Sunday, August 1, 2010

Mark 9:2-13 Jesus' Transfiguation

2 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. 7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves. 9 Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant. 11 And they asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 Then He answered and told them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 “But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.”

Devotional
Jesus having received the Apostle Peter’s declaration of His being the Messiah (Mark 8:29) and having foretold the disciples of His being rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes, and being killed, and after three days rising again (Mark 9:31). And then having had to rebuke the Apostle Peter for trying to dissuade Him from His death on the cross; and in so doing Jesus warns us all about trying to save our lives, but rather commands that we lose them for His sake and the gospels (Mark 8:34-9:1). Six days later Jesus than takes with Himself the Apostle’s Peter, James and John up on a high mountain where He is transfigured before them. Now the word translated transfigured is the word we derive our English word metamorphosis from. It literally means to transfigure, transform, or change (Strong’s). Biblically it describes “A permanent state from which change takes place.” Strong’s

In other words Jesus didn’t just become the Majesty of God before the disciples at that moment. He merely revealed to them what already exists; though He kept it veiled by His human flesh. Now Jesus’ unveiling His Divine Person to them not only confirmed the Apostle Peter’s declaration of Jesus' Person. But also, as we will see, it will be the means by which God instills within them a correct understanding of the Preeminence of His Person. For there can be no misunderstanding that whatever importance Israel placed on their long line of holy and righteous men called and raised up by God none is Jesus Christ’s equal.

Now the Scripture says when Jesus was transfigured before them “…His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them” vs. 3 Here then for the first time Jesus reveals His heavenly glory to the disciples as the Preeminent One. Now Jesus does not just appear to them alone, but also Elijah with Moses appear with Jesus talking with Him (vs. 4). Thus the two greatest figures in Israelite history, men whom every devout Jew hallowed, were here talking with Jesus. Which as the three Apostle's who watched these things unfold before their collective eyes, leaves no doubt that what was happening was not a single person’s vision from God. But what was occurring was an actual transfiguration of Jesus and a supernatural appearing of two of heavens highest mortal witnesses speaking with Him. Elijah being representative of all the prophets, and Moses being representative of the law, as Bible commentators have dually noted. Thus my point is the Lord Jesus Christ is not hostile to either the Law of God or His prophets, but as we will see, Jesus Christ is Lord of both. Now as Jesus conversed with them the Scripture says: 5 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. Vs. 5-6

Here the Scriptures use a combination of two Greek words to give us a heightened sense of their fear. Indicating they were literally frightened out of their wits (Strong’s). Peter’s rash and ill conceived words then are as the passage is indicating done in a moment of exceeding fear as he suggests to Jesus that they make tabernacles, meaning shrines of homage, one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah. Now Jesus had brought them there for the specific purpose of revealing His Person to them by transfiguration, not as one of the prophets, or giver of the Law, but as Lord of both. Therefore in so doing, Peter was unwittingly putting Jesus on par with Moses and Elijah. Something neither of them would have done, nor allowed to be done to them. For Moses spoke of the Prophet who would come after Him and Elijah by His miraculous works foretold what manner of Person God’s Prophet would be. Therefore with Peter’s exalting them on par with Jesus, while Jesus’ heavenly glory is being revealed to him brings a swift response from Heavens Tabernacle. Therefore picking up the Scripture in verse seven it states: 7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves. Vs. 7-8 Therefore whatever eminence Moses and Elijah once held in their minds and hearts (and thus the law and prophets) Jesus Christ the Son of God and His Preeminence and His Word is to forever remain and overshadow it all, just as the cloud had overshadowed them. That is self evident by God’s Words to the three chosen Apostles as well as the disappearance of both Moses and Elijah from their sight with only Jesus and themselves remaining.
For God having spoken directly to men commending Jesus Christ His Son to us all, He has commanded us all, Jew and Gentile alike, to Hear Him! That point is everything! For In Jesus Christ is God’s will for all of mankind. Now this doesn’t mean we don’t listen to what God speaks to us through His Scriptures in the Old Covenant. It means we give our faith and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ and His and His Apostle's Words, not Moses and law (John 1:17; 5:39-47). Now the Lord Jesus having revealed Himself to His three chosen Apostles. As they come down from the mountain commands them that they should tell no one the vision until He rises from the dead. Since any premature revealing of Jesus' Person might prevent His crusifxion and thus mankinds redemption. As well the disciples knowledge at this point, clearly is incomplete, as they question among themselves what the rising from the dead meant (vs. 9-10). Now the disciples ask Jesus why the scribes say that Elijah must come first. 12 Then He answered and told them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 “But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.” Vs. 12-13
Notice the disciples are still somewhat distracted with the teachings of the scribes who say that Elijah must come first, that is before the Messiah; which is a reference to Malachi 4:5-6. The prophecy then is fulfilled in John the Baptist as Matthew’s parallel passage makes clear (See Matt. 17:10-13). Thus Jesus agrees with the scribes understanding on that point, yet it is not Elijah, rather Christ that they (and we all) must look to as Jesus says of Himself "...And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 “But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.” Vs. 12-13

Therefore just as Jesus’ revealed Glory precedes His descent down to Jerusalem which will end outside of the city on a cross before jeering crowds. In similar fashion Jesus Christ’s followers likewise must first go down into a hostile world and share in His sufferings before they enter into His glory (Heb. 13:12-15). For as the scribes did not recognize John the Baptist as coming before the Christ (and they did to him whatever they wished) neither will they recognize the Christ. The disciples though do, the question is do you? And as Jesus supernaturally revealed Himself to the Apostle's so He can do so through all of us who believe in Him. For Jesus Christ indwelling us by the Spirit of God makes us vessels by which His Person may be revealed to others. As the Apostle Paul said: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor. 3:18 Thus our persons will reflect the glory of the Lord, by the Spirit of the Lord, as we individually and collectively as a Body of believers who are endowed with, and are being transformed by the Spirit of the Lord obey the Lord. Though that glory of the Lord in believers is by no means perfect and always actively noticeable. Yet He is being revealed more and more in us by the Spirit of the Lord as He transforms our person to more and more reflect Jesus Christ's Person. Therefore fellow believers take heart in the low times for these are not forever. For ultimately if you have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ they will become just a means to an end as God uses them to form Christ likeness in you. Now if you have not yet made a decision to receive all that God has done for you through the Lord Jesus Christ so that you too can share in His glory, you can do that right now. By praying a simple prayer in faith inviting Him into Your heart and life you can have peace with God and assurance of eternal life. Simply pray something like this: Dear Lord Jesus I know that I'm a sinner and I need your forgivness. I believe You were crucified for me to save me from my sins. Therefore I now invite You into My heart and life to be my Lord and Savior both now and forever, amen.


Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Additional Resources
Strongs' New Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words

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