The Transfiguration of Jesus

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The Transfiguration of Jesus

The Transfiguration

The Transfiguration is a theophany, a manifestation of God, especially of the divinity of Christ, through a display of His uncreated, divine energy.

All three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) reference this biblical event and connect it with Christ's preceding prophecy just days earlier of His own suffering, the carrying of the cross, and the coming revelation of the Kingdom of God. 

The Lord took His closest and most trusted disciples, Peter, James, and John, up a high mountain. Even though the Evangelists don't mention this mountain by name, Christian tradition predominantly agrees that this was Mount Tabor in Galilee, south of Nazareth. This majestic hill is almost three thousand feet high, covered with flora from the bottom to about halfway up, giving amazing views of the surrounding valley.

Transfigured Before Them

The Lord, Jesus Christ, was "transfigured before them." He appeared before the disciples in His heavenly glory, from which His face grew bright as the sun, and His clothes became "as white as the light," "like snow," and "glistening." 

The Apostle Luke adds an important point, indicating that the reason for the ascent to this hill was to pray and that the Lord was transfigured during prayer: "As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening." 

The Apostles with Christ had fallen asleep during prayer, and when they awoke, they saw Him transfigured and flanked on either side by Moses and Elijah, who were speaking to Him about His forthcoming death in Jerusalem.

Icon of the Transfiguration of Jesus

Icon of "The Transfiguration of Christ"; Credit: Flickr/Jim Forest

Moses and Elijah

Moses appeared to show that Jesus was not a destroyer of his law, as the scribes and Pharisees said. The appearance of Moses, who had already died, and Elijah, who did not die but was taken alive into the heavens, revealed the Lord's power over both life and death, over heaven and earth.

The Apostle Peter expressed the especially grace-filled state that had inspired their souls: "Master, it is good for us to be here," and offered to set up three tents. Peter then says it would be better not to return to the evil world full of hatred and cunning, the world that was threatening the Lord with death and suffering.

The miraculous cloud, the evident indication of God's presence, surrounded them, and out of this cloud, they heard the voice of God the Father: "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!" These same words were heard during the baptism of Christ, but now with the added "Hear Him!" which should have reminded the apostles of the prophecy of Moses concerning the Messiah and the fulfillment in Jesus.

How the Transfiguration Shows Christ's Divinity

1. Because God is light (1 John 1:5), the bright cloud, the shining of Jesus' face like the sun, and the brightness of His garment all demonstrate that Jesus is God.

2. The Father bears witness from heaven concerning His Son. He says, "This is My beloved Son" (Mt 17:5), indicating that this divine glory is Christ's by nature.

3. The Transfiguration not only proclaims Christ's divine sonship but foreshadows His future glory when He, as the Messiah, will usher in the long-awaited Kingdom.

4. The Holy Trinity is manifest, for Christ is transfigured, the Father speaks from heaven testifying to Jesus' divine sonship, and the Spirit is present as a stunning light surrounding Christ's person, overshadowing the whole mountain.

Bible Passages of the Transfiguration

Read the full Bible text from each of the Gospel books in the passages below: Mark 9:1-13, Matthew 17:1-13, Luke 9:28-36

"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” ~ 2 Peter 1:16-17

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us" ~ 1 John 1:1-2

"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." ~ Revelation 20:11-12

Learn more about the Transfiguration in our Bible Dictionary!

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/sedmak

Mark 9:1-13

1 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.”
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.”

Matthew 17:1-13

1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.
3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.
7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”
8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.
12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”
13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

Luke 9:28-62

28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.
29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.
30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.
31 They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.
32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.
35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him.
38 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.
39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him.
40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”
41 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”
42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father.
43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples,
44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”
45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.
47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him.
48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”
49 “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”
50 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him;
53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.
54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them ?”
55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them.
56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

2 Peter 1:16-21

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.
21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

1 John 1:1-2

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

Revelation 20:11-15

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

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