What was the Transfiguration?

Soon after Jesus tells His disciples that He would suffer, be killed, and would raise to life, He took Peter, James, and John up a mountain to pray. While there Jesus' appearance was changed to a glorified form. Moses and Elijah also appeared to them. The "inner circle" of Peter, James, and John serve here as ample witnesses according to the Mosaic Law. This was no vision as Peter gives testimony to this account in 2 Peter 1:17. Scripture tells us that Jesus' face "did shine as the sun" and "his raiment was white as the light." God also came in a "bright cloud" that overshadowed them saying, "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." The purpose of this Transfiguration is not fully understood. Some suggest it was meant for the "inner circle" as to gain a better understanding who Jesus was and yet others believe Jesus explained in greater detail what was about to happen to Him. Whatever the case, the three men most assuredly realized the deity of Christ which also was reassured at His resurrection.

Matthew 17:1-8
Jesus took the "inner circle" of His disciples up on a high mountain to pray. The disciples had only known Him in His human body, but now had a better understanding of the deity of Jesus.

2 Peter 1:16-18
"We were eyewitnesses of His majesty..........we ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain."
Here Peter claims his eyewitness testimony of the Transfiguration.

The appearance of Moses and Elijah most likely represented the law and the prophets. That the law and the prophets must give way to Jesus, for He is the fulfillment of it and many prophecies of the Old Testament. Jesus may have also told Moses and Elijah that His death and resurrection is near. The Transfiguration was no doubt startling to the three men witnessing the power emanating from Jesus, the meeting of Moses and Elijah, and God's voice from the bright cloud declaring the Father's love for His Son. Jesus is shown to be greater than the law, greater than the prophets, and that He was the beginning of a new covenant with humanity that brings salvation and glory to our Heavenly Father...........Grace.

“Turn us again, O God, And cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭80:3‬ ‭

“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light….
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17:2-7‬ ‭KJV‬‬


“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭60:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭1:13-18‬ ‭

jesus revealed his glory to them

2 Peter 1:17.does not say or suggest that it was not a vision, which is what Jesus called it.

For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice
to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Matthew 17:9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying,
Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

hórama (a neuter noun derived from 3708 /horáō, "to see, spiritual and mentally") – a vision (spiritual
seeing), focusing on the impact it has on the one beholding the vision (spiritual seeing). See 3708 (horaō).

What was the Transfiguration?

Click to expand...

1. It was a miracle.

2. It gave not only the three apostles but the whole world (through Scripture) how Christ now appears and will appear in the future.

3. It was to glorify Jesus of Nazareth ahead of His actual glorification.

4. It was to show the apostles present that they were in the presence of both God the Father and God the Son at that time, and that the Father not only loves the Son in a way that no one can understand, but He was totally pleased with everything that Christ had done and said on earth.

5. Since the Father also told the apostles to hear Him, and only Him, they were reminded that Jesus is the sole authority for the apostles, for all Christians, and also for the world. His words must be taken with great attention and obedience.

6. It was to also meet with Moses and Elijah to talk about His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. (Luke 9:31). That word "decease" is actually "exodus" and means "departure" (and several translations have used "departure". But it also talks about something being "accomplished", and that cannot be limited to death. Death happens, but everything else that happened after the death of Christ was "accomplished". And "exodus" is the right word. Christ ultimately departed for Heaven.

7. We should also note that Luke says that Moses and Elijah "appeared in glory". they had a glorious appearance, and as a result the three apostles wanted to build tabernacles of worship for all three people. But they really did not know what they were saying and they were corrected by God.

8. Also Jesus told them not to reveal this vision to any man, and they did not do so until Peter mentioned it in his 2nd epistle.

Remember what you said about gods right hand sister ?
‭Matthew 16:28 KJV‬
[28] Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.


‭Matthew 17:1-3, 5-8 KJV‬
[1] And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, [2] and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. [3] And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
[5] While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. [6] And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. [7] And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. [8] And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.


‭Daniel 10:5-10 KJV‬
[5] then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: [6] his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. [7] And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. [8] Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. [9] Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. [10] And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.


‭Revelation 1:16-18 KJV‬
[16] And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. [17] And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: [18] I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

The transfiguration is a shadow of the coming for the dead and living in Christ and our assembly.

Moses represents the dead in Christ

Elijah represents the living in Christ. 1 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”

Meeting Jesus in the clouds.

After 6 six days---after 6000 years ( Matthew and Mark )

Luke couldn't quite remember---about eight days--similar event end of the Millenium about 8000 years

I can't explain why Jesus called it a "vision". But I still lean more to the event being literal, meaning they were actually there. 2 Peter 1:17 says, "there came such a voice", meaning they actually heard God. Also in verse 18 Peter said they "heard" the voice of God in the event. There are many places in Scripture that suggest the men were physically witnessing the event. Maybe what Jesus was meaning by "vision" was not like a dream state event, but a vision of them in glorified form? Jesus using "vision" to express this?
God bless!

Maybe they were all really there and he opened up thier vision to see beyond ehatbis natural for a moment into the spiritual realms

notice the cloud that arrives , and they enter into the cloud and see Jesus glorified then they hear the voice of surpassing glory say “ this is my son hear him “ then tbey sort of wake back to reality and see Jesus standing there as normal

If we look back to Moses and what Moses said about the coming messiah we can see that Moses entered the cloud also and was told that God would raise up a prophet like Moses and everyone who refused to hear that prophet he would raise up would be excluded from the people “

when Moses entered the cloud the glorious face of the lord would shine with his countenance and the glory wouod go to moses for a short time and his face would glow temporarily with gods glory .

its really a view inside the cloud where Moses went. It the people remained far away now we’ve been brought inside into his presence