The events of the transfiguration in this passage clearly revealed the glory of Christ. Christians often use the word glory to refer to the surpassing worth and magnificence of God’s own person.
But how does knowing glory change your life? Do you understand the cross and all that it means? How does it change our view of Christ?
(A) See the glory of Christ (Mark 9:1-6)
At the end of the previous chapter, Jesus made the point that following Him is hard. He teaches that unless one is willing to pay the cost and bear the cross, one is not following Him. There is no alternative! We need to die to our ways if we are following Jesus — taking on His life, agenda and purpose. There is no such thing as a casual Christian. He also warns that for those who are ashamed of Him and HIs words in this adulterous generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of them when He comes (Mark 8:38).
Jesus also speaks of how the kingdom of God will come with power (Mark 9:1) but he also says something strange — “there are some standing here who will not taste death” until they see this. Does this mean that some present will not die until He returns in power? This is challenging but let us press on.
Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John to a high mountain. (c.f. Ex 19:20) The people were brought to Sinai to meet with God after their exodus from Egypt. The Lord comes down to the top of the mountain and Moses goes up on behalf of the people. The people were forbidden from ascending and nearing the mountain. This sets a precedent for expecting something important to happen at the top of the mountain.
Psalm 68:15-16 and other passages associate the dwelling of the Lord to a mountain. Believers think of ascending a mountain to meet God and commune with Him.
Thus, Jesus is doing what the Old Testament describes to be alone with God and to seek Him. On this occasion, Jesus also brings three of His closest disciples.
Mark records for us what happened to Jesus. Jesus’ clothes become radiant, intensely white, “as no one on earth could bleach them” (Mark 8:3-4). Mark’s description intentionally evokes Old Testament prophecy and writing. In Daniel 7:9, we read of the description of the Ancient of Days who appears in blinding light. Mark is now saying that Jesus does not look like the Son of Man, but the Ancient of Days. Mark is going so far as to say that Jesus is the Ancient of Days who is seated on the throne, looking over all eternity, there from the beginning. John also writes something similar in Revelation 1:14. For a moment on the mountain, Jesus shine with this kind of glory.
This is why they were terrified. The friend and Master that they had travelled with thus far took on a different look. Jesus shines like the sun, radiant in glory.
What is Jesus worth to us?
Jesus was also talking to Moses and Elijah. These were men who have ascended the mountain and stood in the gap between a holy God and sinful men during their time. Moses is the great redeemer that led God’s people out of Egypt, mediating the ten plagues in Egypt and the ten commandments at Mount Sinai (Ex 24:1). Elijah came to be the great reviver of Israel in a period of great decline. He performed great miracles in his life. These were men who knew the oracles of God and were the mediator for His power and glory. Now, they stood on the mountain, standing with the glorified Jesus.
In Luke 9:30-31, Luke records for us what they were talking about. They were in His glory and were talking of His departure (“exodus”). They were talking about the cross, which was at Jerusalem. Jesus moves closer and closer to Jerusalem and the cross from this point on.
Peter calls Jesus “Rabbi” and volunteers to make three tents (a booth/shrine), one for each of them (Mark 9:4). What he says does not make sense but this shows us that the disciples genuinely did not know what to do with Jesus and what they are seeing.
If we think we know who Jesus is, we might be like Peter and not know what we are talking about. The Jesus of the Bible never fails to challenge our understanding of who He is! And He has revealed Himself to us in and through His word. Only in the word will we experience His glory.
Years later, Peter referred to this account when he wrote 2 Peter 1:16-18.
How do you see Jesus? What is so great about Jesus? We will only understand His glory if we understand His mystery.
(B) See the mystery of Christ (Mark 9:7-13)
A cloud overshadowed them — like in the Old Testament — and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him” (Mark 9:7). These were the same words that God spoke when Jesus was in the water at His baptism. Jesus is loved by the Father because He is the sinless Saviour who stands with sinners.
What are we to do with the beloved Son? The Father tells the disciples to listen to Him. In Hebrews 1:1-2, we read of the Son that the disciples were told to listen to: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus charged them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead (Mark 9:9). They kept the matter to themselves and did not understand what this rising from the dead might mean (Mark 9:10). The Jews did not believe in an individual resurrection. They understood the resurrection to happen at the end of all things and that Elijah must come first.
Jesus tells them that Elijah does come first to restore all things and he has come (Mark 9:12-13, c.f. Mal 3:1,4:5, Isa 53:1-12). The Son of Man should suffer many things and be treated with contempt. He also refers to John the Baptist as Elijah.
The disciples could not grasp how some of the events had taken place or would take place soon. They thought of everything as happening in the future. They also could not understand that the events of the cross would take place soon.
The disciples, like us, did not understand they cross. They wanted to glory in triumph and victory and did not to realise that the path to glory goes through the cross. Jesus had to die and sin had to be dealt with, before anything can happen. Until we understand that HIs love is shown in His death, His glory in His defeat, His goodness when He becomes a curse for us, we will not understand who He is. God shows HIs love for us this way — that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Is the cross a sight of glory? Is it where we realise we have given everything up and all we have is Jesus?
The cross is often a symbol of shame but why do we sing of the cross as our glory? It is through the cross that God’s glory is displayed.