There are many times when “why” cannot be answered. That is the problem with our next passage from the Gospel of Mark. There are many unanswerable “whys.” But there is a “do” that must not be ignored.
Mark recounts an event that we call The Transfiguration. It is found in Mark 9:2-13. Matthew and Luke also recount the event. In brief, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain for some alone time. There, Jesus’ divine form is revealed. Elijah and Moses appear and converse with Jesus. Peter asks if they should build temporary shelters for the three. A voice speaks from the cloud, and all returns to normal. The disciples are charged to tell no one until after Jesus is raised from the dead. The disciples didn’t understand. While going down the mountain, they ask about Elijah coming first. Jesus replied with an allusion to John the Baptist, but also a reminder of the suffering ahead of Him.
Like I said, there are many questions left on the table. Why only Peter, James, and John? What did Elijah, Moses, and Jesus talk about? How did the disciples recognize Moses and Elijah? Why were the disciples there at all? Why does Mark record Elijah and Moses instead of the natural order of Moses and Elijah? What is the overlap between Elijah and John the Baptist? Will Elijah come again at the end of the age? All the questions blur the one thing that really matters. What did the voice say?
“A cloud appeared, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him!” (Mark 9:7, CSB)
That’s what really matters. The revelation and command cut to the chase. Jesus is the Son of God. It is what Mark has been showing us all along. All the other stuff about this passage is interesting, but this is what matters. That is the ultimate revelation. And with the ultimate revelation is the ultimate command – listen to him.
I think that we are often more like Peter than we’ll admit or understand. This is a mountaintop experience that Peter wants to continue. But mountaintop experiences are just that. A moment of clarity, vision, and closeness with God to prepare us for the valley ahead. We can also get distracted by Moses and Elijah, or what they represent.
Moses is, of course, the lawgiver. And we can get very distracted by the Law or what we perceive it to be. We focus on not breaking the rules. That’s not a bad thing, but focusing on Law or our perception of the Law doesn’t bring us closer to Jesus. Elijah represents the prophets. Many Christians get caught up in end-times prophetic speculation and fail to follow Jesus in the here and now. Yes, Christ is returning, but we have a God-given task for today. What is that task? Listen to Him. We don’t have to figure everything out; all we have to do is listen to Jesus and do as He says.
And what does Jesus command? He answered that in response to a lawyer’s question. “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” (Matthew 22:36–40, CSB) Listen to Jesus, the beloved Son of God.
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