Joel M Bradshaw

2And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 4And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” 8And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

9And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean.–Mark 9

1. This was a day before CGI graphics or AI generated images. We can only imagine how this would have looked to Peter, James, and John.
2. What we are told is that they were terrified.
3. God the Father validated Jesus, God the Son. It was a moment in a cloud and with a voice. What a moment!
4. Trivia: Moses famously couldn’t enter the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 32:52). I like to say that he made it there on a technicality by appearing at Jesus’ transfiguration!
5. Jesus used this great moment to speak about rising from the dead.
6. The disciples had no idea what this meant. Was Jesus going to die? God Himself just spoke for Jesus. How would the Messiah die? Would God allow Jesus to die? And then resurrect again? It might have been too much for them in the moment.
7. God’s plan for you may have wonderful moments that you cannot explain. You may also have confusing moments you may not understand. But everything comes back to Jesus. His death and resurrection solve your greatest needs against the dire enemies of sin and death. Following the Bible, do you listen to Jesus?–JMB