Topic: Feel the Glory of God

In Mark 9:2, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with Him for a little field trip. This field trip underscores the confession that “Jesus is the Christ” (8:29) and underscores Jesus’ comment in Mark 9:1 about some of the disciples seeing the Kingdom of God coming in power.

Several things happen on this mountaintop and we should pay attention to what Peter, James and John saw with their own eyes.

First, Jesus is transfigured before the three disciples. Mark focuses on the clothes of Jesus, but he uses the Greek word from which we get the English word metamorphosis. The picture we get is that His whole body is radiant. All of Him is transformed.

Second, Jesus is not alone in this miraculous event. The three disciples also see Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus. Moses is the representative of the Law. Elijah is the representative of the Prophets.

Third, God speaks. God speaks words that echo through eternity. In Matthew 3:17, as Jesus comes out of the waters of baptism and as the Spirit of God lights on Him, God the Father speaks and says, “This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased” (ESV). In Mark 9, God claims Jesus Christ as His Son and also commands the disciples to listen to Him. Twice God claims Jesus. Once He says He is pleased with Him. Once He commands disciples to listen to Him.

When we combine the metamorphosis of Jesus, the two individuals that Jesus is speaking with and the voice of God, I hope you can see that we have before us a significant event. It is mind-blowing which is why we see Peter, James and John terrified (9:6). This is an event to take notice of and why you can find this same event in Matthew 17, Luke 9 and referenced in 2 Peter 1.

The glory of God is felt in the fulfillment of scripture:

- The Law in the Old Testament looks for a sacrifice for our sins. Who fulfills that? Only Jesus.

- The Prophets in the Old Testament look for a Savior and Deliverer. Who fulfills that? Only Jesus.

- Who is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords? Only Jesus.

Just as the disciples witnessed the glory of Jesus by seeing the Old Testament fulfilled, we can witness the glory of Jesus through the scripture itself. For scripture is the revelation of the Glory of God through the Son (Hebrews 1).

See you Sunday,

Dr. Scott Kallem