Mark 9:2-13
Introduction
Six days after the important prophecy given by Jesus in Verse 1, Mark records a most remarkable event. This is known as The Transfiguration and that’s what we are going to look at in this study.
Bear this in mind as we examine today’s passage.
Verses 2 to 3
In verse 2 we see that Jesus took three of the disciples up a high mountain. This inner circle consisted of Peter, James and John. So, initially there were just four people on this mountain. The mountain is not named but it was probably Mount Hermon in the north.
Jesus took them up the mountain to pray. We know this because of Luke’s account of the event: ‘Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.’ (Luke 9:28-29). We need to get into the habit, in our studies, of cross-referencing the events in the Gospels. So, it’s important to note that the Transfiguration took place during prayer.
In Verse 2 we are told that Jesus was transfigured before the three disciples. What does it mean to be transfigured? To understand what it means we need to look at the original language. The Greek verb for transfigured is ‘metamorphoo’. It is from this Greek word that we get the English word metamorphosis. Metamorphosis means to be transformed from one form to another. The best example of this is when a caterpillar is changed into a butterfly. Bear this in mind as we look at what happened to Jesus in Verse 3.
When Jesus was transfigured, His clothes became radiantly and exceedingly white. His face also shone like the Sun. We find this in Matthew 17:2: ‘And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.’ So, when Jesus was transfigured, His face shone and His clothes became brilliant white. A bright light coming from within Jesus shone through His face and clothing.
When this happened, the three disciples were actually seeing the glory of God being manifest through Jesus. In Hebrews 1:3 we read, ‘And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power….’ The Transfiguration tells the three disciples that Jesus is not just a man; He is God also.
The bright light shining through Jesus is the manifestation of the Shekinah glory of God. This Shekinah glory, as it is known, can also be manifested as a cloud. Sometimes when God is present with mankind, He is accompanied by this Shekinah glory. As we have already seen, the three disciples were seeing the glory of God being manifest through Jesus. Bear in mind that the Shekinah glory is just one aspect of God’s glory.
The glory of God is the beauty of His character. It is manifested in all of His attributes. We see God’s glory in His holiness, majesty, goodness and love. Signs, wonders and miracles reveal the glory of God. The natural world exhibits the glory of God. When we, as Christians die, we will be taken into God’s presence and be surrounded by God’s glory. All that we do should be done for the glory of God.
It should also be noted that our salvation will be complete when we are glorified; that is, when we receive our resurrection bodies. In Romans 8:29-30 we read, ‘For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and those whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.’
And finally, when you pray or worship, I would encourage you to ask God to manifest His glory.
Verse 4
Now Elijah and Moses join them on the mountain and they start talking to Jesus. They were talking about the death of Jesus. We know this from looking at Luke’s account of the event. In Luke 9:30-31 we read, ‘And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.'
Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the Prophets. Both the Law and the Prophets ultimately point to the necessity of the Messiah dying on the cross to deal with sin once and for all.
Verses 5 to 6
In Verse 5 we see Peter wanting to build three tabernacles for Jesus, Elijah and Moses. A tabernacle is a kind of tent in which to dwell.
Peter wanted to erect some tents because he was enjoying the experience and he didn’t want it to end. Have you ever had an experience with God that you didn’t want to end? It happened for me when I was baptised with the Holy Spirit.
Verse 7
Now a cloud comes down and overshadows them. Remember what I said about the Shekinah glory. And God speaks from the cloud saying, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him.” We saw God saying something similar when Jesus was baptised.
A beloved person is someone who is dearly and affectionately loved. The Father is saying that He has a deep loving relationship with the Son. We too are beloved of the Father. In 1 John 3:1 we read, ‘See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.' And in Romans 8:15 we read, ‘For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” Let that sink in for a moment.
Notice how God commands them to listen to Jesus. God commanded the disciples to listen to Jesus at that time because they had not been very good at listening to Him so far. Remember what Mark told is Chapter 8, Verses 31-33: ‘And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and rebuked Him. But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
Verses 8 to 10
In these verses we see the glorious transfiguration come to an end and they come back down to earth so to speak. Being a Christian is like that. We can have extraordinarily great experiences of God’s glory but they don’t last forever in this earthly life. That’s what it’s like with revivals for instance.
Verse 10 shows us that the disciples still don’t fully understand the Gospel.
Verses 11 to 13
In these verses we see that the disciples have a question about the prophet Elijah coming before the Messiah. They were referring to Malachi 4:5-6: ‘Behold I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.’ In Verse 12, Jesus affirms what Malachi said.
But in Verse 13 He says that Elijah has already come. When He says that Elijah has already come, He is talking about John the Baptist. See Matthew 17:12-13. Just as Elijah made it clear who God is, John the Baptist made it clear who the Messiah is.
And Finally
The Transfiguration occurred at that time because it was a means of assurance for the disciples. They needed this after what Jesus said to them in Mark 8:31 which would have disturbed them.
We too need assurance from God from time to time. We need to know that everything is going to be ok. Assurance comes to us either directly or indirectly from God when He reveals His character, His glory to us.