6. THE Mark 9:2-10 (Matthew 17:1-13; Luke 9:28-36.) Verily I say unto you, There are some here of them that stand by, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God come with power.--"Some," not all, were to live to see the kingdom come. Judas hanged himself before it came. He is the only one of the twelve that did not live to see this prediction fulfilled. The kingdom and power had not come at this time. Both were yet to come. The kingdom was to come with the power. The power was to come with the Spirit. (Acts 1:8.) The Spirit came on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ. (Acts 2:1-4.) As the kingdom was to come with the power, and as the power was to come with the Spirit, and since the Spirit and power came on Pentecost, therefore, the kingdom came on that day. We now come to one of the most sublime scenes of all sacred history--the transfiguration. 2 And after six days--[This was six days after Peter had confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, in Cesarea Philippi, with the incidents following it. Luke says, "About eight days," counting both the day on which the confession was made and this on which the transfiguration took place. Matthew and Mark count the intervening days.] Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John,--[Jesus takes with him, as he did on other occasions, the three favored disciples. Jesus had these three with him when he raised the daughter of Jairus, and a few months later they were with him in the Garden of Gethsemane. Paul (Galatians 2:9), speaking of his visit to Jerusalem, called them "pillars." This does not indicate favoritism; but they were active, prompt; and he accorded to each the position to which his fidelity and activity entitled him.] and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves:--This mountain upon whose heights he led them was on the road from Cesarea Philippi toward Jerusalem. Some think it was Mount Hermon or some of its projections others, Mount Tabor. The former is the more probable one.] No one knows for certain what mountain the transfiguration was on. "Apart by themselves" means apart from the other disciples. and he was transfigured before them;--["Transfigured" means changed in form and appearance. When Jesus came to the earth, he changed his glorious appearance for one in the flesh. The inhabitants of the heavenly region wear an appearance of surpassing glory. The face of Moses when he came down from the mountain after he had been forty days with God shone with such glory that the children of Israel could not look upon it. So he put a veil over it while he talked with them. (Exodus 34:29-34.) This was a reflected glory. When Jesus appeared to Saul on the way to Damascus, a light above the brightness of the midday sun shone round about him; so Saul was smitten with blindness. This appearance of Jesus on the mount is supposed to represent him in his glorified, or spiritual, state. Man, in the flesh, could not take in the transcendent glory of his appearance. It was a light so brilliant that it would have blinded men. When he came to earth, he veiled his glory under the flesh of humanity, so he could sympathize with man and man could approach him;now he comes on this occasion to show to his chosen disciples his true, spiritual appearance. Jesus was the "effulgence of his [God's] glory, and the very image of his substance." (Hebrews 1:3.) In him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. This glory shone forth in his countenance. It was as bright as the sun; so to look upon it with our fleshly eyes was to be smitten with blindness.] 3 and his garments became glistering, exceeding white, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them.--[His raiment was as white as the light. The brilliance from his body flowed through the raiment and it was as white as the light. "So as no fuller on earth can whiten them" means nothing on earth can surpass it or add to its whiteness. This was a picture and a promise to the true follower of Jesus of what he shall become in the future state. "Who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself." (Philippians 3:21.) "Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is." (1 John 3:2.) Luke (9:29) says as he "was praying" he was transfigured into his glorious state. The blessing came in prayer.] From these and other circumstances it seems plain that in heaven in glorified bodies Christians will preserve their identity. 4 And there appeared unto them Elijah with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.--[The two who appeared with him from the spirit land were Moses, the giver of the law, the type of Christ, and Elijah, or Elias, as he was called in Greek, the greatest of all the prophets of the Old Testament times. Moses died "in the land of Moab over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day." (Deuteronomy 34:6.) Elijah did not die, but ascended into heaven in a chariot of fire; was translated, that he did not see death. (2 Kings 3 11.) They were in the state of the dead; were not yet raised, since Jesus was the firstborn from the dead. He had not yet died. They were in the spirit form. Many think that this occurred that Moses the lawgiver of the Old Testament, and Elijah, the greatest of the prophets in the dispensation that was ended because of transgression, and was the schoolmaster to bring the Jews to Christ, should give their testimony to Jesus. Luke says they "appeared in glory." The same halo of glory and of light that shone from Jesus glowed from the faces of Moses and Elijah. His decease, which was to occur at Jerusalem, to which he had now turned his face for the last final journey, was the subject of their conference. They likely came to encourage and strengthen him for the trials and sufferings that he must undergo. With his death the dispensation of which Moses was the lawgiver and mediator, and of which Elijah was the most prominent prophet and restorer, would end. Blotting "out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:14.) The law of Moses was fulfilled in Christ. "It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made. . . . So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor." (Galatians 3:19-25.) The time was nigh when this dispensation preparatory to the coming of the kingdom must be done away, and when this kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, but shall stand forever, was to be opened to man. This conference with Moses and Elias on the mount in the presence of the three apostles was concerning the death of Jesus that would usher in this kingdom that would never be destroyed. Luke says Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep. They had come up to the mount, had been up all night. The conference was toward day, and they were heavy with sleep; but they awakened and saw his glory and the two men that were with him. How the apostles knew who they were we are not told. Jesus probably informed them. Only the leading facts are told.] 5 And Peter answereth and saith to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Eli jah.--A tabernacle is a tent or something to protect people from the heat of the sun and the weather. It was a temporary fixture, not permanent. Peter was rejoiced at the vision and desirous of continuing it. He proposed, therefore, that they should prolong this interview, and dwell there. 6 For he knew not what to answer; for they became sore afraid.--[Luke says, as they (Moses and Elijah) were departing from them, Peter said: "Master, it is good for us to be here:and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." This seems to have been spoken as if to stay their departing visitants. Luke says he said it, "not knowing what he said." It seems from all the accounts that they reached the mountain tired and wearied, and during the prayers of Jesus, as afterwards in Gethsemane, they fell asleep; and when they awoke and saw the glory of Jesus and of the two men who stood with them, they were struck with awe and wonder. As Moses and Elijah started to leave, Peter made this proposition. He was so perturbed he hardly knew what he said, or it may mean he did not understand the things he proposed were ill suited to the wants of these persons now in the spirit state.] 7 And there came a cloud overshadowing them:--Matthew (Matthew 17:5) says: "A bright cloud." It is probable the cloud was similar to the one that attended the Israelites through the wilderness, a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. This was during the night. Luke (Luke 9:37) says: "And it came to pass, on the next day, when they were come down from the mountain, a great multitude met him." This would indicate that they spent the night on the mount. It was probably one of the allnight seasons of prayer to God which Jesus was given to holding. This cloud, the representative of the divine glory and presence, came down upon them; so they entered into it, and the apostles feared, as they were enveloped in the bright cloud. He was veiled from human sight by the cloud. No eye could behold him and live. "He made darkness havilious around about him, dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled."] and there came a voice out of the cloud, This is my beloved Son: hear ye him.--[Out of this cloud came the voice of God, as it did from the cleft heavens at his baptism, and declared "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." It now adds: "Hear ye him." Then he was declared to be the Son of the living God now the command is added: "Hear ye him." This is the command of God to man to hear Jesus. It is equivalent to the declaration that whosoever hears Jesus hears God who sent him. To hear Jesus or his apostles is to hear God.] "Hear ye him" is the chief significance of the whole affair. They had heard Moses (the law) and Elijah (the prophet) now they must hear Christ. Jesus is the prophet and the lawgiver now. He is the one who speaks from heaven, and the mediator of the new covenant. (Hebrews 12:22-25.) 8 And suddenly looking round about, they saw no one any more, save Jesus only with themselves.--[The cloud had passed away, and carried these visitors from the spirit land back to their abodes; and Jesus was left alone.] Moses and Elijah were gone. They had abdicated in his favor. Henceforth there is to be but one authoritative teacher and lawgiver. The prescriptions of Moses and Elijah are to be no more binding except as they may be endorsed or reenacted by him. Fifteen hundred years before, Moses had told of a prophet to come, to whom they must especially hearken. Now he has come, and his exclusive authority is proclaimed, "Hear ye him," and him alone, for everything depends upon it. 9 And as they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, save when the Son of man should have risen again from the dead.--Luke (Luke 9:36) says: "And they held their peace, and told no man in those days any of the things which they had seen." Peter delighted to refer to it. It made a lasting impression upon him, and he understood its import. "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. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there was born such a voice to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased:and this voice we ourselves heard borne out of heaven, when we were with him in the holy mount. And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts." (2 Peter 1:16-19.) "The word of prophecy" was always true and sure, but God's voice here pointed Jesus out more specially and directly as the antitype of Moses and the Son of God in fulfillment of all prophecy. 10 And they kept the saying, questioning among themselves what the rising again from the dead should mean.--[It was likely morning when they came down from the mountain. As they came down Jesus told them to tell no man of the vision, what ye have seen, until the Son of man is risen from the dead. "They kept the saying, questioning among themselves what the rising again from the dead should mean." It seems to us singular that, when Jesus so frequently and so clearly told he must be crucified and rise again, they did not understand it. He had told it six days previous to this, when Peter reproved him, and was told to get behind him. (Matthew 16:23.) Now he tells it again. They cannot take it in or understand what he means. They kept these matters among themselves, talking one with another, as to what he meant by this language. This vision seems to have been to give them now a vision of the future glory. They could not now understand or take in its meaning; but after his resurrection, they remembered it, understood it, and it made the prophecies concerning Jesus more sure to them, and gave an illustration of the appearance of the Son of God in the glorified body; so that we may have a clearer idea of what we shall be when we see him as he is, and are thereby transformed into the likeness of the Son of God.]