The Transfiguration - Mark 9
Mark 9 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”
The Transfiguration
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) 7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”
Reflection:
As Jesus had given the disciples a taste of the suffering he would go through, he now gives a foretaste of his glory. He takes them on a high mountain, similar to the mountain Moses went up to when he received the direct revelation of the law. Importantly he takes three of his closest disciples to experience this with him. Though most of all of the disciples had experienced most of the miracles, only the inner three get see him transfigured. His clothes were dazzling white, whiter than any process on earth could whiten. Only God could have brought about the purity they saw before them, and we will experience when we meet Christ in His resurrected glory.
With him appear Moses and Elijah. Most feel this represents the Law and the Prophets,who paved the way for Jesus to come. The Law represented the perfect Law and righteousness, which we could never attain on our own. The prophets spoke into the solution God would provide in sending a Messiah, a suffering servant who would take on the sins of the world. Impetuous Peter is so overwhelmed by the moment, he wants to capture it. He proposes building a tabernacle, which was the ordinary place God would dwell on earth with men. But this was superseded by the heavenly cloud that overshadowed them. From this cloud God affirms Jesus' identity as His Son and re-affirms His love for him.
As they return down the mountain, Jesus explains the nature of what happened in terms of His resurrection when he would enter this glory permanently. But the disciples are confused and think that this prophecy related to Elijah the prophet's death. They still can't wrap their heads around the fact that Jesus was not going to be a political Messiah, but the one that would save the world from their sins and usher in God's kingdom. This is the sense of verse 1, when Jesus says some standing here will not see death until they see God's kingdom come in power.
So what could this mean for us? God knew the disciples needed certain experiences before they would be ready to carry on the ministry after he rose from the dead. And each one received different training. Each of these three men played key roles after Jesus died. James was one of the first martyrs. Peter was the chief preacher of the Gospel, which brought people to Christ. And John lived to an old age and received many more revelations of the end times and how Jesus would return. Jesus continues to reveal himself today through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Church as it gathers in His name. Jesus made a promise that as we carry out the Great Commission, He will be with us to the end of the age.
We also experience Jesus as we read His Word and the Holy Spirit continues to speak to us through it. When we read the Word, we also should be asking the question, "What is God saying to me, and what am I going to do about it?" What might God be saying to you today about your relationship with Him through what Jesus has done for us? Why don't we ask Him! God it is good for us to be here this morning with you. As we go back down the mountain today, help us to lead lives that point to you. May Your Holy Spirit guide us in everything we say and do. Amen.
The Transfiguration
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) 7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”
Reflection:
As Jesus had given the disciples a taste of the suffering he would go through, he now gives a foretaste of his glory. He takes them on a high mountain, similar to the mountain Moses went up to when he received the direct revelation of the law. Importantly he takes three of his closest disciples to experience this with him. Though most of all of the disciples had experienced most of the miracles, only the inner three get see him transfigured. His clothes were dazzling white, whiter than any process on earth could whiten. Only God could have brought about the purity they saw before them, and we will experience when we meet Christ in His resurrected glory.
With him appear Moses and Elijah. Most feel this represents the Law and the Prophets,who paved the way for Jesus to come. The Law represented the perfect Law and righteousness, which we could never attain on our own. The prophets spoke into the solution God would provide in sending a Messiah, a suffering servant who would take on the sins of the world. Impetuous Peter is so overwhelmed by the moment, he wants to capture it. He proposes building a tabernacle, which was the ordinary place God would dwell on earth with men. But this was superseded by the heavenly cloud that overshadowed them. From this cloud God affirms Jesus' identity as His Son and re-affirms His love for him.
As they return down the mountain, Jesus explains the nature of what happened in terms of His resurrection when he would enter this glory permanently. But the disciples are confused and think that this prophecy related to Elijah the prophet's death. They still can't wrap their heads around the fact that Jesus was not going to be a political Messiah, but the one that would save the world from their sins and usher in God's kingdom. This is the sense of verse 1, when Jesus says some standing here will not see death until they see God's kingdom come in power.
So what could this mean for us? God knew the disciples needed certain experiences before they would be ready to carry on the ministry after he rose from the dead. And each one received different training. Each of these three men played key roles after Jesus died. James was one of the first martyrs. Peter was the chief preacher of the Gospel, which brought people to Christ. And John lived to an old age and received many more revelations of the end times and how Jesus would return. Jesus continues to reveal himself today through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Church as it gathers in His name. Jesus made a promise that as we carry out the Great Commission, He will be with us to the end of the age.
We also experience Jesus as we read His Word and the Holy Spirit continues to speak to us through it. When we read the Word, we also should be asking the question, "What is God saying to me, and what am I going to do about it?" What might God be saying to you today about your relationship with Him through what Jesus has done for us? Why don't we ask Him! God it is good for us to be here this morning with you. As we go back down the mountain today, help us to lead lives that point to you. May Your Holy Spirit guide us in everything we say and do. Amen.
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