28 And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, that
he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up into the
mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the fashion of his
countenance was altered, and his raiment _became_ white _and_
dazzling. 30 And behold, there talked with him two men, who were
Moses and Elijah; 31 who appeared in glory, and spake of his
decease which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now
Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: but when
they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that
stood with him. 33 And it came to pass, as they were parting 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 Elijah: not knowing what he said. 34 And while
he said these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them:
and they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35 And a voice
came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Son, my chosen: hear ye
him. 36 And when the voice came, Jesus was found alone. And they
held their peace, and told no man in those days any of the things
which they had seen.
The transfiguration of Christ was closely associated with the predictions
both of his death and of his return in glory. It prepared him and also his
disciples for the former and it was a symbol and a foretaste of the
latter. Just what the physical experience may have been, it is difficult
to conjecture. It was not like that of Moses on Mount Sinai when his face
glowed with reflected light. In the case of Jesus the glory was from
within. A divine splendor shone forth irradiating the body and even the
garments of our Lord.
Luke tells us that this occurred as Jesus was praying; and it is more than
a mere figure of speech to say that when in prayer his followers find, in
some measure, what it is to be transfigured into his likeness from one
degree of glory to another by the power of his indwelling Spirit.
Jesus had been accompanied on the mountain top by only Peter, James, and
John; but suddenly “There talked with him two men, who were Moses and
Elijah; who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he was about
to accomplish at Jerusalem.” This, then, was the high purpose of the
event; it was to interpret to the mind of Christ more perfectly the
meaning of his death, and to encourage him to endure its anguish by this
glimpse of the glory that would follow. It is easy to understand why Moses
and Elijah should be selected for so august a conference. One had been
regarded as the symbol of law and the other of prophecy, and both law and
prophecy pointed forward to Calvary; and again both Moses and Elijah had
received a special revelation of the grace of God, and he was to manifest
his grace supremely in the death of his Son.
It is not strange that Peter longed to linger in such heavenly
companionship, and in bewilderment absurdly proposed the erection on the
mountain of three booths for the comfort of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.
“While he said these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them:
... and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Son, my chosen:
hear ye him.” There was no need of detaining Moses and Elijah; if the
Master remained with his disciples, that was enough. Henceforth all that
the Law and the Prophets had foreshadowed would be completely revealed and
embodied in Jesus Christ. Part of that revelation was made in his death;
the full revelation will come when he returns in that glory of which the
Mount of Transfiguration gave a foregleam.