in Luke 3: 21-22, "After all the people have been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased."

The Apostles, Peter, John and James got even a bigger surprise, when after seeing Moses and Elijah, a cloud overshadowed them and they heard the voice of God the Father, telling them to listen to his beloved Son. When Divinity dwelled in the Holy of Holies, a cloud overshadowed the temple. God comes in a cloud and overshadows those that he blesses.

If you opened your Bible to announcement of the Birth of Jesus during the Annunciation, which you will find in Luke 1: 35, "And the angel said to her [Mary] in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God." Now how many people mentioned in the Bible experienced being overshadowed by a cloud?

Call St. Peter a lucky man because the Transfiguration happened just after he confessed to Jesus (which you can read in Matt. 16: 13-19 or in Luke 9:18-21) that Jesus was the Son of the Living God... the Messiah. It was like hitting the jackpot, where he recognized Jesus as God and a few verses later; he would be given a ringside view of the glory of God.



The aftermath of the Transfiguration had the Apostles in silent reverence... perhaps this Divine revelation was too much for them to fathom, that silence was the appropriate thing to do. This is why we fall in silent reverence inside our Churches where the Holy Eucharist is being kept.

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