To understand The Transfiguration, it’s important to understand its context.  Jesus ended His discussion of the cost of discipleship by telling His followers that He will someday come in glory (vs 26).  He then – surprisingly – said that there were some listening to Him who would witness this glory before they died (vs 27).  The Transfiguration proves both statements.  By showing His true glory to Peter, James, and John, Jesus previews His return and proves that it will in fact occur.  That’s not all The Transfiguration does, however.  Because of the men’s eyewitness testimony, it gives all believers a scene they can refer to that gives them confidence in His return too.  The Transfiguration becomes one of the most important events in Jesus’ life because it assures all believers for all time that He will absolutely come again in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. 

28-31
Roughly eight days (Matthew and Mark both say it’s six days – this is likely a difference in how they count days – Matthew and Mark count the days in between the two events, Luke includes the last day of the preceding event and the first day of the subsequent event) after the discussion about discipleship, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up to a mountain to pray (the mountain isn’t named).  That He takes three men with Him is important; He satisfies the requirement in the law to have two or three witnesses to testify to the truth of any event in a legal proceeding.

While praying, Jesus is transfigured.  His face changes and His clothes become white and gleaming (per Matthew, His face shines like the sun and His clothes become white as light – Matt 17:2).  It’s important to understand that He doesn’t reflect light from another source; it’s His whole being that changes, and the gleaming comes FROM Him.  His true identity shows through.  He’s not just a man; He’s God in the flesh and this is what His glory looks like when it’s not veiled.  Since He’s God, He’s the source of Light.  This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all (I Jn 1:5).  As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking (Ezek 1:28).  His splendor covers the heavens, and the earth is full of His praise. His radiance is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, and there is the hiding of His power (Hab 3:34).  In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength (Rev 1:16).

Two men appear with Him – somehow the disciples know them to be Moses and Elijah (God perhaps reveals it to them so they just know?) – and discuss with Him His coming departure (His death and ascension).  Unlike the disciples who were shocked to hear about Jesus’ coming death, the two giants of the Old Testament seem to fully understand and celebrate the expectation of its occurrence.

The significance of Moses and Elijah is not completely clear.  They could represent the Law and the Prophets since Jesus said that He’s come to fulfill both (Matt 5:17).  They are also men whose deaths had supernatural circumstances – Moses was buried by God (and rabbinic tradition holds that he did not die but was taken to heaven), and Elijah was taken directly to heaven on a chariot of fire (so it’s interesting to wonder if all three men in this scene discuss their various amazing deaths – maybe Elijah and Moses top each other until Jesus explains the resurrection and ascension, and then drops the mic).  Both saw visions of God on Mount Sinai (Ex 24:15 & I Kings 19:8-16).  They are largely considered the two most powerful men of God in the Old Testament.  Both are mentioned in Malachi 4: Moses as the giver of the law and Elijah as the one who will come before the day of the Lord.  Also, some think they are the two witnesses referred to in Revelation 11 who will prophesy in Jerusalem during the Tribulation (which is also important to note – just like with the three disciples, Jesus makes sure there are two witnesses from glory to satisfy the demands of testimony in the Mosaic Law).

32-33
The disciples are actually asleep when Jesus changes and Moses and Elijah appear (little bit of a missed opportunity there, eh?).  They apparently fell asleep while Jesus prayed (the same three men will fall asleep when Jesus prays in Gethsemane – Matt 26:36-46 – so this seems to be a pattern with them).  [That they sleep points to the possibility that this takes place at night.  Verse 37 says they come down the mountain the next day, so perhaps Jesus prays through the night and the disciples fall asleep.  If that’s the case, then the glorified states of the three men must be an awesome sight in the dark.]  They wake up to see Jesus glorified and Moses and Elijah speaking to Him (which has to be quite the scene to wake up to – this may explain why Peter blurts out his suggestion without giving it much thought).

Just as Moses and Elijah begin to leave, Peter suggests to Jesus that he and James and John build tabernacles for each of them.  There’s no way to know what prompts him to say this.  Mark says Peter doesn’t know what to say because he and the other two are terrified (Mk 9:6).  Luke simply says he doesn’t realize what he’s saying (likely meaning that he doesn’t understand the implication of what he says).  It may be that he’s just overwhelmed by the moment and wants to somehow memorialize what is happening.  If nothing else, he deserves credit for having the courage to speak up in the middle of what has to be an awesome sight that’s unlike anything anyone has ever witnessed (James and John likely in too much awe and terror to speak).  Beyond possibly speaking when it is inappropriate, however, Peter makes a mistake by equating the three men together.  The three aren’t equal and shouldn’t be treated or deified as if they are.  As the coming cloud is about to attest, Jesus is NOT on par with Moses and Elijah.  Peter also makes a mistake if by wanting to build the tabernacles he hopes to prolong the scene.  Jesus must continue to Jerusalem and begin the process of His departure (what He just discussed with Moses and Elijah).  If He stays here on the mountain, that won’t happen.  If this is Peter’s desire, then it means it’s the second time he’s tried to derail Jesus’ progress toward death and resurrection and essentially acted as Satan’s tool (Matt 16:22-23).

34-35
While the words are still in Peter’s mouth, a cloud overshadows them and apparently envelops them (they were afraid as they entered the cloud).  [So it’s not enough that they’re watching a fully glorified Son of God along with two heroes of the faith who have been dead for hundreds of years – now they have a cloud surrounding them with the voice of God speaking – yeah, it makes sense that they’re a little frightened].  A voice speaks out of the cloud and says, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” The words are similar to what was said from heaven at Jesus’ baptism – 3:22 – with the additional command of listen to Him!  A cloud is associated with God’s glory in several places in the Old Testament: the Shekinah glory cloud led the Israelites in the wilderness (Ex 13:21); the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud at the opening of the tabernacle (Ex 40:34-35); and the cloud of God’s glory filled the temple on the day Solomon dedicated it to the Lord (I Kgs 8:10-13).  This cloud is God the Father’s presence commanding those in this scene to behold His Son and listen to Him.

God’s command to listen to Jesus may refer to Deuteronomy 18:15-18 where God tells the Israelites He will raise up a prophet from among them who will be like Moses and speak for God and the people will listen to Him.  If the reference to the Deuteronomy passage is intended, it identifies Moses as a type of Christ and shows Jesus’ supremacy over him.  It also sheds more light on why Moses is part of this transfiguration.

After the voice sounds from the cloud, the disciples fall on their faces terrified (Matt 17:6).  They have the same reaction to God that we see all throughout the Bible – men are terrified and fully aware of their own sinfulness and shortcomings when confronted by a holy God.  Jesus comes to them and touches them and tells them to not be afraid and to get up.  When they look up, they see Jesus alone, no longer in His glorified state.

36
We know from Matthew’s account that Jesus tells the three disciples not to tell anyone what they’ve seen until after His resurrection (Matt 17:9).  Luke in verse 36 simply says they keep silent about it in those days, presumably meaning they obey Jesus’ command and wait to tell others until after Jesus rises from the dead.

Thoughts
Peter explains in his second epistle why The Transfiguration is important.  Writing as an eyewitness, he says the following: 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. So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts (II Pet 1:16-19).

Peter essentially says, “We’re not making this stuff up!  We SAW His glory and we HEARD God speak to Him from the cloud.  He WILL come back in glory just as He said He would.  There is absolutely no doubt!  All the prophecies are true; His glory is real, and His coming again assured.  You have my word as an eyewitness.  You have Jesus’ word as the Messiah.  And you have God’s word as…well, God.”

Peter’s explanation shows that The Transfiguration is the act of a merciful God.  Jesus could’ve just told the disciples about His return and left it at that.  Instead, He gave the three disciples and us a preview.  He made sure all three saw and would later testify to what they saw, so that for all time there would be written accounts for believers to read.  We don’t have to wonder if He’s really coming back; He’s already shown what it’s going to look like.

We also get to see Moses and Elijah in their glorified state, so we know what Jesus says about our next life is true too (and yes, it’s not clear how they’re in glorified bodies before the resurrection of the dead – there’s no good answer to that conundrum other than perhaps God gave them temporary bodies or maybe we just need to not worry about it).  They appear with Jesus to represent the law and the prophets, but their presence reassures us that there’s an eternal home where we share in Jesus’ glory.  Letting us see them is another aspect of God’s mercy.

Jesus has been gone for over 2000 years.  That’s a long time for His followers to wait and hold on to a promise.  But if we believe the scriptures, we not only have the promise, but we have The Transfiguration that illustrates the promise, and that double-level of assurance forms the foundation of our faith.

The world’s a messed-up place.  Sin reigns, culture devolves, man becomes more and more wicked.  But on a mountain in Galilee Jesus showed He’s coming back in glorious splendor as a conquering Savior to gather His disciples to Himself and put an end to all sin and suffering. 

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life– and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us– what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ (I Jn 1:1-3).