The Transfiguration of Jesus
Last updated: 2026-09-08
The Transfiguration was a miraculous event where Jesus revealed His divine glory to Peter, James, and John on a high mountain, affirming His identity as the beloved Son of God. It served as a foretaste of His coming kingdom and a necessary preparation for the disciples as Jesus prepared to face the suffering of the cross.
A Revelation of Divine Majesty
On a high mountain, the humanity of Jesus was temporarily eclipsed by the manifestation of His inherent divine glory. As recorded in Matthew 17:2, His face shone like the sun and His garments became white as light. This was not a myth but a historical reality witnessed by the apostles, as Peter later testified: 'For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty' (2 Peter 1:16-18).
Sources Matthew 17:2 2 Peter 1:16-18
The Witness of the Law and Prophets
The appearance of Moses and Elijah signifies that the Law and the Prophets testify to Christ. They spoke with Him regarding 'his decease which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem' (Luke 9:31). The event culminates in the voice of the Father from the cloud: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him' (Matthew 17:5). This commands our absolute obedience to Christ, who is the fulfillment of all redemptive history.
Sources Luke 9:31 Matthew 17:5
The Gospel Focus
While the Transfiguration displayed glory, the purpose of this glory was to prepare the disciples for the suffering of the Cross. Jesus knew that to bear fruit, the grain of wheat must fall into the earth and die (John 12:24). Because we are profoundly sinful and in need of a Savior, we rely entirely on the work Christ finished on the Cross to secure our redemption.
Sources John 12:24
The Transfiguration reveals Jesus as the fulfillment of the entire Old Testament, showing that the Law and the Prophets point directly to Him. By standing alongside Moses and Elijah and then remaining alone, Christ demonstrates that He is the ultimate reality to which the shadows of the old covenant were always pointing.
The Fulfillment of Shadow and Substance
The presence of Moses, representing the Law, and Elijah, representing the Prophets, confirms that Jesus is the culmination of redemptive history. As the Belgic Confession Art. 25 teaches, the ceremonies and figures of the old law ceased at the coming of Christ because their truth and substance are found in Him. He is not merely a successor to them, but the very goal of their message.
Sources Belgic Confession Art. 25
The Sole Authority of the Beloved Son
When the voice from the cloud spoke, it commanded, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him' (Matthew 17:5). The disappearance of Moses and Elijah, leaving only Jesus, signifies that the authority of the Law and Prophets now resides in Christ’s own voice. As 2 Peter 1:17 notes, the Father bestowed upon Him honor and glory, establishing Him as the supreme prophet who reveals the will of God for our salvation.
Sources Matthew 17:5 2 Peter 1:17
A Future Hope and Present Grace
While on the mountain, Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus of 'his decease which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem' (Luke 9:31). This reveals that Christ's glory is not disconnected from His suffering; rather, His glory is achieved through His death. We look to Him, the finished fulfillment of all Scripture.
Sources Luke 9:31
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