What is transfiguration?

Answer 1

The transfiguration of Jesus in The Bible was a "VISION" Jesus allowed Peter, James and John to see. Jesus was "transfigured" or "transformed" to appear as He looks today, sitting by His Father in heaven (compare with Rev.1:13-16). It was a glimpse into the coming Kingdom of God where Moses, Elijah and others of God's chosen will be.

"...Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him... and as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, TELL THE VISION TO NO MAN, until the Son of Man be risen again from the dead." (Matt.17:1-9)

Of course, the disciples didn't know what Moses of Elijah looked like, just like we don't know what Jesus looked like. Their identities had to have been part of the revelation of the vision.

So, transfiguration is a visual "transformation or alteration of appearance."

Answer 2

Found on wikipedia at - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfiguration_of_Christ The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported by the Synoptic Gospels in which Jesus is transfigured upon a mountain (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36). Jesus becomes radiant, speaks with Moses and Elijah, and is called "Son" by God. Peter, James and John were with Jesus upon the mountain. The transfiguration put Jesus above Moses and Elijah, the two preeminent figures of Judaism. It also supports his identity as the Son of God. In keeping with the Messianic secret, Jesus tells the witnesses (Saint Peter, James, son of Zebedee and John the Apostle) not to tell others what they saw until He has risen on the third day after his death on the cross

Answer 3

Here is the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary definition for "transfigure": "to give a new and typically exalted or spiritual appearance to : transform outwardly and usually for the better".

Answer 4

Jesus took Peter, James and John up into a high mountain, where his appearance changed, and they saw him talking to two strangers. Somehow, the disciples knew without question that the strangers talking to Jesus were Moses and Elijah.

Read literally, the sole reason for this journey was to let the three disciples see Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah, yet they learnt nothing from the experience and were even instructed to tell no one. It is indeed hard to imagine why Jesus would have given the three disciples this divine experience yet instruct them not to tell of it, when to do so would have helped spread the message of Jesus - just as the gospel account of the Transfiguration now helps spread the message of Jesus. Perhaps the reason the gospel story says that Jesus told the disciples to say nothing, is that the Transfiguration was unknown before the gospel was written.

If there was no apparent divine purpose to the Transfiguration, and if the event has no meaning in itself, we need to look elsewhere for the meaning of this passage. The New Testament gospels were originally anonymous, with the first, that traditionally attributed to Mark, written approximately 70 CE. New Testament scholars have demonstrated that the Gospels of Matthew and Luke were largely copied from Mark's Gospel. Since the first mention of the Transfiguration is in Mark's Gospel, the meaning of the passage is to be found in Mark.

Although the author of Mark wrote in an apparently clumsy, almost illiterate style, his work displays actual genius in the Greek language. Mark's Gospel contains a sophisticated parallel structure, a sequence in which an opening set of events is contrasted with another set of events that mirrors the first, in summary:

• The opening set begins with John explaining the coming of Jesus, followed by the baptism and the voice of God from heaven, and ends with Jesus predicting his death.
• The contrasting structure begins with the Transfiguration of Jesus and the voice of God from heaven, and ends with the crucifixion, followed by the young man explaining the departure of Jesus.

As a literary device, the Transfiguration of Jesus was necessary to mirror his baptism, the voice from heaven and the allusion to Elijah and Moses that the wilderness story creates: A . John explains the coming of Jesus (Mark 1:1-8)

B .The baptism of Jesus (1:9)

C . The voice of God from heaven, "Thou art my beloved son" (1:11)

D . The forty days in the wilderness as an allusion to Elijah and Moses (1:13)

E . The people were astonished at what Jesus taught (1:22)

F . Jesus casts out an unclean spirit (1:23-26)

G . Pharisees took counsel with the Herodians how they might destroy Jesus (3:6)

H . Demons, whenever they see Jesus, fall down and say that he is the Son of God.

-- Jesus commands that they tell no one of this (3:11-12)

I .. Jesus calls the 12 disciples (3:13-19)

J .. Jesus rejects his own family: he has a new family, his followers (3:31-35)

K . Jesus rebukes the wind (4:36-41)

L . The demoniac, wearing no clothes (5:15), cries out that Jesus not torment him and Jesus sends out the demons (5:1-20)

M . Jesus comes into his own country (6:1)
-- Where he was brought up

N . The people misunderstand Jesus and he can do no mighty work (6:2-6)

O . Jesus sends out the disciples and curses those who will not receive them (6:7-11)
-- in sending the disciples with authority and expecting all to receive them, Jesus is asserting his own authority

P . Herod thinks that Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead (6:14)

Q . Herodias and her daughter conspire to kill John the Baptist (6:16-29)

R . Feeding the thousands, and related miracles and discourses (6:33-8:21)

S . Who do people say that I am (8:27)

T . Peter affirms faith in Jesus as the Christ (8:29)

U . Whosoever shall be ashamed of me: of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed (8:38)

V . The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes (8:31a)

W . Be killed and after three days rise again (8:31b)

X . Prophecy of second coming (9:1)- Jesus tells the disciples that some of them would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God coming with power.

B' .The Transfiguration of Jesus (9:2-3)

C' .The voice of God from heaven, "This is my beloved son" (9:7)

D' . Jesus talks to Elijah and Moses then to the disciples about Elijah (9:4-13)

E' .A great multitude was amazed at Jesus (9:15)

F' .Jesus cast out a dumb spirit (9:17-27)

G' .They shall kill the Son of man and he shall rise on the third day (9:31)

H' .Jesus clarifies his divine status, saying that he is not God: "Why call me good? There is none good but God" (10:18)

I' . Peter says the disciples have left all and followed Jesus (10:28)

J' . Those who have left their family for Jesus have a new family: all Jesus' followers (10:29-30)

K'. Jesus rebukes the 'sons of thunder', James and John (10:35-45 - cf 3:17)

L' .Blind Bartimaeus cries out for mercy and casts off his clothes, then Jesus heals him (10:46-52)

M' .Jesus comes into Jerusalem (11:1-10)
-- Where he will die

N' .Jesus misunderstands the fig tree that can provide no fruit (11:13-14)

O' .Jesus casts out them that sold and bought in the Temple and curses them for making the Temple a den of thieves (11:15-17)
-- Jesus is asserting his authority

P' .Jesus asks whether the baptism of John is from heaven or of men, and the priests, scribes and elders can not answer (11:30-33)

Q' .Parable of husbandmen who conspire to kill the vineyard owner's son (12:1-9)

X' .Prophecy of second coming (chapter 13)

-- on clouds of glory, within the lifetimes of some of those to whom he was speaking

R' .The Last Supper (14:17-25)

S' .Art thou the Christ, Son of God (14:61)

T' .Peter denies Jesus three times (14:66-72a)

U' .And when he thought thereon, Peter wept (14:72b)

V' .The chief priests, elders and scribes delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate (15:1)

-- Delivering Jesus is a similar concept to rejecting him.
-- Both parts of the pair involve chief priests, elders and scribes

W' .Jesus dies and on the third day rises again (15:37, 16:6)

A' .The young man explains the departure of Jesus(16:6-8)

Answer 5

Roman Catholic AnswerThe transfiguration is recorded in Matthew 17:1-6, Mark 9: 1-8; and Luke 9: 28-36; it is also alluded to in 2 Peter 1:16-18; and John 1: 1:14, who were two of the witnesses to Jesus being transfigured. The Catholic Encyclopedia article is at the link below:

Answer 6

Definition: Transfiguration means a change in appearance or a metamorphosis if you will. It connotes a religious exalting/glorifying or a spiritual change. Now concerning Jesus Christ in the New Testament:


Not only had the masses of Jews had an incorrect concept of the role of the Messiah (Matthew 8:4; 12:16), the Apostles themselves, were confused as to who Jesus truly was and whether His coming was for liberation at their time or at some future time (a conquering King not a Suffering Servant). So Jesus gave the three Apostles a preview of the Coming Kingdom of God and told them not to speak of this event until His Resurrection - this confused them as well.

As Jesus was 'changed' into a radiant, glorious figure, He is joined by Moses who represented the Law and Elijah, the first of the great Prophets. Their presence indicated that the OT Scripture had been looking forward to the Messiah and His Kingdom. The Father's voice from Heaven speaks the same words that He spoke when Jesus was baptised in Matthew 3:17 and refer to Psalm 2:7. The Father commands the three to 'Hear Him' which appears to reflect Deuteronomy 18:15.

Lastly, Jesus explains the prophecy of Malachi 3:1; 4:5; 6 of Elijah-type coming first in John the Baptist before the Messiah but as with many prophecies in Scripture this too is dual as can be discerned from the phrase 'will restore all things.' There will apparently be another Elijah-type just before the 2nd Coming.

Answer 7

In the story of the Transfiguration, Jesus took the disciples Peter, John and James to the top of a mountain, where his appearance changed and they saw him talking to Elijah and Moses. Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the Prophets They also represented the end of the Old covenant and the start of the New Covenant. Elijah and Moses were two of the most revered men in the Hebrew scriptures and the author of Mark's Gospel, where this story first appears, wanted to associate Jesus as closely as possible with them and demonstrate their support for Jesus' mission.

Mark uses a parallel structure, a modification of the chiastic structure more commonly used in ancient times, as a hidden form of emphasis. This is a circular structure in which one set of events is mirrored by a second, parallel set. The forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness was an allusion to Elijah and matches the story of the Transfiguration in the chiastic structure. Mark 1:13 tells the story of Jesus going into the wilderness for forty days immediately after his baptism by John. He was ministered by angels, just as Elijah (1 Kings 19:5-7) was ministered by an angel and in the wilderness forty days. There is no actual suggestion that Jesus fasted for this time, but those familiar with the story of Elijah are likely to have assumed he did do so. This brings into play another allusion, to Moses when (Exodus 34:28) he fasted for 40 days while he wrote the words of the Ten Commandments on tablets. The structure links these early allusions to Elijah and Moses to their appearance at the Transfiguration, through the pair groups BCD and B'C'D' in the following list: A . John explains the coming of Jesus (Mark 1:1-8)

B .The baptism of Jesus (1:9)

C . The voice of God from heaven, "Thou art my beloved son" (1:11)

D . The forty days in the wilderness as an allusion to Elijah and Moses (1:13)

E . The people were astonished at what Jesus taught (1:22)

F . Jesus casts out an unclean spirit (1:23-26)

G . Pharisees took counsel with the Herodians how they might destroy Jesus (3:6)

H . Demons, whenever they see Jesus, fall down and say that he is the Son of God.

-- Jesus commands that they tell no one of this (3:11-12)

I .. Jesus calls the 12 disciples (3:13-19)

J .. Jesus rejects his own family: he has a new family, his followers (3:31-35)

K . Jesus rebukes the wind (4:36-41)

L . The demoniac, wearing no clothes (5:15), cries out that Jesus not torment him and Jesus sends out the demons (5:1-20)

M . Jesus comes into his own country (6:1)
-- Where he was brought up

N . The people misunderstand Jesus and he can do no mighty work (6:2-6)

O . Jesus sends out the disciples and curses those who will not receive them (6:7-11)
-- in sending the disciples with authority and expecting all to receive them, Jesus is asserting his own authority

P . Herod thinks that Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead (6:14)

Q . Herodias and her daughter conspire to kill John the Baptist (6:16-29)

R . Feeding the thousands, and related miracles and discourses (6:33-8:21)

S . Who do people say that I am (8:27)

T . Peter affirms faith in Jesus as the Christ (8:29)

U . Whosoever shall be ashamed of me: of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed (8:38)

V . The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes (8:31a)

W . Be killed and after three days rise again (8:31b)

X . Prophecy of second coming (9:1)- Jesus tells the disciples that some of them would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God coming with power.

B' .The Transfiguration of Jesus (9:2-3)

C' .The voice of God from heaven, "This is my beloved son" (9:7)

D' . Jesus talks to Elijah and Moses then to the disciples about Elijah (9:4-13)

E' .A great multitude was amazed at Jesus (9:15)

F' .Jesus cast out a dumb spirit (9:17-27)

G' .They shall kill the Son of man and he shall rise on the third day (9:31)

H' .Jesus clarifies his divine status, saying that he is not God: "Why call me good? There is none good but God" (10:18)

I' . Peter says the disciples have left all and followed Jesus (10:28)

J' . Those who have left their family for Jesus have a new family: all Jesus' followers (10:29-30)

K'. Jesus rebukes the 'sons of thunder', James and John (10:35-45 - cf 3:17)

L' .Blind Bartimaeus cries out for mercy and casts off his clothes, then Jesus heals him (10:46-52)

M' .Jesus comes into Jerusalem (11:1-10)
-- Where he will die

N' .Jesus misunderstands the fig tree that can provide no fruit (11:13-14)

O' .Jesus casts out them that sold and bought in the Temple and curses them for making the Temple a den of thieves (11:15-17)
-- Jesus is asserting his authority

P' .Jesus asks whether the baptism of John is from heaven or of men, and the priests, scribes and elders can not answer (11:30-33)

Q' .Parable of husbandmen who conspire to kill the vineyard owner's son (12:1-9)

X' .Prophecy of second coming (chapter 13)

-- on clouds of glory, within the lifetimes of some of those to whom he was speaking

R' .The Last Supper (14:17-25)

S' .Art thou the Christ, Son of God (14:61)

T' .Peter denies Jesus three times (14:66-72a)

U' .And when he thought thereon, Peter wept (14:72b)

V' .The chief priests, elders and scribes delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate (15:1)

-- Delivering Jesus is a similar concept to rejecting him.
-- Both parts of the pair involve chief priests, elders and scribes

W' .Jesus dies and on the third day rises again (15:37, 16:6)

A' .The young man explains the departure of Jesus(16:6-8)

Matthew and Luke follow the allusion to Elijah in a subtly different way, taking the angel out of the gospel story and instead having Jesus fast for forty days, just as Elijah did after the angel ministered to him. In this version, the further allusion to Exodus 34:28 is more readily recognised.

Answer 8

Transfiguration is a change in outward form or appearance, and has largely been used to refer to the Transfiguration of Jesus, an event described in each of the synoptic gospels, in which Jesus took Peter, James and John up into a high mountain, where his appearance changed and they saw him talking to two strangers whom they immediately recognised as Moses and Elijah. His clothes shone with whiteness, and Matthew's Gospel tells us his face shone like the sun. There is no suggestion in the gospels that this was merely a vision, although this would be one way to explain what would otherwise have been a miracle.

Another way of understanding the Transfiguration is to look at it in the context in which it exists in Mark's Gospel, the first New Testament gospel to be written and the major source used by the authors of Matthew and Luke. Mark's Gospel is framed in its entirety by a parallel structure of immense subtlety and scope, providing emphasis and developing themes not otherwise apparent. When we look at the Transfiguration in this structure, we see that it forms pairs with the baptism of Jesus and the forty days in the wilderness, which itself is an allegory for Moses and Elijah:

A . John explains the coming of Jesus (Mark 1:1-8)

B .The baptism of Jesus (1:9)

C . The voice of God from heaven, "Thou art my beloved son" (1:11)

D . The forty days in the wilderness as an allusion to Elijah and Moses (1:13)

E . The people were astonished at what Jesus taught (1:22)

F . Jesus casts out an unclean spirit (1:23-26)

G . Pharisees took counsel with the Herodians how they might destroy Jesus (3:6)

H . Demons, whenever they see Jesus, fall down and say that he is the Son of God.

-- Jesus commands that they tell no one of this (3:11-12)

I .. Jesus calls the 12 disciples (3:13-19)

J .. Jesus rejects his own family: he has a new family, his followers (3:31-35)

K . Jesus rebukes the wind (4:36-41)

L . The demoniac, wearing no clothes (5:15), cries out that Jesus not torment him and Jesus sends out the demons (5:1-20)

M . Jesus comes into his own country (6:1)
-- Where he was brought up

N . The people misunderstand Jesus and he can do no mighty work (6:2-6)

O . Jesus sends out the disciples and curses those who will not receive them (6:7-11)
-- in sending the disciples with authority and expecting all to receive them, Jesus is asserting his own authority

P . Herod thinks that Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead (6:14)

Q . Herodias and her daughter conspire to kill John the Baptist (6:16-29)

R . Feeding the thousands, and related miracles and discourses (6:33-8:21)

S . Who do people say that I am (8:27)

T . Peter affirms faith in Jesus as the Christ (8:29)

U . Whosoever shall be ashamed of me: of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed (8:38)

V . The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes (8:31a)

W . Be killed and after three days rise again (8:31b)

X . Prophecy of second coming (9:1)- Jesus tells the disciples that some of them would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God coming with power.

B' .The Transfiguration of Jesus (9:2-3)

C' .The voice of God from heaven, "This is my beloved son" (9:7)

D' . Jesus talks to Elijah and Moses then to the disciples about Elijah (9:4-13)

E' .A great multitude was amazed at Jesus (9:15)

F' .Jesus cast out a dumb spirit (9:17-27)

G' .They shall kill the Son of man and he shall rise on the third day (9:31)

H' .Jesus clarifies his divine status, saying that he is not God: "Why call me good? There is none good but God" (10:18)

I' . Peter says the disciples have left all and followed Jesus (10:28)

J' . Those who have left their family for Jesus have a new family: all Jesus' followers (10:29-30)

K'. Jesus rebukes the 'sons of thunder', James and John (10:35-45 - cf 3:17)

L' .Blind Bartimaeus cries out for mercy and casts off his clothes, then Jesus heals him (10:46-52)

M' .Jesus comes into Jerusalem (11:1-10)
-- Where he will die

N' .Jesus misunderstands the fig tree that can provide no fruit (11:13-14)

O' .Jesus casts out them that sold and bought in the Temple and curses them for making the Temple a den of thieves (11:15-17)
-- Jesus is asserting his authority

P' .Jesus asks whether the baptism of John is from heaven or of men, and the priests, scribes and elders can not answer (11:30-33)

Q' .Parable of husbandmen who conspire to kill the vineyard owner's son (12:1-9)

X' .Prophecy of second coming (chapter 13)

-- on clouds of glory, within the lifetimes of some of those to whom he was speaking

R' .The Last Supper (14:17-25)

S' .Art thou the Christ, Son of God (14:61)

T' .Peter denies Jesus three times (14:66-72a)

U' .And when he thought thereon, Peter wept (14:72b)

V' .The chief priests, elders and scribes delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate (15:1)

-- Delivering Jesus is a similar concept to rejecting him.
-- Both parts of the pair involve chief priests, elders and scribes

W' .Jesus dies and on the third day rises again (15:37, 16:6)

A' .The young man explains the departure of Jesus(16:6-8)

The Transfiguration of Jesus does not appear to have been a vision, so it is more likely that it was a literary device to help remind us that Jesus is the Son of God.

Footnote:

* The term 'transfiguration is also now used in Harry Potter movies for a type of magic spell.