Transfiguration

Roughly six to eight days after speaking about discipleship and the coming kingdom, Jesus took aside Peter, James, and John the brother of James. And Jesus led them up a high mountain to pray. The gospels do not record that Jesus and His disciples had moved from Caesarea Philippi in the previous few days. If they had, then the mountain might be Mount Tabor, seven miles to the south. But if they had not changed their location, the mountain would be Mount Hermon.

Well, as Jesus was praying, He was transfigured before His disciples. His face shone like the sun. And His clothes became radiantly white, brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them. Suddenly two men appeared before them—Moses and Elijah. They appeared in glory, and they began talking with Jesus. They spoke about His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 

Peter, James, and John had been overcome by sleep. But when the three awoke, they saw Jesus' glory and Moses and Elijah talking with Him. As Moses and Elijah were leaving, Peter said to Jesus, “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.” For the three were so terrified that Peter did not know what else to say.

While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, whom I have chosen and in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown in terror.

Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

As they came down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

So, the three kept this matter to themselves, discussing what it meant to rise from the dead. But they did not tell anyone else what they had seen. As they continued down the mountain, the three asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus replied, “Elijah does indeed come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected? But I tell you that Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him. But they have done to him whatever they wished, just as it is written about him. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands”

Then the disciples understood that Jesus was speaking about John the Baptist.

See Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36; Malachi 4:5-6; Isaiah 52:13-15; Isaiah 53

Note: "Roughly six to eight days" - six days according to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, about eight days according to the Gospel of Luke.

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