Mark 9:2–13: The Transfiguration

Please note: This transcript is provided as a reading aid and is not a verbatim record of the sermon.

Mark 9:2–13 – The Transfiguration

Morning again. Thanks everyone for your prayers and for journeying through the last week and also this week.

Let us just open in a word of prayer first.

Dear God, we thank You for Your Word, which speaks of Your glorious kingdom, which has ushered in the kingdom. Thank You for Your Son, who ushered in the glorious kingdom. We pray, Lord, that You’ll bless the time now as we look into Your Word. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

All right. So, if you recall, just last year in March, there was a very renowned pop artist known by the name Taylor Swift, who held six sold-out concerts—rather, six sold-out shows across six nights—at Singapore’s National Stadium. And it drew over 300,000 fans from all over the region, not just Singapore and Malaysia, but even as far as people coming in all the way from different parts of other continents.

Her entourage didn’t just come alone. She had a side group of over 20 supporting backup dancers, vocalists, bandmates, and the event even had extensive special effects, pyrotechnics, and even 16 costume changes by the artist alone, almost one for every song. And this South Asian, Southeast Asian–exclusive, Singapore-only event drew international controversy from denying other countries the chance to host this event as well.

Now, if you rewind the clock about 2,000 years ago, we will spend the next 30 minutes looking at a very similar—or very—spectacle that we know in the Bible as the transfiguration event. And this event, while only having one costume change—one costume change—was far more glorious and also far more exclusive. It was a one-night-only mountaintop event, not for 300,000 fans, but for three followers of Jesus.

So join me this morning as we trace through the spectacle of the century back then—the glorious transfiguration of Jesus.

All right. So, as a quick recap, just last week we traced through the two-part healing between Jesus and the blind man, which also mirrored the partial spiritual sight that Peter had. It was also last week that we transited into the second half of the book of Mark. As you can see on the slide, we transitioned from the question of who Jesus is—established as Jesus being God’s Messiah King when Peter proclaimed Him as Christ the Messiah—and then we now transit into what Jesus will then do: Jesus, who is God’s Messiah King, who will be crucified.

So if you recall, what also happened was that Peter had astutely identified Jesus as Messiah, but almost in the same breath Peter was quick to rebuke Jesus, pulling Him aside and even scolding Him to say that this cannot happen. His death, his rejection, his suffering cannot happen. And what we concluded last week is that Peter needed another miracle—to see who Jesus is, and to see what He would do fully.

So today we will see Jesus bringing three of the disciples, as mentioned earlier, up to a mountain for a spectacle—a private spectacle. And in the words of chapter 9, verse 1—pardon the typo earlier—it says this will be where Peter, James, and John will witness for themselves the kingdom of God coming with power.

This event will be such a lasting memory that even Peter himself would go on to write about this in 2 Peter. Looking at Peter’s own recollection, he writes that we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when a voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, *“This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain.”

Some other commentators have also said that John 1, when we talk about the Word being made flesh, is in some ways an attribution to the glory that John himself saw in the transfiguration scene as well.

So before we go any further, let’s read the actual account in Mark. As usual, we’ll be reading from the NIV version.

This is today’s passage, Mark chapter 9, verses 2 to 13.

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with Him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There He was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say; they were so frightened.

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is My Son, whom I love. Listen to Him.”

Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, verse 9, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what rising from the dead meant,. And they asked him, “Why do teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”. Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? But I tell you Elijah has come and they have done to him everything they wished just as it is written about him.

So just as the introduction referenced a performance, I will also segment today’s message into three broad parts. First is the prelude, the lead-up toward the main event. Then the second part is the main event itself—the voice from God speaking from above. And then afterward, the after-credits, where they come down the mountain and Jesus has a small conversation with His disciples.

Today’s passage interestingly starts off six days after last week’s event. It’s quite interesting because here again, after six days, we see Jesus bringing Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, without anyone else—without all the other disciples or followers that Jesus had.

We’re not told which mountain this is. Some commentators have said that it could be Mount Tabor, due to its isolation and prominence in the Jezreel Valley, and because it is central in Galilee where the scenes of last week took place nearby. Others have said it could be Mount Hermon, as it is higher than Mount Tabor itself, so there may be a more grand revelation of Christ on the mountaintop.

Nonetheless, since it’s not told to us specifically, we should be careful not to read too much into this. What we do know is that mountains, oftentimes in the Bible, are places where critical events take place. Some say it’s because mountains are elevated geographies where earth meets heaven, and where it is closest to God.

If we trace through the Old Testament, we see how the covenants were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Abraham offered Isaac on Mount Moriah, where a ram was provided in his place. Elijah, whom we see mentioned today, challenged the false prophets on Mount Carmel, where God intervened.

So today is no different. If you were Peter, James, and John, and you had studied the Old Testament very well, you might already be thinking that some godly revelation might be about to take place as you go up the mountain. And you might already be sweating deep down.

Now if we look at verse 2, we see that the three of them have reached the mountaintop. And the question is: what happens next? What are the disciples to look out for?

We are told that Jesus was transfigured before them. The word “transfigured” is very interesting. It’s only used in the Gospels in this account. It’s actually synonymous with the word metamorphosis—like how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. And the way it’s described is that His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.

Sometimes we see advertisements for bleach products claiming to make clothes whiter than white. But here, we have a picture of Jesus that is beyond any product in the world. This account immediately draws familiar bells—familiar echoes—from the book of Exodus.

It reminds us of Exodus 33, when Moses asked God to reveal His glory. Moses was placed in the cleft of the rock, and what he could see was only the back of God’s glory. As a result, Moses’ face shone with radiance, so much so that he had to put a veil over his face, because the people were afraid, and also because that glory would eventually fade.

For Moses, that glory was not his own. It was a reflection of seeing God’s glory. And here is the contrast. Moses’ glory faded, but Jesus’ glory does not. What we see here in the transfiguration is a prelude of what is to come in heaven.

In Revelation 21, we’re told that in heaven there will be no need for light, no sun, no moon, because the glory of God Himself will be the light. It’s a glimpse of heaven—not something temporary like what Israel saw on Moses’ face, but something permanent.

Now apart from Jesus’ transfigured state, we’re also told that Elijah and Moses appeared, talking with Jesus. Mark doesn’t tell us what they were talking about, but Luke tells us they were speaking about Jesus’ departure—how He would bring the true exodus to fulfillment through His death in Jerusalem.

Moses led the people through a physical exodus. Jesus would lead His people through a greater exodus, freeing them from slavery to sin.

Why Moses and Elijah? Moses represents the Law. Elijah represents the Prophets. And both the Law and the Prophets point to Jesus, who fulfills them completely.

At this point, the disciples are overwhelmed. And this is where Peter responds. He says, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters.” We’re told he didn’t know what to say, because they were terrified.

Peter’s idea of building shelters points to the Feast of Tabernacles. But it also shows his desire to stay—to savor the moment. Fear mixed with wonder. Fear mixed with longing.

Then we’re told that a cloud appeared and covered them. This is not special effects. This is another clear reference to Exodus. The cloud represents the presence of God.

And then comes the main event.

A voice came from the cloud: “This is My Son, whom I love. Listen to Him.”

This is only the second time in the Gospels that God speaks audibly. The first was at Jesus’ baptism. There, God said, “You are My Son.” Here, He says, “This is My Son.” The focus shifts—from commissioning Jesus to instructing the disciples.

And the final command is clear: Listen to Him.

Then suddenly, Moses is gone. Elijah is gone. The cloud is gone. And all they see is Jesus only.

Okay. So personally for me, right, I’m not a very good listener actually. And even though I was born with bigger ears than most people, and I really enjoy teaching and sharing God’s truths—and also hearing messages, sharing messages here on the pulpit, sometimes even sharing other people’s stories if you know—I think what I could definitely do a lot better is to listen.

Especially now in the context as a husband, right? You know, a lot of men like to talk, but we sometimes need to do a lot better at listening to our wives. And more so also to listen to people around us whom we are in charge of, or people whom we have to minister to or take care of as well.

And today’s lesson serves as a reminder, not just to me, but hopefully to us also, to sit at the feet of God and to look at what Jesus and God have to speak to us through His Word day in and day out. So I think a mini application for us is this: how are we continually spending time to listen to what God has to say to us daily? Do we prioritize our busy things that we have to do each day above what God has to say?

We are to spend time to listen to God deeply. But as important as listening to Jesus is, right, could there actually be a deeper emphasis—something more specific that we are to listen to?

If you think about it, the disciples were probably quite confused. When God says, “Listen to Him,” and then He disappears, and there are no further details, maybe they were thinking, “Okay, listen to what?” Are we to think back to the Sermon on the Mount? Are we to listen to all the parables Jesus has spoken or will speak? Or are we to recall every single word that Jesus has said so far?

But if we come back to the passage in Mark, we are fortunate that Jesus doesn’t end there. Today’s passage continues from verses 9 to 13, and it gives us a clue as to what they are supposed to listen to.

So now I move on to the last part, which is the after-credits. This is the part where we see the disciples packing up and heading back down the mountain. But it is still important for us to consider.

Let me read again from verses 9 to 13:

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. And they asked Him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?”

“But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

So in verse 9, Jesus gives the disciples orders not to share any account of what they had witnessed. But interestingly, for the very first time, this call not to share comes with a condition. They are not to tell anyone until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.

This gives us a clue that the impending event of Jesus’ death and rising is on the horizon. It’s about to happen. The events are slowly unfolding, and they are told not to say anything because at this moment they still do not have the full picture. They are not yet able to fully understand and share what Jesus has to do.

If you look at verses 11 to 13, we are presented with a rather difficult and tricky passage, but let’s try our best to unpack it together.

When Elijah is mentioned here, we might be quick to think of Elijah himself alone, but it’s actually not directly referencing Elijah. It is talking about John the Baptist.

In Malachi 4, it was foretold that God would send the prophet Elijah to restore the hearts of parents to their children and children to their parents. This is actually referencing John the Baptist. Malachi, being one of the last books of the Old Testament, foretells John’s coming.

In Luke 1, we’re told that John the Baptist will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous. The same language appears in both Malachi and Luke.

Later, in Mark chapter 6, we’re told what happens to John the Baptist. He was persecuted and killed—his head served on a platter.

This passage shows us the parallel: just as John suffered, so the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected. Jesus is reiterating what we saw last week—that although He is the Messiah, He must now set His face toward Jerusalem, where He will suffer, be rejected, and be hung on the cross.

Earlier, we heard the command from the voice of God to listen to Jesus. And almost immediately after, we see Jesus explaining His suffering and death. It’s clear that God is asking the disciples to listen to what Jesus has been trying to say all along.

If we look through the sequence of events in today’s transfiguration account, we’ve seen many things. We’ve seen Jesus’ glory displayed through His shining appearance, whiter than white. We’ve seen Moses and Elijah appear on the mountaintop. We’ve seen the cloud representing God’s presence and heard the thunderous voice from above.

But one of the most interesting questions we should ask is this: who is this for?

Wouldn’t it have been better if this happened at the very start? If in Mark chapter 1, Jesus appeared in glory before the whole nation, like the concert we talked about earlier, where 300,000 people could see it—wouldn’t everyone then believe He is the Messiah?

Why only three people? Why Peter, James, and John? It’s incredibly exclusive.

Why Peter? He was the one who openly rebuked Jesus, and Jesus even called him Satan. And yet Jesus reveals Himself to Peter in a deeply personal way. Jesus is not just appealing to the masses; He cares about individuals. He knew Peter needed to see this and to understand that Jesus must suffer and die.

Why James and John? Later in Mark 10:35–37, they ask Jesus to sit at His right and left in glory. What they wanted was glory. What Jesus had to teach them was that suffering must come before glory.

So this entire transfiguration event happened because Jesus cares deeply for them individually. He knows what they needed to hear at the deepest level—to understand His suffering, His death, and His identity as the King of glory.

And that’s the main point of today’s message: Jesus is the King of glory who came to the cross not to become King, but as King, laying down His life to bring many sons and daughters to glory.

He did not consider His position in heaven something to be taken advantage of. He emptied Himself to the point of death so that we could become sons and daughters of God.

Hebrews 2:9–10 reminds us of this: we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Personally, I’m very humbled to know that when God sent His Son to die on a cross, it wasn’t just for everyone in general—it was also personal. It was for you and for me, for the wrongs that we have done. He came to redeem us from our sins.

How beautiful it is that God is a personal God, who cares about individuals and meets us where we are. Some of us may be journeying through difficult seasons. God knows this. He speaks to us through His Word in every season—whether in suffering or in joy.

So dear friends, as we come to the end of this message, while we have missed the first transfiguration and may never stand on that mountain, one day Jesus will return, and we will see this glory fully and forever.

Until then, let us hold fast to His words—to listen to Him. The pattern of suffering and glory remains true. As disciples, we are called to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. May we continue to carry that message as we follow Him in our days.

Let us now close in prayer.

Dear God, we thank You for Your Son, the King of glory, who did not consider equality with You something to be grasped, but emptied Himself to the point of death so that He could lay down His life for us. We thank You that through Him we may know You and become sons and daughters of the living God and be brought to glory.

Help us to take time to listen to You and to follow the pattern of suffering and service as Your people. We thank You for all these things, and we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

As always, we appreciate your feedback on the next slide.