Mark 9:1-8, The Transfiguration

¹ And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death [die] until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” [Perhaps this refers to the Transfiguration that follows or perhaps the Cross and Resurrection. Regardless, the Transfiguration is a foretaste of the final triumph of Jesus.]

 [All the Synoptic Gospels include the Transfiguration, which John strangely omits. The Synoptics closely link Peter’s confession with Jesus’ new teaching on his death followed by the Transfiguration. What appears on the human level as a failure—the death of Jesus—is given approval on the divine level with this revelation. The theology of the cross is given approval by the theology of glory with the two being inextricably linked.]

² And after six days [of Creation or “about a week”?] Jesus took with him Peter and James and John [his favored trio], and led them up a high mountain by themselves. [Mark does not give us the exact location or date.] And he was transfigured before them, ³ and his clothes became radiant, intensely white [unearthly purity], as no one on earth could bleach them. [Jesus’s glory is his own as he reassumed his divine glory which was his with the Father before the world began.] ⁴ And there appeared to them Elijah [representing the OT prophets] with Moses [representing the Law], and they were talking with Jesus. [Neither Moses, nor Elijah’s corpses were ever seen. God is reported to have buried Moses’ body himself, and Elijah is taken up into heaven in a whirlwind. Mark does not tell us about their conversation, but Luke tells us they were talking about what would happen in Jerusalem. Jesus needed others to talk to, and this trio much better understands the purposes of God than the other trio on the mountain.] ⁵ 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.” [Faith had momentarily passed into sight for Peter, John, and James. In this account the three did not fall asleep as they do in Luke. The shekinah-glory had covered the tent of meeting in Exodus 40:35, and perhaps this is what Peter has in mind in building tents. However, God’s glory was already living in a “tent” in the body of Jesus.] ⁶ For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. ⁷ And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” [God bears witness again to his Son, giving us one command: listen.] ⁸ And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.