He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.  And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.  And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.

Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.  So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.  And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things.  And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?  But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."

- Mark 9:2-13

Yesterday we read that when Jesus had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever 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 and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit 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 whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."  And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.  And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.  And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.   The Transfiguration is a central event in the ministry of Jesus for a number of reasons.  We first understand, in light of our discussions about faith in recent readings and commentaries, that Jesus takes His "inner circle" with Him up the high mountain:  Peter, James, and John.  This is an indication that an event requiring great faith is to happen.  In Jesus' transfiguration is seen by tradition a light such as no launderer on earth can reproduce its brightness.  In icons, the Transfiguration (which is called Metamorphosis in Greek) is often depicted with a blue tinge to depict its whiter than white quality of extraordinary light which has a spiritual origin.  Peter's seemingly incomprehensible response is one that comes from the Feast of the Coming Kingdom, the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot, in which tabernacles (or tents) are built such as those in which the Israelites dwelt on their way to the promised land, and recalls the tent of meeting which was overshadowed by such a bright cloud.  In Luke's Gospel, the three figures of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah discuss His "exodus" -- meaning His death on the Cross. 

Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.  So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.  And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things.  And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?  But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."  Matthew 17:13 tells us that the disciples understood at this point that Jesus was speaking about John the Baptist as Elijah.

The Transfiguration is by tradition connected with the Crucifixion.   But first we must understand the elements that constitute a theophany, a revelation of God:  the light of God transfigures Jesus and everything about Him, even His clothing becomes an intense white so bright it's like nothing on earth.  This is a sign of the extraordinary presence of God, the energies of God that transfigure all things, and the light of the Holy Spirit.  There is the voice of the Father who declares, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!" giving us a revelation of the Holy Trinity.  The bright cloud is similar to that which surrounded the tabernacle of Moses (Exodus 40:33-35).    Moses represents the law and all those have died, while Elijah represents the prophets, and (since he did not experience death) all those who live in Christ.  Both also manifest the communion of the saints.  My study bible says that Christ's death is intimately connected to the glory of Transfiguration, for Christ is glorified through His death (John 12:23).    In many churches, the Feast of the Holy Cross is celebrated forty days after Transfiguration.  The Cross is the ultimate instrument of transfiguration by Christ and His life and ministry, in which death itself is "trampled by death" -- making the dreaded cross of Roman crucifixion an instrument of eternal life for all.  The glory of Christ revealed at Transfiguration also tells us that this death will be voluntary.   Christ's glory could easily have prevented arrest and detention if He had not consented to this gift of love.  The discussion in Luke of Jesus "exodus" (in the original Greek text) also gives us the remembrance of the Old Testament Passover.  As my study bible puts it, the true exodus from enslavement into salvation.   As we consider the Transfiguration, we remember also that our faith teaches us that we participate in His life and ministry.  And so we ask ourselves how this singular event is reflected in our lives.  How does God transfigure you?  Have you changed as a result of your faith?  We may be surprised at the outcome of God's energies and love; sometimes the strength of the change isn't what we expected at all.  But then, we are in this for a new point of view, too.