The Transfiguration
Jesus shines on the mountain
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Story
What happened?
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The whole story, in shortWhat happens, start to finish. Open it if you want the ending first.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, where his clothes shone whiter than anything on earth, and Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with him. Peter was terrified and offered to build three shelters. Then a cloud covered them, and God's voice said, "This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!" When they looked around, only Jesus was there, and on the way down he told them to tell no one until he had risen from the dead.
Where it is in the Bible: Mark 9:2-13
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Jesus: The one the Gospels present as the promised Messiah and the Son of God.
- Peter, James, and John: Three of Jesus's closest followers. Peter and Andrew were brothers, and so were James and John. All four were fishermen before Jesus called them.
- Moses: The great leader who brought God's people out of Egypt and gave them God's law. He lived about 1,400 years before Jesus.
- Elijah: A great prophet who spoke for God. He lived about 850 years before Jesus.
Setting
- A high mountain. Mark does not say which one.
When
- Six days after Peter said that Jesus is the Christ, about 2,000 years ago.
Before the Story
Peter had just said who Jesus is. "You are the Christ," Peter said (8:29). Then Jesus told the disciples that he would suffer, be killed, and rise again (8:31).
Jesus made a promise. He said some of them would see the kingdom of God arrive with power before they died (9:1).
Moses and Elijah both met God on a mountain. Moses went up Mount Sinai, and a cloud covered it (Exodus 24:15-16). Elijah walked to Horeb, "the mountain of God" (1 Kings 19:8).
God promised that Elijah would come. The last book of the Old Testament says, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet" (Malachi 4:5).
Here's what you know that the disciples don't: At Jesus's baptism, a voice from heaven said, "You are My beloved Son" (1:11). Peter, James, and John were not there. Today they will hear that voice.
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Up the mountain | 9:2 | Jesus takes three disciples up a high mountain |
| 2. Shining | 9:2-3 | Jesus is changed, and his clothes shine |
| 3. Two visitors | 9:4 | Moses and Elijah talk with Jesus |
| 4. Three shelters | 9:5-6 | Peter, frightened, makes an offer |
| 5. The voice in the cloud | 9:7-8 | God speaks. Then only Jesus is there |
| 6. Coming down | 9:9-10 | Jesus tells them to keep it secret for now |
| 7. "What about Elijah?" | 9:11-13 | Jesus answers their question |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 7Up the Mountain
Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him. He led them up a high mountain. Only the four of them went.
The other disciples stayed below.
Scene 2 of 7Shining
There, in front of them, Jesus was transfigured. Transfigured means changed in how he looked. He was still Jesus. Now they could see his glory.
His clothes became dazzling white. They were whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them.
Back then, a launderer was a person whose job was to wash cloth and make it white. No launderer could make clothes this white.
Scene 3 of 7Two Visitors
Then Elijah and Moses appeared. They were talking with Jesus.
Mark does not tell us what they talked about. Luke tells the same story. He says they talked about Jesus's "departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:31). His departure means his death.
Scene 4 of 7Three Shelters
Peter spoke up. "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here," he said (9:5). Rabbi means teacher.
"Let us put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" (9:5). A shelter was a small tent or hut made of branches.
Mark tells us why Peter said it. The three disciples were terrified. Peter did not know what else to say.
Scene 5 of 7The Voice in the Cloud
Then a cloud came and covered them.
A voice came from the cloud. "This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!" (9:7).
It was God the Father's voice. It said almost the same words as at Jesus's baptism (1:11). Beloved means dearly loved.
Suddenly, the disciples looked around. Moses and Elijah were gone. They saw no one with them except Jesus.
Scene 6 of 7Coming Down
They walked back down the mountain.
On the way, Jesus gave them an order. They must not tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. "Son of Man" is a name Jesus used for himself.
They kept it to themselves. But they talked with each other about what "rise from the dead" could mean.
Scene 7 of 7"What About Elijah?"
The disciples had a question. "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" (9:11). Scribes were experts who taught God's law.
Jesus said that Elijah does come first, to set things right. Then Jesus asked a question back. Why do the Scriptures say the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected?
Jesus said Elijah had already come. People had done to him whatever they wanted.
Jesus did not say the name. But Matthew tells this story too. He says the disciples understood that Jesus was talking about John the Baptist (Matthew 17:13). King Herod had put John in prison and killed him (6:17-28).
Jesus would suffer too. The glory on the mountain did not change that. Jesus walked down the mountain toward Jerusalem.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "He was transfigured before them" (9:2) | For a short time, the disciples saw Jesus's glory, who he really is. He is true God. |
| "Elijah and Moses appeared" (9:4) | Moses gave God's law. Elijah was one of God's greatest prophets. Together they point to Jesus. The whole Old Testament points to him. |
| "Let us put up three shelters" (9:5) | Peter wanted to stay on the mountain. Jesus had more to do. |
| "A cloud appeared and enveloped them" (9:7) | In the Old Testament, God often showed he was near in a cloud, as at Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:15-16). |
| "This is My beloved Son" (9:7) | God the Father says who Jesus is. Peter was right. Jesus is the Christ, God's own Son. |
| "Listen to Him!" (9:7) | Moses had promised that God would send a prophet, and said, "You must listen to him" (Deuteronomy 18:15). That prophet is here. |
| "They saw no one with them except Jesus" (9:8) | Moses and Elijah were gone. Jesus is the one to listen to. |
Back Then
Nobody knows which mountain it was. Mark only says it was high. For a long time, many Christians have said it was Mount Tabor in Galilee. Others think it was Mount Hermon, a tall mountain near Caesarea Philippi, where the last story took place (Easton's Bible Dictionary).
People built shelters for a feast. At the Feast of Booths, God's people lived in shelters made of branches for seven days (Leviticus 23:42). They remembered how God took care of them in the wilderness.
Elijah did not die in the usual way. The Bible says a chariot of fire came, and "Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind" (2 Kings 2:11). Moses died, and God buried him. No one knows where his grave is (Deuteronomy 34:5-6).
Literal Reader Alert
Did Jesus turn into someone else? No. He was the same Jesus. The disciples saw his glory for a short time. Glory means God's greatness shining out so it can be seen. Then he looked as he always did.
How did they know it was Moses and Elijah? Mark doesn't say. The disciples had never seen them. Maybe Jesus called them by name. Maybe God let the disciples know. The Bible doesn't tell us.
Were Moses and Elijah ghosts? No. They were alive with God. Jesus once said that God "is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (12:27).
Was Peter wrong to want shelters? Mark is gentle with Peter. He says Peter was terrified and did not know what to say (9:6). God did not scold Peter. God pointed him to Jesus.
Why keep it a secret? Jesus said to wait until he had risen from the dead (9:9). Then they would understand it better. The glory and the cross belong together.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Peter | Happy | "It is good for us to be here" (9:5) |
| Peter, James, and John | Terrified | They saw Jesus's glory, and Moses and Elijah (9:6) |
| Peter, James, and John | Puzzled | They did not know what "rise from the dead" meant (9:10) |
| Jesus | Ready | He knew the cross was ahead of him (9:12) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
If you had been on the mountain, what would you have done? Tap one.
Stayed close to Jesus
That is where the disciples ended up. When the cloud was gone, only Jesus was with them.
Hidden my face
The disciples were terrified too. God did not scold them. God told them to listen to Jesus.
Said something silly
Peter did. Fear makes us talk. God was patient with him.
Wanted to stay there
Peter did too. Jesus came down the mountain, and he stays with us in ordinary days.
You Might Have Heard
"Real faith means always having mountaintop feelings."
What's true: Sometimes God gives us times when we feel very close to him. Peter said, "It is good for us to be here" (9:5).
What the story is mainly about: Who Jesus is. The disciples did not stay on the mountain. They walked back down with Jesus, toward Jerusalem and the cross. Jesus was with them on the mountain. He was still with them in the valley.
Where Jesus is: Shining on the mountain, and then walking down beside his friends. The same Jesus who shone in glory went to the cross for us.
Good News
On the mountain, the disciples saw Jesus's glory. A few weeks later, they would see him suffer and die. Both times, he was God's beloved Son.
Years later, Peter wrote about this day. "We ourselves heard this voice from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain" (2 Peter 1:18).
The voice did not say, "Look at Moses" or "Look at Elijah." It said, "Listen to Him!" (9:7).
Jesus shows us who God is. He came down the mountain to go to the cross for you.
Big Idea
On the mountain, God showed who Jesus is: his beloved Son. Listen to him. He came down to go to the cross for us.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
In the Small Catechism, Luther explains the Second Article of the Creed. He confesses that Jesus Christ is true God, born of the Father from eternity, and also a true human being, born of the Virgin Mary. On the mountain, the disciples saw that the man they walked with every day was also true God.
Luther often taught that we should not look for God in visions or high places. We should look for him where he has promised to be found: in Jesus, in his word, and in his sacraments.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. It reads this story every year on Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday before Lent begins. Year A reads Matthew 17:1-9. Year B reads Mark 9:2-9. Year C reads Luke 9:28-36. In Year B, the first reading tells how Elijah went up to heaven (2 Kings 2:1-12). Some churches also read it on the Second Sunday in Lent.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!
How did that feel?
You finished The Transfiguration.
Using this at church
Read in church on
- Transfiguration of Our Lord Year AGospel, Matthew 17:1–9
- Transfiguration of Our Lord Year BGospel, Mark 9:2–9
- Transfiguration of Our Lord Year CGospel, Luke 9:28–36 [37–43]
- Second Sunday in Lent Year CGospel, Luke 13:31–35 or Luke 9:28–36
For a newsletter or sermon notes
The Transfiguration, explained in plain words. Jesus shines on a mountain. A voice from a cloud says, "Listen to Him!" About 11 minutes. https://freescripture.org/stories/the-transfiguration/
Lines for the next eight Sundays, on Digital Lutheran Church