Word Live: A Vision And A Voice
If you wanted to confide something to a few trusted friends, who would you choose? Why is confidentiality important in friendship?
Bible passage
Mark 9:2–13
The transfiguration
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what ‘rising from the dead’ meant.
11 And they asked him, ‘Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?’
12 Jesus replied, ‘To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.’
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Explore
Peter, James and John seem to have been those whom Jesus trusted the most, and he took them with him up the mountain. There he was transfigured before them – they were able to see for the first time his true glory as the reality of his divine being shone through. Moses and Elijah appeared at the same time as well (vs 2–4). It was an awe-inspiring moment, both beautiful and terrifying. No wonder the disciples were frightened (v 6).
As well as seeing this amazing sight, they also heard the voice of God (v 7): ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’ Here is a heavenly declaration as to the identity of Jesus – he is God’s beloved Son. Furthermore, here is the key to discipleship and spiritual growth – listen (with the sense of obeying) to what he says.
Even with this amazing experience behind them, the three disciples still cannot grasp what ‘rising from the dead’ means (vs 9,10). It is as yet beyond their spiritual grasp. Jesus explains how the coming of Elijah was fulfilled in the ministry of John the Baptist (Matthew 11:14). Just as John suffered, so also will he. The difference is that he will rise again.
Author
Tony Horsfall
Respond
Lord, show me more of your glory. Help me to listen attentively to your voice and be ready to respond in faith and obedience.
Deeper Bible study
‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like [Moses] … you must listen to everything he tells you.’1
Having addressed the disciples’ poor vision in 8:22–26, Jesus now turns to their hearing impairment. We noted earlier that his healing a deaf man in 7:31–37 was probably symbolic of the disciples’ healing, but today’s reading will verify this. Jesus’ transfiguration is undeniably spectacular and serves to address the disciples’ lack of understanding. Clearly, Peter’s blabbering shows he does not comprehend what he has witnessed, so a second object lesson is needed.
Various details show that this event echoes the giving of the Law to Moses at Mount Sinai: first, the six days in verse 2 resemble Moses’s preparation in Exodus 24:16; second, Jesus’ transfiguration on a high mountain parallels Moses’ transformed appearance on Mount Sinai in Exodus 34:30; and third, the voice from a descended cloud echoes God speaking to Moses from a cloud in Exodus 24:16.2
So, the transfiguration resembles an Old Testament theophany and Jesus is presented as the new Moses. The divine voice, ‘Listen to him!’, in verse 7 echoes Deuteronomy 18:15, announcing a future prophet-like-Moses who will provide divine teaching. This allusion confirms that Jesus is the new Moses, whose teaching is the new law.
The exhortation to listen to Jesus is repeatedly stressed in Mark 4 (vs 3,9,12,15–20,23,24,33). To ‘hear’ Jesus calls for more than the literal hearing of his words; rather, the disciples are urged to understand them. Up to this point, they have shown a lack of understanding – or partial understanding at best.3 Even after this event, they continue to struggle to understand.4 Surprisingly, Mark’s Gospel does not resolve the disciples’ cognitive struggle; understanding comes after Easter, with the coming of the Spirit.
Reflect on John 10:1–5, which says that his sheep will hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. Consider how you can ‘hear’ and understand Jesus’ words better.
1 Acts 3:22; Deut 18:15 2 CA Evans, Mark 8:27–16:20, Word, 2001, p34 3 Mark 4:10–13; 6:52; 8:17–21,29 4Mark 9:10,18,32,34,38,39; 10:13,14,35–45
Author
Cor Bennema
