The Glory of His Transfiguration

The Glory of Christ · AD 29

Behold, my servant . . . he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.

Isaiah 52:13

In the early fall of AD 29 Christ made His last preaching tour before setting His face toward Jerusalem. He led Peter, James, and John north to Caesarea Philippi and up a high mountain, where He was transfigured in blinding glory. Yet the deepest lesson of this journey was that true glory is found not in self-exaltation but in self-sacrifice, and so three times He foretold His rejection and death.

Read: Matthew 16:13–28; Matthew 17:1–23; Mark 9:14–41

Travels to Caesarea Philippi — Peter's Confession

After healing the blind man at Bethsaida, Christ led His disciples north along the Via Maris, following the Jordan some thirty miles to Caesarea Philippi at the southern base of snowcapped Mount Hermon. Along the way He withdrew to pray alone, and then He put a question to His disciples: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

They reported the rumors floating about — John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. Then He pressed them closer: “But who do you say that I am?” Without a moment's hesitation, Simon answered on behalf of them all.

The Lord pronounced Simon blessed, for flesh and blood had not revealed this to him, but his Father in heaven. True wisdom always comes down from above. Then Christ gave him a new name, Peter, meaning “rock,” for He would use the apostles as foundation stones in the building of His church, with Himself as the cornerstone.

You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Matthew 16:19

Foretells His Death — the Cost of Discipleship

From that time on, Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things, be killed, and on the third day be raised. This troubled Peter deeply. Surely the Son of God was to be exalted on a throne, not lifted up on a cross. So he took the Lord aside and rebuked Him: “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”

But the Lord turned and said, “Get behind me, Satan!” What Peter meant for good, Satan meant for evil — using the good intentions of a friend to tempt Christ to be self-focused. Called to be a foundation stone, Peter was here being made a stumbling stone, for he was setting his mind not on the things of God but on the things of man.

Then Christ called the gathered crowd and taught the cost of following Him. Life comes through death; glory dwells in humility. Those who lose their lives for His sake will find eternal life, while those who live only for this world will lose their souls.

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Matthew 16:24

The Transfiguration on Mount Hermon

About six days later, Christ took Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, likely Mount Hermon, to pray. As He prayed, the eternal glory of the Son of God shone through the veil of His flesh: His face became as bright as the sun, and His clothes as white as light.

Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with Him of His departure — the glory of the cross that awaited Him in Jerusalem. Terrified and not knowing what to say, Peter offered to build three tents. But a bright cloud overshadowed them, and the Father's voice thundered.

They fell on their faces in terror until Jesus touched them: “Rise, and have no fear.” Descending the mountain, He charged them to tell no one until after His resurrection and foretold His death a second time. At the foot of the mountain the other disciples had failed to cast a demon out of a boy, and the desperate father pleaded, “If you can do anything, have compassion on us.” Christ answered, “All things are possible for one who believes.”

Christ cast the spirit out and lifted the boy up alive. When the disciples asked privately why they could not, He answered that this kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer, and that their failure was owing to their little faith — for with faith like a grain of mustard seed, nothing would be impossible for them.

And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

Matthew 17:2

This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.

Matthew 17:5

I believe; help my unbelief!

Mark 9:24

Travels Back to Capernaum — True Greatness

From Caesarea Philippi the Lord and His disciples journeyed south toward Capernaum. As they entered Galilee, Christ pulled His disciples aside and, for the third time in less than two weeks, spoke plainly of His approaching death and resurrection.

They did not understand and were too afraid to ask. Along the road they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. When they reached Peter's house in Capernaum, Christ asked what they had discussed, and they fell silent, ashamed. So He sat down and taught them the nature of true greatness.

Christ took a small child in His arms to show that greatness in the kingdom is to receive the least and to become like a child, humbling oneself. And when John reported that they had tried to stop a man casting out demons in Christ's name because he was not following them, the Lord corrected him: “The one who is not against us is for us.”

The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.

Mark 9:31

If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.

Mark 9:35

For Reflection

Down, down, down the Lord climbed in His glorious and honorable life. From the pinnacle of Mount Hermon He continued to descend until it was impossible to go any further. Though He took three disciples up a high mountain to show them His glory, it was His descent that revealed the depth of His majesty. To grasp the humiliation of Mount Calvary, we must first remember the height of His exaltation on Mount Hermon.