He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, let us make here three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Hear Him!"  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.  But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.  Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands."  Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

- Matthew 17:1-13

Yesterday, we read that after Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, from that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to His works.  Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.   When Matthew tells us that after six days Jesus took these disciples with Him up on a high mountain, this likely makes it the eighth day, if we begin counting from the day of Peter's confession and Jesus' revelation of His Passion, death, and Resurrection.  The six days are those in between the days of the two events in the Gospel.  Luke's Gospel tells us the Transfiguration occurs "about eight days after these sayings."  The eighth day is significant, as it is symbolic of Resurrection, the new day of the Kingdom, or Sunday (the Lord's Day).  It tells us the extraordinary revelation happening here and its nature.  A high mountain is frequently a place of divine revelation in Scripture (5:1; Genesis 22:2; Exodus 19:3, 34; Isaiah 2:3; 2 Peter 1:18).   God is light (1 John 1:5), and the light emanating from His face and from His clothing is a divine light, signaling His divine energy; this is considered an "uncreated light" and is often painted in icons of the Transfiguration with a blue tint, making it brighter and more intensely full than earthly light, beyond white. 

And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  The presence of Moses and Elijah also give us a hint about this extraordinary event.  Moses represents the Law, and all those who have died.  Elijah represents the Prophets, and since he did not experience death, all those who are alive in Christ as well.  Thereby the Law and the Prophets, and all the living and the dead, bear witness to Christ as Messiah in fulfillment of the Old Testament.  Their presence also signals the communion of saints in Christ's kingdom (Hebrews 12:1).  There is no separation of time and space here, and as we shall see, the disciples know who they are without being told.

Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, let us make here three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."   Peter's response is to make tabernacles:  this is the work of the feast of the coming Kingdom, or Festival of Booths (or "tabernacles").  These tents serve as symbols of God's dwelling among the just in the Kingdom.  His suggestion shows that Peter has an awareness that this Kingdom is manifest in their midst.

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Hear Him!"  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.   Here is a Theophany, or manifestation of God, a revelation of the Trinity.  My study bible says that the bright cloud recalls the time of temple worship and the cloud that went before the Israelites in the wilderness, another sign of God being extraordinarily present.   Here is the presence of Father's voice proclaiming Jesus as Son, and in the dazzling light of Christ's face and clothing is the presence of the Spirit, casting light all around.  For this reason, the Transfiguration is traditionally a major feast day.

Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.  But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.  Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands."  Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.  Having witnessed Moses and Elijah speaking with Christ, the disciples are able to understand that Malachi's prophecy of the return of Elijah before the Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6) was fulfilled in John the Baptist, who came "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17).  Jesus' emphasis -- even directly after this spectacular revelation --  is once again on the suffering that He will endure, just as John the Baptist also suffered and was murdered.

The Transfiguration ("Metamorphosis" in the Greek) is an event of extraordinary significance.  Not only do the events explained here represent all that we have already noted, but in fact it tells us something about our own journey in faith, Christ's effect upon us, and reveals that while He is divine, it does not mean that He will not suffer from the earthly things which may afflict each of us.  We have a great paradox here:  the revelation of Christ's full divinity is sandwiched in between predictions and reminders that He is to suffer and be killed, just as John the Baptist suffered and was killed.  But His teaching about Resurrection is also enforced by this extraordinary experience and revelation.  Resurrection is always about the light that shines in the darkness, the life in the tomb.  Transfiguration ("Metamorphosis") is also about Christ's divine work in us, for where He is there also is the Father and the Spirit, there also is the Kingdom and the communion of saints.  We have all this as blessing, life, and presence as faithful.  Our own journeys in faith are full in the process of transfiguration, of the divine work in us to create us in the image of light given by God, to render us a part of His Kingdom, returned to Creator.  The Transfiguration ties up the presence of the Kingdom, the Resurrection, and the light that shines for us in the darkness all together, giving us a palpable image of our faith from which to draw all kinds of metaphors and understanding -- and to inspire us to know and experience more of this Kingdom.  It also teaches us about the union of heaven and earth, the presence of the Kingdom in this world, the light that lives with us as well and that "breaks through" as great gift.  This is the nature of the holy, the life that exists within us and among us, although we don't always "see" it physically.  The key here is our own understanding of and experience of that presence that infuses and uplifts and gives us hope.  It is a light that invites us to know its beauty and love when others do not, it beatifies the world and our lives, it gives meaning and creativity and inspiration.  It reminds us of the 'so much more' to life than we may know or perceive that is truly always present, with us.  Light is also about illumination of the mind, that which guides our way and helps us to know where we are going and where we want to be headed.  This divine energy is present for us at all times, and we may access it through prayer, even the prayers of the saints and angels, the great cloud of witnesses.  Our journey may seem very, very slow -- but it is the slow journey of transfiguration, of the light that reaches here for us.