A Glimpse Of Glory

Mark 9:2-13 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you

and one for Moses and one for Elijah and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

Luke 9:29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. Luke 9:32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Mark 9:3 And his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.

Revelation 1:14-17 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.

Christ clothed Himself with heavenly glory for a short time Christ clothed Himself with heavenly glory for a short time.  His transfiguration did not altogether enable His disciples to see Christ as He now is in heaven, but gave them a taste of the boundless glory such as they were able to comprehend.  This was not a complete exhibition of the heavenly glory of Christ, but under symbols which were adapted to the capacity of the flesh, He enabled them to taste in part what could not be fully comprehended. – John Calvin

Mark 9:4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. The great lawgiver and the great prophet- together they point to the hour of fulfillment of all that the Old Testament foreshadows. – Leon Morris

Mark 9:8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

That’s Mark’s way of saying: Moses is gone, Elijah is gone, and Jesus is the bridge over the gap between God and humanity. Jesus is able to give what Elijah couldn’t give, what Moses couldn’t give, what no one else could ever deliver. Through Jesus, we can cross the gap into the very heart of reality. - Timothy Keller

Luke 9:30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.

The Transfiguration The Cross A very private event A very public event Surrounded by two spiritual giants of the faith Surrounded by two hardened criminals 3male disciples view the glory at close range 3 female disciples view the suffering from a distance A divine voice announces that Jesus is the son of God A lone Roman solider exclaims “surely this man was the Son of God.” In a state of suffering, the glory of paradise is mentioned- “Today you will be with me in paradise.” In a state of glory, the cross is mentioned.

We do not choose suffering simply because we are told to, but because the one who tells us to describes it as the path to everlasting joy. – John Piper