36. Mark 9:2-7: Transfiguration




Peter, James, and John are among those mentioned by Jesus in the previous verse who would live to see the kingdom of God present in power. These three are the first of those. They see the kingdom present in power proleptically, in advance in Jesus’ transfiguration. The six days, the mountain, and the revelation alludes backs to Ex.24:15ff. where Moses is summoned to the mountain to receive revelation from God. We have the same elements here. Six days later three disciples are taken up on a mountain by Jesus to receive a revelation. So revelation is the point of this episode. But what is revealed?

Hurtado, like many commentators, believes the whole scene evokes a theophany – a vision of a divine visitation revealing Jesus as more than messiah but rather as clothed in a divine form.[1] Wright takes a different, and in my view preferable, tack in understanding what this revelation is about.

People are often fuzzy about what this means. It isn’t a revelation of Jesus’ divinity; if it were, that would make Elijah and Moses divine too, which Mark certainly doesn’t want us to think. Once again, Mark believes in Jesus’ divinity, but hasn’t yet told us why. Rather, as the similar experiences of mystics in various ages and cultures would suggest, this is a sign of Jesus being entirely caught up with, bathed in, the love, power and kingdom of God, so that it transforms his whole being with light, in the way that music transforms words that are sung. This is the sign that Jesus is not just indulging in fantasies about God’s kingdom, but that he is speaking and doing the truth. It’s the sign that he is indeed the true prophet, the true Messiah.[2]

That this experience is a divine confirmation that Jesus Messiah’s New Exodus movement is indeed what he claims it to be makes good sense in light of the call to discipleship he just issued with all its uncommon and radical implications!

Moses and Elijah prepared the way for this New Exodus through the Law and the Prophets, Jesus Messiah fulfills it. This trio of disciples sees ahead of time the true meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection. They don’t get it, not surprisingly. Peter wants to “freeze” the revelation here at the moment of glory rather than let it inform his experience of what is happening with Jesus as he makes his way to the cross. It cannot be frozen here, however. Jesus makes the cryptic comment in the next paragraph that Elijah (John the Baptist) has come (9:13). Therefore Jesus has more to do. His story is not yet over. There is more to come. It cannot, must not, be frozen on the mountain!

For a second time, the divine voice affirms Jesus (1:11): “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Here sacrificial imagery (“the Beloved,” Gen.22:1ff.) interfaces with prophetic imagery (see Dt.18:5 where Moses promises the people a prophet like himself to whom they must listen). As Jesus makes his way to Jerusalem, to the cross (sacrifice), it becomes more and more imperative to listen carefully to what he has to say. For Peter and his crew and for us!

We often want to “freeze” Jesus is our churches. In stained glass. In our worship services. In our programs and rituals. Nice, neat, clean, respectable. Just like Peter -a triumphant Jesus clothed in dazzling white! But that’s to falsify Jesus and the New Exodus movement he led. And it’s to falsify the church as well. Pope Francis got it right when he said, "I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security. I do not want a church concerned with being at the center and then ends up by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures."

So does Jesus. He makes that clear in the next section of Mark’s story.



[1] Hurtado, Mark, 218-219.
[2] Wright, Mark for Everyone, 147.

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