About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. 29 While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. 34 While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” 36 After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.
The transfiguration can be juxtaposed with Jesus’ agony in the garden. The transfiguration gives a glimpse of the glory of Christ when he returns to his Father, a glory in which the faithful will share, while the agony in the garden shows the human Jesus at the lowest point of his earthly life. When Jesus predicted his passion he always promised his resurrection, the glory of the risen Christ (Mk. 8:31; Mt. 17:23; Lk. 18:33).
Jesus was in prayer when the transfiguration began but the three disciples, Peter, James, and John, had fallen asleep as they did in the garden of Gethsemane (Mk. 14:33-37). Jesus began to discuss his coming passion in Jerusalem with Moses and Elijah who were in their glory, their heavenly state with God (vv. 30-31). They discussed how Jesus would free mankind from bondage and slavery to sin through his death and resurrection and return to his Father (exodus). Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets, and God’s will that Jesus suffer his passion (the suffering servant Is. 52:13-53:12). They confirm what Jesus has told his disciples eight days previously (Lk. 9:22). The three disciples awoke and when Moses and Elijah were about to leave Peter suggested building shelters for Jesus and his visitors. As opposed to Jesus going back to his Father they thought his father sent Moses and Elijah to help the Messiah fulfill their misunderstanding of the conquering Messiah.
A cloud covered them, and the divine presence spoke as he spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19:9). Moses gave the Law, but Christ gave justification through faith (Gal. 3:23-26). The divine voice commanded the three disciples to listen to what Jesus told them in the same way the divine voice commanded them at Jesus’ baptism at the Jordan (Lk. 3:22; Deut. 18:15). They did not speak about the incident until after Jesus’ resurrection.
Almighty God, your beloved Son fulfilled his mission to restore mankind to the glory you intended at creation. Grant us the grace to listen to your Son and to live his word so that through faith and perseverance, we may be glorified at our resurrection. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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