The Transfiguration of our Lord: Gospel, Mark 9:2-9      

Mark 9:2-9

Jesus tells his disciples on three different occasions that He has an appointment with death. The first incident has just passed. It came on the heels of Peter declaring Jesus as the Messiah. Talk about “up and down, rollercoaster stuff.” Seeing that Jesus is “the One” only to have that followed by “I’m gonna die soon” must have stretched his men to their limit. Perhaps not. Maybe they weren’t quite tracking. But then Jesus inserts a “teaser” of sorts just prior to our reading. In effect, “My Kingdom glory is on its way, and some of you are going to see it. Don’t miss it.”

Our reading for the week begins: “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves” (9:2). So important. The location and the personnel. Mountains are key places for revealing and there are four, soon to be six. Lots has been said, lots is happening and all of it points to something startlingly singular. 

Jesus opens the eyes of his dearest friends to see the real presence of two of their heroes standing at his side. Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the Prophets) are flanking THE Lawgiver, THE Prophet. And more. And “the Man in the Middle” appears as One they have not seen to this point. And they will not see Him thus again. Not here. As the event unfolds, the Father speaks from heaven revealing actually a hallowed seventh personality in the picture on the mount.

But it all points to One. And each and every factor, from location to raiment, to company kept and voices heard point to Jesus. All of the Bible is about Him. All of history is about Him. And now … now our lives are to be only about Him. Perhaps we have such challenges and difficulties (as did the twelve) because so often our lives are penetrated by so many other things. Not bad things. In very fact, gifts from Him. But we are so adept at putting gifts before the Giver.

Yes every factor here points to Jesus. See Him on the mount, in glory. Take it all in.  With dear Peter we say, “ Rabbi, it is good that we are here.”