AGOSPEL MEDITATION # 201
The Transfiguration
Mark 9:2-13
- Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions.
- Be comfortably alert, still and at peace.
- Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer
- Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
- Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
- Reread it. From memory, determine the central points.
- Peter, James, and John, the ‘inner three’ accompany Jesus on the mountain. (Mt Hermon?) (see Exodus 24:15-18)
- Suddenly Moses and Elijah are present, and present in body not a ghostly or soulish presence. Here resurrected, come from the presence of God, indicated by the whiteness and the overshadowing cloud, Moses likely representing the Law and Elijah likely representing all of that which is prophetic, they are speaking with Jesus.
- Peter is so clear about the real and actual presence that he wants to provide shelter for the three.
- “This is my beloved Son, listen to him” is the central message and reason for the transfiguration. (see Mark 1:9-11) The words are for the three apostles as well as for Jesus Himself; they are words of affirmation and confirmation.
- Once the words from the Father are heard, the glory cloud as well as Moses and Elijah are suddenly gone.
- It is probable that the ‘inner three’ needed the experience given the recent announcement of the killing of Jesus by the religious leaders. The ‘three’ were vulnerable and given to error as we see in many places in Scripture. But they would never forget what happened on the mountain.
- Typical of Jesus, He did His best to keep the three from broadcasting what they now knew.
- They did as told, yet wondered about the incredible truth of resurrection they had just witnessed. Obviously, Moses and Elijah had been raised form the dead.
- The question about Elijah indicates the three did not yet fully understand so Jesus patiently explains more to them. It is not surprising such would be most difficult to grasp.