In Luke 9:27 Jesus said something remarkable:

“But I tell you of a truth there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God”

Although the account doesn’t state it directly, it appears this was fulfilled about a week later when Peter, James, and John saw a remarkable vision. That vision was described by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. From the context found in Matthew and Mark, we surmise it took place on Mt. Hermon [the name means “Consecrated Place”]. Here is Luke’s description of the vision:

“And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and glistening. And behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias [Elijah], who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. 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. And it came to pass as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here. And let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.  While he thus spake, there came a cloud and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.” Luke 9:28-36

Although the word is not used by Luke, both Matthew and Mark say Jesus was “transfigured” before them. (Matt. 17:2, Mark 9:2) That’s why this is called the Transfiguration Scene. Matthew says this was a vision (Matt. 17:9) which it surely was since both Moses and Elijah were dead and would not have been resurrected just for the purposes of this drama. In many respects it was like the Revelation vision John received on the isle of Patmos. It was as real to their minds as though it was actually happening. Like the Revelation vision, it was not a diorama or a frozen moment in time. The three men talked together about the coming death [Greek: exodos] of Jesus. And that was why it was given.

In Matt. 16:22 Peter upbraids Jesus:

“Be it far from thee, Lord: this [suffering and death in Jerusalem] shall NOT be unto thee.”

If Peter and the disciples believed a person’s death ended everything, of course they would try to keep Jesus from allowing himself to be killed. What they did not understand is that death is not the end. For new creatures, it’s the beginning. By hearing this discussion about Jesus’ death (and undoubtedly about his subsequent resurrection to follow), and seeing him in “glory,” these disciples began to understand the Heavenly Father’s plan for his son, and by extension, for them as well.

That was the primary reason for this experience. There may even be more in this vision of the “kingdom of God” than Peter, James, and John may have realized. Why, for example, were Moses and Elijah present? Ezekiel names Noah, Daniel, and Job as unusually righteous (Ezek. 14:14, 20). Why not have these three appear in the vision instead of Moses and Elijah?

It is not that these two fasted for 40 days in the wilderness as had Jesus. It was not that their bodies were never found after their death as also occurred with Jesus. Nor was it that some of the last words in the Jewish Bible coupled Moses and Elijah together (Mal. 4:4, 5).  This was a vision of the kingdom in its glory. With the glorified Jesus are two who represent the two phases of that kingdom.

Moses represents the earthly phase, the house of servants. “Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant” (Heb. 3:5) Elijah represents the heavenly phase, those who are “caught up into heaven” if faithful. (2 Kings 2:11)

While seeing this vision Peter probably recalled the words of Deut. 18:15,

“The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall harken.”

He certainly knew that text for he quoted it in Acts 3:22 when he preached to the people of Jerusalem and applied those words to Jesus. It was as though Moses had moved through time and personally showed Peter who this Prophet was to whom people were to harken. If seeing that Moses’ words were fulfilled in Jesus did not happen at the moment Peter saw this vision, the action of the holy spirit on his mind certainly caused that connection to be made at Pentecost.

When their mountaintop experience was over, the three disciples descended back into the valley where they had to confront the world, the flesh, and the devil. Their own sufferings were not over, but now they really knew this was God’s will for His son and for them. They had received a glimpse of the coming kingdom’s glory. And that is exactly the way Peter characterized it many years later:

“For we have not been following cunningly devised tales in making known to you the power and appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were beholders of that greatness. For having received from God the Father honor and glory, a voice of this kind was brought to him by the magnificent glory -”This is my son, the beloved, in whom I delight.” And this voice which was brought from heaven we heard, being with him on the holy mountain.” – 2 Peter 1:16-18 [Diaglott]

Jesus was transfigured [Greek: metamorphoo – metamorphose in English] to show the future glory that would be his after his death. This same Greek word is also used to describe the change that must come upon us BEFORE we become actual spirit beings. Notice the words in Romans 12:2 following the well-known consecration verse:

“And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed [Greek: metamorphoo] by the renewing of your mind.”

We are to be changed from the fashion of this world into the fashion of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we are not changed/transformed/transfigured, we will not be a part of the body of Christ for we will not be acceptable to God.

Paul also used this Greek word in his second letter to the Corinthians:

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed [Greek: metamorphoo] into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” – 2 Cor. 3:18

In the earlier verses of this chapter Paul talks about the face of Moses after he returned from communing with God. Moses had to put a veil on his face and so the words “open face” should be understood as “unveiled face.” When the people looked at the face of Moses, they saw the glory or radiance of God shining from it. Moses “mirrored” the glory of God. As we commune with the Lord, the glory we behold should have a transforming influence upon us as we seek to become a copy of that glory. And the world should see that our relationship with God has had an effect upon us; they should see God in our face. Moffatt conveys this with his translation of the Greek:

“But we all mirror the glory of the Lord with face unveiled, and so we are being transformed into the same likeness as himself, passing from one glory [the one we behold] to another [becoming a manifestation of that glory]”

Our mountain-top experiences are meant to increase our faith so we can be faithful even in the face of adversity. Peter assures us that if we are faithful, the “transfiguration” that we desire will be a reality:

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”-2 Peter 1:10, 11

– Michael Nekora

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