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. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 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.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. 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. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

This is such a fascinating event on so many different levels. Jesus picked Peter, James, and John to accompany him. These were his inner circle. He is separating them out for leadership now. After Jesus’ ascension, we don’t hear much from James. He was martyred by Herod the Great in Acts 14. John and Peter were highlighted much in Acts and wrote significant portions of the Bible (Peter his two books, plus likely significantly influencing the gospel of Mark; John the gospel of John plus I, II, and III John).

As these three follow Jesus up the mountain, they really clearly are in shock. They see Jesus transfixed on the mountain. This is likely a temporary conversion to his heavenly body. He is met by Elijah and Moses. What they talked about the disciples could not discern. The text tells us they were confused and did not know what to say. So Peter offers to build them tents.

And then they come down and Jesus instructs them not to tell the other disciples what happened. So the question I have is: “Why?” Why even involve them in this event? Why the secrecy?

First, he wanted them to understand they were his leadership succession plan for the church. He was preparing them early on to think about and hopefully accept this responsibility. Second, he wanted them to hear God’s voice about him being his Son. This authority and power he had not only came from God — he was God in the flesh, the Messiah.

Third, he wanted them to hear that God was pleased with him. I think this was critical, because he was re-energizing the faith of his followers in God. He did this by speaking to the root of the issues God cared about and calling out hypocrisy in the church.

And I think there may have been a fourth reason: could it be that he wanted them to know who God had chosen to sit at his right and left hands when he went back to heaven? Would Elijah and Moses be the chosen ones? I believe this is likely what is indicated by them being here.

Moses delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, led them to the promised land, and faithfully delivered the Jewish law to the people. He served as their leader in some very hard times in the desert and was faithful. He performed amazing miracles and met personally with God.

Elijah was probably the prophet that displayed the most of God’s power. He called out his people for worshipping Baal, set up a contest of God-power, and showed them once and for all that God was truly beyond compare in might, power, and sovereignty. And Jesus’ front runner, John the Baptist, was described as coming in the power of Elijah.

What I find interesting is that just one chapter later, James and John ask to sit at the right and left hand of Jesus in glory (Luke 10:37). They totally missed the likelihood here that these pillars of faith would seem to have been the pick. It was not because they asked to be picked, it was because of the lives of faithfulness they lived. And Peter later would deny Jesus three times.

Clearly, this event, the transfiguration, was a faith marker for these three that they would only come to understand much later.

Isn’t it interesting how God and Jesus planned out how they would present evidence of Jesus’ sovereignty and what matters in life early on, knowing it could not be understood right away? How has God done this for me?

Can I build faith evidence, examples, and experiences now, that my children and mentees will realize, later on, what they mean, to a deeper degree?

Lord, thank you for this somewhat mysterious passage. It shows us your divine nature, even while on earth. It shows that you were identifying and investing early in future leaders. And we see that you wanted them to experience things that stretched them in their faith, things they could not possibly fully comprehend in the moment. You do this with me too. For the faith-stretching — I thank you!