The Narrative Meaning and Function of the Transfiguration of Jesus

From
John Paul Heil
The Transfiguration of Jesus:
Narrative Meaning and Function of Mark 9:2-8, Matt 17:1-8 and Luke
9:28-36
Analecta Biblica 144. Rome: Editrice Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 2000
Central to a proper understanding of the transfiguration narrative is the
recognition that in all three of its Gospel versions it has the literary genre
of an epiphany rather than of a theophany or vision. Understood as a
technical designation for a biblical literary genre, theophany refers to a
disposition of literary motifs which describes a coming of God recognized
by the terrifying circumstances that accompany it, such as earthquakes or
storm phenomena, rather than by seeing the actual figure of God. A
vision is a disposition of literary motifs which narrates the seeing by a
privileged individual or group of supernatural phenomena located mainly
in the heavenly realm. A vision employs a verb of seeing or its equivalent
and centers upon a seeing of heavenly realities reserved to the viewer. An
epiphany as a modern, technical designation for an ancient literary
genre is a disposition of literary motifs which narrates a sudden and
unexpected manifestation of a divine or heavenly being experienced by
certain selected persons as an event independent of their seeing, in
which the divine being reveals a divine attribute, action, or message.
Like the literary genre of theophany, an epiphany narrates a coming of a
divine being. In a theophany the divine being remains invisible and his
coming is recognized only by its effects on nature, such as earthquakes
or storm phenomena. But in an epiphany the divine being assumes visible
form and appears before the eyes of human beings. Like the literary
genre of vision, an epiphany narrates the viewing of heavenly realities. In
a vision the viewing is of heavenly realities or phenomena seen only
through the eyes of a selected viewer mainly within a heavenly location or
context. But in an epiphany the heavenly phenomena take place on earth
as an event visible to anyone privileged to witness it.
Although the transfiguration epiphany centers upon the recognition of the
transfigured Jesus true identity, the climactic accent of the divine voice
from the epiphanic cloud falls on the command: Listen to him! This
command creates the final dramatic tension of the epiphany and leaves
the Gospel audiences in suspense as to whether the disciples will listen
to Jesus as Gods beloved Son. Since the entire transfiguration epiphany
is oriented to and issues in this climactic, authoritative command or

mandate from the epiphanic voice, we may label it as a mandatory

epiphany.
The mandatory epiphanies to Balaam in Num 22:31-35, to Joshua in Josh
5:13-15, and to Heliodorus in 2 Macc 3:22-34 provide literary precedents
for the Gospel audiences to recognize and understand the literary genre
of the transfiguration narrative as that of a similar pivotal mandatory
epiphany, in which the climactic mandate serves as a pivotal focus.
These are all examples of a special kind of mandatory epiphany. The
climactic commands that represent the whole point and purpose of the
epiphanies closely relate to and clarify the meaning of the epiphanic
appearances. The climactic commands also enunciate and refer the
audience to key recurring themes that play pivotal roles in the broader
narrative contexts in which these mandatory epiphanies are located.
In the case of the transfiguration mandatory epiphany the pivotal mandate
not only points out that Jesus, rather than Moses or Elijah, is Gods
beloved Son, but also directs the disciples and the audience to listen to
Jesus in order to understand the significance of the epiphanic
appearance of the transfigured Jesus in conversation with Moses and
Elijah. The words of Jesus that the disciples and the audience are to heed
are the words predicting his passion, death and resurrection, a recurring
theme of pivotal significance in each of the Gospel narratives in which the
transfiguration occurs.
Jesus Transfiguration as an Epiphanic Motif
We now turn our attention to the meaning and significance of the
remarkable external change in Jesus face and clothing, the actual
transformation or transfiguration of Jesus as an epiphanic motif. Our
investigation of the meaning and background of the literary motif of the
transfiguration of Jesus leads us to conclude that it describes his
external, proleptic, and temporary transformation by God into a heavenly
being while still on earth. It points the Gospel audiences to Jesus future
and permanent attainment of glory in heaven as promised to the
righteous after their death.
This result rules out several other suggested interpretations. Jesus
transfiguration is not an internal self-transformation, but an external
transformation effected by God. It is not a revelation or disclosure of
his otherwise hidden eternal glory, but a temporary transfiguration or
transformation of his external appearance. Although Jesus ascends a
mountain, which is close to the heavenly realm, to be transfigured, he
does not ascend into heaven itself but remains on earth.
Jesus transfiguration does not mean that he is a new, second, or greater
Moses. The glorification of Moses on Mount Sinai did not occur in an

epiphany; it involved only his face; and it followed his speaking with God.
Jesus transfiguration, on the other hand, occurred as an epiphanic
appearance; it involved not only his face but his clothing; and it preceded
his conversation with the heavenly figures of Moses and Elijah.
Although the literary background to Jesus transfiguration involves
similarities to the heavenly figures of God and angels, his transfiguration
does not mean that he has become an actual angel or God, only that his
appearance has become temporarily angel-like or God-like. Nor does his
white clothing mean he has become a heavenly priestly figure. Rather,
the background most relevant for the Gospel audiences to understand the
motif of the transfigured Jesus, a human being still on earth, is that
involving the heavenly glory promised to the righteous in general after
their death.
The Epiphanic Appearance of Moses and Elijah with Jesus
Perhaps the most popular interpretation of Moses and Elijah in the
transfiguration account has been that together they represent the Jewish
scriptures, the Law and the Prophets, now fulfilled and surpassed by
Jesus. Although Moses can and often does stand for the Jewish Torah,
Elijah by himself does not normally represent all of the prophets to
complement Moses in this way. Indeed, the scriptures consider both
Moses and Elijah to be notable prophets, who together can represent the
entire prophetic tradition.
The prophets Moses and Elijah appear from heaven in conversation with
the transfigured Jesus to contrast the way that he will ultimately attain the
same heavenly glory they enjoy. According to the biblical account and
later Jewish traditions familiar to the Gospel audiences Elijah, although he
suffered persecution as a prophet, attained heavenly glory by ascending
directly into heaven without dying the death of a rejected prophet.
According to the biblical account Moses, although he suffered rebellion
and opposition from his people, was never put to death as a rejected
prophet. He died and was buried in a very extraordinary way, honored
and revered by his people. Later Jewish traditions indicate that the great
prophet Moses attained heavenly glory either at the time of his mysterious
death and burial or, like the prophet Elijah, without dying at all.
The Gospel audiences know that Jesus, unlike Moses and Elijah, will
suffer the destiny of the disgraceful death of a rejected prophet. The
Gospel audiences know that Jesus, unlike Moses and Elijah, will attain
heavenly glory only after being unjustly put to death by his people and
raised from the dead by his heavenly Father.
The Three Tents

Since Peter himself appears rather uncertain as to the appropriateness of

making a tent for each of the three heavenly visitors, the audiences of the
transfiguration narratives cannot be sure what exactly Peter has in mind
for the tents. After all, tents and dwelling places play various and yet
very important roles in the biblical traditions. From their knowledge and
familiarity with these various tent traditions the audience may think that
Peter wants to make three tents as temporary dwelling places (1) to
honor each individual heavenly figure and commemorate what God has
done in bringing about this marvelous manifestation of each of the three
heavenly figures, analogous to the commemorative role of the tents at the
Feast of Tabernacles; (2) to provide fitting locations for each of the
heavenly, prophetic figures to continue his glorious appearance and
communicate divine instructions to the disciples on earth, analogous to
the role of the tent as a place for divine communication in the Tent of
Meeting; (3) to furnish on earth appropriate hospitable habitations for their
sojourn similar to the habitations that Abraham, the patriarchs, and all the
righteous enjoy in heaven.
But the audience soon realizes that whatever Peter meant by the making
of three tents, his offer was inappropriate for two main reasons. First,
although Peter mentions Jesus in the most important first position in his
offer to make three tents, he nevertheless places Jesus on the same level
and in the same category as Moses and Elijah. That this is wrong
becomes evident as Gods voice from the overshadowing cloud directs
the disciples and the audience to listen only to Jesus, Gods own Son.
Secondly, although tents are temporary dwellings, the epiphanic
manifestation of the three heavenly figures turns out to be an extremely
ephemeral event, negating any need for even the temporary dwelling of a
tent. The appearance of the transfigured Jesus is but a momentary
anticipation of the permanent heavenly glory he will attain only after the
suffering, death and resurrection that he has predicted for himself. It is
this prophetic prediction by Gods own beloved Son that the heavenly
voice from the cloud commands the disciples and audience to heed. We
now turn to the significance and background of the divine voice from the
overshadowing cloud, as a second epiphanic action which interrupts
Peters offer to make three tents.
The Epiphanic Appearance of the Overshadowing Cloud
By the end of each transfiguration narrative the audience realizes that the
epiphanic cloud has overshadowed only Moses and Elijah. The cloud,
representative of Gods presence, has not only concealed Moses and
Elijah from the eyes of the disciples but has also separated them from
Jesus, so that the disciples no longer see Moses and Elijah, but only

Jesus. This is confirmed by the oracular function of the cloud, in which the
voice of God speaks from the cloud to the disciples, who are thus
outside the cloud, and directs them to listen to Jesus, the only one left
standing there, who is also thus outside of the cloud.
Although a cloud is not necessary as a medium for the voice of God, the
overshadowing cloud and the voice work together as an ironic interruption
of Peters uncertain offer to make a tent each for Jesus, Moses, and
Elijah. By way of analogy with the Tent of Meeting, Peter plausibly wants
to make a tent in honor of each heavenly figure at which each can
continue to deliver divine communication, thus prolonging and extending
to the disciples the conversation they see but do not hear taking place
among the three heavenly figures. By making a tent for each, Peter would
thus place each on the same level, honoring each with an equal
opportunity to speak and thus prolong the epiphanic event. But the
overshadowing cloud ironically interrupts Peters offer to make a tent,
dwelling place, or covering for each as it covers over or tents over
Moses and Elijah. Then, adding to the irony, the voice of God himself
utters a dramatic divine communication to the disciples, the mandate of
this pivotal mandatory epiphany, directing them and the audiences to
listen not to Moses and Elijah at tents but to Jesus left standing there
alone, authorized as Gods Son.
The vehicular function of the overshadowing cloud complements its
oracular function. Since the disciples see only Jesus after the voice of
God speaks from the overshadowing cloud, the audience, from their
knowledge of the vehicular function of clouds, is naturally to deduce that
the overshadowing cloud has not only concealed Moses and Elijah but is
in the process of or has already transported these figures back to heaven
from which they appeared in conversation with the transfigured Jesus. By
enveloping and transporting Moses and Elijah back to heaven, the
epiphanic overshadowing cloud has brought this entire epiphanic event to
an abrupt conclusion, as the disciples see Jesus left there alone, restored
to his pre-transfigured, earthly state.
The Markan Transfiguration and the Antecedent Narrative
When the audience hears that Jesus took along Peter and James and
John, and led them up to a high mountain privately, alone (Mark 9:2),
they are prepared for the possibility of a dramatic revelatory encounter
with God. The initial epiphanic action of this pivotal mandatory epiphany
occurs as Jesus was suddenly and unexpectedly transfigured by God
into a heavenly figure before the three disciples (9:2). That no bleacher
on the earth could thus whiten his clothes that became very radiantly
white (9:3) confirms for the audience the heavenly nature of Jesus

transformed clothing. Jesus transfiguration, his external, proleptic, and

temporary transformation by God into a heavenly being while still on
earth, indicates to the audience his future and permanent attainment of
glory in heaven as promised to the righteous after their death.
The epiphanic transfiguration of Jesus is immediately followed by an
additional epiphanic appearance of the heavenly figures of Elijah with
Moses in conversation with Jesus before the eyes of the three disciples
(9:4). The audience knows that neither Moses nor Elijah, although great
prophets who experienced opposition, were put to death by their people.
Does the appearance of the heavenly Moses and Elijah in close
association with the transfigured Jesus mean that he also will attain
heavenly glory like them, without dying the death of a rejected prophet?
That the three disciples became terrifed at the epiphany of the
transfigured Jesus in conversation with Moses and Elijah was the reason
Peter did not know what to reply (9:6), when he responded to the
revelation of the more profound identity of Jesus in relation to Moses and
Elijah by suggesting the making of a tent for each (9:5). Peter would place
each heavenly figure on the same level by making a tent for each to
prolong his glorious epiphanic appearance and to continue the divine
communication for the benefit of the disciples.
But Peter is interrupted by yet another sudden and unexpected epiphanic
appearance as a cloud overshadowed Moses and Elijah, implicitly
transporting them back to heaven. After Jesus baptism Gods voice from
the heavens told Jesus, You are by beloved Son, with you I am well
pleased! (1:11). But now Gods voice from the cloud tells the three
disciples, This is my beloved Son; listen to him! (9:7). What the
audience (1:, 11) and the demonic world have already known (3:11; 5:7)
God now reveals directly to the three disciples (9:7).
Gods voice from the cloud (9:7) serves as the pivotal mandate that
distinguishes Jesus from Moses and Elijah as Gods beloved Son and
commands the disciples and the audience to listen to Jesus. The
mandate thus pivots them back to the previous teaching of Jesus (4:2-3,
9, 23-24; 7:14; 8:18), especially his teaching about the necessity for him
and his followers to suffer and to lose their lives (8:31-38) before entering
into the heavenly glory of Gods kingdom anticipated by Jesus
transfiguration. As the pivotal mandatory epiphany concludes with Jesus
again alone with the disciples (9:8), the burning question remains: Will the
disciples and the audience heed the pivotal epiphanic mandate and listen
to Jesus in order to understand the way that he and they will attain the
heavenly glory anticipated by his transfiguration?
The Markan Transfiguration and the Subsequent Narrative

The mandate of the Markan transfiguration epiphany, Listen to him!

(9:7), has pivoted the disciples and the audience back to Jesus first
pronouncement for them to follow him on his way to suffering and death
before being resurrected to heavenly glory (8:31-38). It has also pivoted
them forward to the subsequent predictions of the necessity for him (9:12,
31-32; 10:32-34; 12:1-12; 14:8, 22-25, 27-31, 32-42) as well as them
(10:35-45) to give their lives in humble, suffering service for others with
the assurance of being raised from the dead (9:9; 12:18-27; 16:5-8) and
seeing his final coming in the heavenly glory (13:26; 14:62) prefigured by
his transfiguration.
Elijah has already come in the person of John the Baptist (1:2-6), and
they did to him whatever they wished (9:13), that is, put him to death
(6:19), as Jesus will be put to death. Therefore, the audience is to realize
that Elijah has not come (9:11) as the heavenly figure the disciples
witnessed in the transfiguration epiphany (9:4). And Elijah will not come to
take Jesus down from the cross (15:35-36), because unlike the Elijah in
the transfiguration epiphany, who attained heavenly glory without being
put to death, Jesus must suffer death before attaining the heavenly glory
foreshadowed by his transfiguration.
The audience experienced a shocking irony when the Roman centurion
who witnessed Jesus death is the only human being to confess his divine
sonship: Truly this man was Son of God! (15:39). Because he listened to
how Jesus revealed himself to be Son of God by dying on the cross with
a loud voice of total trust in Gods plan that he suffer and die (cf. 12:6;
14:36), the centurion confirmed for the audience Gods own voice from
the overshadowing cloud at the transfiguration: This is my beloved Son;
listen to him! (9:7; cf. 1:11).
Only with a humble, faith-filled prayer for Gods powerful help will the
disciples and the audience be healed of their metaphorical deafness and
muteness (9:14-29) to the divine necessity of following Jesus way of
suffering and death. The powerful Gethsemane prayer of Jesus
empowers the audience to play their role in Gods plan by watching and
praying. By praying in imitation and on the strength of Jesus prayer, they
can submit their wills to Gods will and follow Jesus way of suffering and
death, as they await Jesus final coming in the glory prefigured by his
tranfiguration (14:32-42, 62).
The Markan narrative challenges the audience to tell others of the
significance of Jesus transfiguration (9:9) as the assurance that
resurrection to heavenly glory follows suffering and death for the gospel of
Jesus (16:5-8).
The Matthean Transfiguration and the Antecedent Narrative

In Matt 17:1 when the audience hears that Jesus took along Peter and
James and John his brother, and led them up to a high mountain
privately, they are prepared for the possibility of some sort of a dramatic
revelatory encounter with God. The initial epiphanic action of this pivotal
mandatory epiphany occurs as Jesus was suddenly and unexpectedly
transfigured by God into a heavenly figure before the three disciples.
That his face shone as the sun, while his clothes became white as the
light (17:2) confirms for the audience the heavenly nature of Jesus
transformed face and clothing. Jesus metamorphosis, his external,
proleptic, and temporary transformation by God into a heavenly being
while still on earth, indicates to the audience his future and permanent
attainment of glory in heaven as promised to the righteous after their
death.
The epiphanic transfiguration of Jesus is immediately followed by an
additional epiphanic appearance of the heavenly figures of Moses and
Elijah in conversation with Jesus before the eyes of the three disciples
(17:3). The audience knows that although Moses and Elijah were great
prophets who experienced opposition and rejection, they were never put
to death by their own people. Does the appearance of the heavenly
Moses and Elijah in close association with the transfigured Jesus mean
that he also will attain heavenly glory like them, without dying the death of
a rejected prophet?
Peter would place each heavenly figure in the same category by offering
to make a tent for each to prolong his glorious epiphanic appearance and
to continue the divine communication for the benefit of the disciples
(17:4). But Peter is interrupted by yet another sudden and unexpected
epiphanic appearance as a bright cloud overshadowed the heavenly
Moses and Elijah, implicitly taking them back to heaven. Gods voice from
the cloud not only confirms the disciples and Peters previous
confessions of Jesus divine sonship (14:33; 16:16), it also reinforces
Gods declaration from the heavens at Jesus baptism in 3:17 and Gods
voice from a fulfillment quote in 12:17-18 that Jesus, now on his way to
suffering and death (16:21), is still my beloved Son, with whom I am well
pleased (17:5).
Gods voice from the cloud (17:5) serves as the pivotal mandate that
distinguishes Jesus from Moses and Elijah as Gods beloved, favored
Son and commands the disciples and the audience to listen to Jesus. The
mandate thus pivots them back to Jesus previous teaching about the
kingdom of heaven, especially his teaching about the necessity for him
and his followers to suffer and be put to death in 16:21-27 before entering

into the glory of the kingdom of heaven anticipated by Jesus

transfiguration.
Upon hearing Gods voice from the bright, overshadowing cloud, the
disciples react in a way typical in epiphanies. They fell upon their face and
were greatly frightened, overwhelmed into a fearful submission (17:6).
After Jesus, restored to his pre-transfiguration, earthly status, approached
the disciples and compassionately touched them, he strengthened and
reassured them with a formula common to epiphanies, Arise and do not
be afraid (17:7). Only in Matthew does Jesus utter words that
complement the voice of God from the cloud by encouraging the disciples
and the audience to heed the divine mandate.
The pivotal mandatory epiphany concludes with the earthly Jesus as the
only one of the epiphanic figures remaining with the disciples (17:8). A
dramatic suspense has been established for the remainder of the
narrative: Will the disciples and the audience heed the pivotal epiphanic
mandate and listen to Jesus in order to understand the way that he and
they will attain the heavenly glory anticipated by his transfiguration?
The Matthean Transfiguration and the Subsequent Narrative
The transfigurations mandate in Matthew, Listen to him! (17:5), has
pivoted the disciples and the audience back to Jesus previous
pronouncements for them to follow him on his way to suffering and death
before being raised to heavenly glory (10:38-39; 16:21-27). It has also
pivoted them forward to the subsequent predictions of the necessity for
him (17:12, 22-23; 20:18-19; 21:33-46; 26:2, 12, 26-29, 31-35, 36-46) as
well as them (20:20-28) to spend their lives in selfless, suffering service
for others with the assurance of being raised from the dead (17:9; 22:2333; 27:50-53) and seeing his final coming in the heavenly glory (24:30;
25:31; 26:64) prefigured by his transfiguration.
In the person of John the Baptist Elijah has already come (17:13), yet
they put him to death (14:5; 17:12), as Jesus will be put to death. The
audience realizes then that Elijah has not come first (17:10) as the
heavenly figure the disciples witnessed in the transfiguration epiphany
(17:3). Furthermore, Elijah will not come to save Jesus from death on the
cross (27:46-49), because unlike the Elijah in the transfiguration
epiphany, who attained heavenly glory without being put to death, Jesus
must suffer death before attaining the heavenly glory foreshadowed by his
transfiguration.
The disciples great sadness at Jesus prediction of his death and
resurrection in 17:23 further illustrates their little faith (17:20), their
failure to share the firm faith of Jesus himself in Gods power to heal the

possessed boy (17:14-20) and to raise Jesus from the dead to the
heavenly glory indicated by his transfiguration.
The dramatic Gethsemane prayer of Jesus in 26:36-46 empowers the
audience to play their role in Gods plan by watching and praying. By
praying in imitation and on the strength of Jesus prayer, they can submit
their wills to Gods will (26:39, 42) and follow Jesus way of suffering and
death, as they await Jesus final coming in the glory prefigured by his
transfiguration (16:27; 24:30; 25:31; 26:64).
The triumphant appearing of the holy ones, who were raised from the
dead when Jesus died in 27:50-52, to the many in the holy city of
Jerusalem after Jesus resurrection (27:53) encourages the audience that
they also will share in the resurrection of Jesus prefigured by his
transfiguration, if they are willing to take up the cross and lose their lives
for the sake of Jesus (10:38-39; 16:24-27).
The gentile soldiers climactic confession at the death of Jesus, Truly this
was the Son of God! in 27:54, confirms not only that of Jesus himself
before the high priest in 26:63-64, that of Peter in 16:16 and the disciples
in 14:33, but also that of God himself at the baptism and transfiguration of
Jesus--This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased! (3:17;
17:5). The trustful submission to Gods will (26:39, 42) that Jesus
demonstrates in dying on the cross provides the audience with a model
for their own obedient submission to Gods will that they take up the cross
and follow Jesus. The transfigurations pivotal mandate has been urging
the disciples and the audience to heed the challenge of Jesus passion
predictions in order to understand that Jesus is truly Gods beloved and
favored Son by dying on the cross (unlike Moses and Elijah) with faith
that God will vindicate him by raising him from death to the heavenly glory
foreshadowed by his transfiguration.
The angels message that Jesus, the crucified one, has been raised from
the dead just as he said in 28:6 emphatically confirms the fulfillment of
Jesus predictions that he would indeed be raised from the dead (16:21;
17:9, 22; 20:19; 26:32), which the transfigurations pivotal mandate has
urged the disciples and audience to heed (17:5). The disciples and
audience can now tell others of the transfiguration (17:9), because Jesus
resurrection from the dead makes clear that his transfiguration was a
temporary anticipation of the heavenly glory he would attain only after
suffering death at the hands of his people--unlike Moses and Elijah--and
being raised by God. Now that Jesus has become the glorified, heavenly
figure that was prefigured by his temporary transfiguration while on earth,
he is able to remain permanently with his disciples and the audience, so
that they can fulfill the risen Jesus mandate that they make disciples of all

nations by baptizing them and teaching all that Jesus commanded (28:1920).
The Lukan Transfiguration and the Antecedent Narrative
Since Jesus has prayed before very significant events in his ministry
(3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18), that he took along Peter and John and James
when he went up to the mountain to pray (9:28) prepares the audience for
yet another very significant event. While Jesus was praying on the
mountain, there suddenly occurs a spectacular epiphany of his
transfiguration into a heavenly figure, as the appearance of his face
became different and his clothing dazzling white (9:29). This dramatic
change in the face and clothing of Jesus signals to the audience that he
has been externally and temporarily transformed by God into a heavenly
being while still on earth. It anticipates his future and permanent
attainment of glory in heaven as promised to the righteous after their
death.
The initial epiphanic transfiguration of Jesus in the presence of the three
disciples is immediately followed by an additional epiphanic appearance
of two men, Moses and Elijah, who appear in glory and talk with Jesus
about his exodus, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem
(9:30-31). Jesus exodus or departure refers to the way that he will
leave this earthly life by the death and resurrection he has just predicted
(9:22). Unlike Moses and Elijah, who have attained heavenly glory without
being put to death by their people, Jesus will attain the glory prefigured by
his temporary transformation into a heavenly figure only after being
rejected and killed by the Jewish leaders (9:22). That Jesus was about to
accomplish his exodus in Jerusalem expresses its divine inevitability,
further linking it to the divine necessity of his death and resurrection. That
Jesus will accomplish his exodus from the earthly to the heavenly realm
in Jerusalem prepares the audience for his journey to the city where the
elders, chief priests, and scribes will play their role in his exodus that will
lead to his ultimate coming in glory (9:26).
Although the three disciples had been overcome with sleep so that they
did not hear the conversation about Jesus approaching exodus, they
became wide awake in time to see the glory of the transfigured Jesus and
that of Moses and Elijah standing with him (9:32). That upon awakening
they only saw the two men standing with him underlines for the audience
that while the three disciples were asleep they failed to hear these same
two men talking with him. That Moses and Elijah were standing with the
transfigured Jesus associates his glory with that of these two men, who
were likewise appearing in glory (9:31).

The narrator tells the audience that Peter did not know what he was
saying when he offered that they make a tent for each epiphanic figure.
Peter wants to prepare a dwelling place for each heavenly figure to
prolong his epiphanic appearance on earth, and thus to halt and render
unnecessary the separation of Moses and Elijah from Jesus that has
already begun (9:33). On analogy with the Tent of Meeting each tent
would also provide a place for each heavenly figure to offer divine
communication. But the audience experiences the irony that a heavenly
communication, the conversation about Jesus exodus in Jerusalem
(9:31), has already taken place while the three disciples were asleep
(9:32).
Placing the transfigured Jesus on the same level and in the same
category as the heavenly figures of Moses and Elijah implies that perhaps
Jesus, despite his previous prediction about the necessity of his suffering
and death before resurrection on the third day (9:22), has already or will
attain heavenly glory like Moses and Elijah, that is, without being put to
death by his people. Peter does not seem to realize that Jesus will attain
the same heavenly glory he now momentarily shares with Moses and
Elijah only after he has been put to death as a rejected prophet in
Jerusalem.
But Peter is interrupted by yet another sudden and unexpected epiphanic
appearance as a cloud overshadowed Moses and Elijah, implicitly
transporting them back to heaven. The disciples responded with fear as
Moses and Elijah entered into the cloud (9:34). After Jesus baptism
Gods voice from heaven told Jesus, You are my beloved Son; with you I
am well pleased! (3:22). But now God tells the three disciples, This is
my chosen Son; to him listen! (9:35). This confirms for the audience that
the Jesus to whom God gave the holy Spirit at his baptism will also play
the role of the Isaianic suffering servant of God.
Gods voice from the cloud (9:35) serves as the pivotal mandate that
distinguishes Jesus from Moses and Elijah as Gods chosen Son and
commands the disciples and the audience to listen to Jesus. The
mandate thus pivots them back to the previous teaching of Jesus (8:8,
18), especially his teaching about the necessity for him and his followers
to suffer and be put to death (9:21-27) before entering into the heavenly
glory of Gods kingdom anticipated by Jesus transfiguration. The pivotal
mandatory epiphany concludes with Jesus again alone with the disciples,
who kept silent and reported to no one in those days any of the things
they had seen (9:36). Will the disciples and the audience heed the pivotal
epiphanic mandate and listen to Jesus in order to understand the way
that he and they will attain the heavenly glory anticipated by his

transfiguration? Only by truly listening to Jesus will they be able to break

their silence and report in the days to come what they have experienced
in the transfiguration epiphany.
The Lukan Transfiguration and the Subsequent Narrative
The transfigurations mandate in Luke, To him listen! (9:35), has pivoted
the disciples and the audience back to Jesus previous pronouncement
for them to appropriate into their lives the suffering and death he will
undergo before being raised to heavenly glory (9:22-26). It has also
pivoted them forward to the subsequent predictions of the necessity for
him to suffer and be put to death as a rejected prophet in Jerusalem
(9:44, 51-56; 13:33-35; 18:31-33; 20:9-19; 22:14-23, 39-46; 24:4-7, 2527, 44-46) as well as for them to spend their lives in selfless, suffering
service for others (9:41; 10:39; 22:24-27; 23:35) with the assurance of
being raised from the dead (20:27-39) and sharing in the heavenly glory
(21:27; 22:69-70; 23:11; 24:26, 51) prefigured by his transfiguration.
Obeying the transfigurations mandate to listen especially to Jesus
passion predictions was necessary so that the risen Jesus could explain
to the non-understanding disciples (9:45, 54-55; 18:34; 22:24-27; 24:8-11)
the necessity for his suffering and death before entering into the glory
(24:25-27, 44-46) anticipated by his transfiguration.
The eventual absence of Jesus with his extraordinary healing power,
anticipated at his transfiguration, challenges the audience to have the
faith to continue the healing mission of Jesus (9:41; cf. 9:1-6; 10:1-9).
That Jesus resolutely set his face for the accomplishment of his
exodus (9:31) in Jerusalem (9:51-53), the same face that was
temporarily transfigured into glory (9:29), models for the audience the
determination they need to undergo suffering and death before attaining
heavenly glory (9:22-26). By attentively listening to the word of Jesus
(10:39), Mary is a model of obedience to the transfigurations mandate to
listen to Jesus (9:35). By following her example the audience will realize
that the words of Jesus call disciples to a selfless service that follows
Jesus on the divinely necessary way of his suffering and death (9:21), in
order to share in the resurrection to glory (9:22-26) anticipated by his
transfiguration.
Unlike the rejected prophets Moses and Elijah, the prophet Jesus will not
only be rejected but killed by the people of Jerusalem (13:33-34),
although he is Gods beloved and chosen Son (20:13; 9:35). But his
transfiguration into heavenly glory (9:29-32) assures the audience that
Jesus death as a rejected prophet will be vindicated by God raising him
(9:22; 20:17), so that he will come again in glory (9:26; 13:35).

Jesus transfiguration into an angel-like heavenly figure (9:29), which

foreshadows his future resurrection from the dead, reinforces for the
audience his assertion that those who attain the resurrection of the dead
enter into a heavenly existence that transcends earthly categories (20:3436). If the audience heeds the transfigurations mandate to listen to Jesus
(9:35), they will hear that although Jesus, unlike Moses and Elijah, will be
put to death, he will surely be raised from the dead like the patriarchs,
since God is not the God of the dead but of the living (20:38).
The transfigurations pivotal mandate to listen to Jesus (9:35) directs the
audience backward (9:26) and forward (21:27) to pronouncements about
Jesus future coming in glory, so that they will realize that the transfigured
glory of Jesus before his suffering and death is only a preliminary glimpse
of his final coming in glory after his suffering, death and resurrection. It
enjoins the audience to listen to the words of Jesus at his last supper in
order to understand that his transfiguration into a heavenly figure
portends his future partaking of the heavenly banquet in the kingdom of
God that will occur only after his sacrificial death (22:14-20).
By following Jesus example of prayer (22:39-46) the audience can
overcome the temptation not to submit their wills to Gods will that they
participate in Jesus way of suffering and death before sharing in
heavenly glory. The audience can now pray not only in imitation of but on
the strength of Jesus prayer. Just as Jesus gained courage by his prayer
and by faith in his ultimate triumph over death (22:69), so the disciples
and the audience can gain courage to endure possible suffering and
death (21:12-19), in order to share in the heavenly glory presaged by the
transfiguration of Jesus.
That Herod clothes Jesus in a bright shining garment (23:11) fit for a
heavenly being further assures the audience that Jesus will attain the
heavenly glory signaled by the dazzling white clothing of his
transfiguration (9:29). By dying on the cross as Gods chosen one
(23:35; cf. 9:35), Jesus models for the audience his provocative
challenge, which the transfigurations mandate urged them to
heed--whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his
life for my sake will save it (9:24; cf. 23:35).
Even after two angelic men revealed Jesus resurrection to the women at
the tomb, the disciples did not believe the women (24:4-11). But the risen
Jesus himself enabled first the Emmaus disciples (24:25-27, 32) and then
the whole group of disciples in Jerusalem (24:44-46) and thus the
audience to understand that, now that he has been put to death and
accomplished his exodus in Jerusalem (9:31), he has entered into the
glory (24:26) anticipated by his transfiguration (9:32). By continuing to

heed the transfigurations pivotal mandate (9:35) to listen to Jesus

exhortation to appropriate his suffering and death into their lives (9:2225), the audience can look forward to sharing in the heavenly glory
(24:26) of the risen Jesus when he comes again as the exalted Son of
Man (9:26; 21:27). Indeed, now that Jesus has ascended to heaven
(24:51) and rejoined the heavenly Moses and Elijah, the audience no
longer needs to keep silent about the things the disciples saw in the
transfiguration epiphany (9:36).