Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

TRANSFIGURATION, THE

An event in Jesus’ life attested in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36). Another possible reference is 2 Pet. 1:16-18. In all three Gospel accounts, the disciples Peter, James, and John accompany Jesus to the top of a mountain and witness his transformation (Gk. metamorphóomai, “to undergo a metamorphosis”). Jesus’ clothes become an intensely brilliant white and the prophets Elijah and Moses converse with him. Peter responds by suggesting they set up three tents, one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Before Peter can be verbally rebuked (cf. Mark 8:33 par.), a cloud moves in, casting a shadow over them and a voice says, “This is my favored son, listen to him!” As the disciples look around, they see no one, and are alone with Jesus. This is symbolic of Jesus’ superiority over Elijah and Moses from the Gospel writers’ perspective.

Details of the accounts vary, but one of the purposes for each Gospel writer is to link Jesus with personalities and prophecy from Hebrew Scripture. Not only did Moses and Elijah suffer as great prophets and lawgivers, but each had a vision of the glory of God on a mountain (Moses on Mt. Sinai, Exod. 24:15; Elijah on Mt. Horeb, 1 Kgs. 19:8) and both seem to have escaped natural deaths. Elijah was taken up into heaven (2 Kgs. 2:11), and since Moses’ burial place was not known (Deut. 34:5-8), the legend arose that he ascended directly into heaven (pseudepigraphical Assumption of Moses). According to some traditions, both were also expected to return. The very last verses in the Hebrew Bible include the figures Moses and Elijah (Mal. 4:4-6[MT 3:22-24]). In addition, there are several connections between the story of Jesus’ transfiguration on a mountaintop and the story of Moses on Mt. Sinai: e.g., three men accompanied Moses (Exod. 24:1); the cloud covered the mountain for six days and God called to Moses out of the cloud (24:15-18); and later when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God (34:29). Peter’s desire to set up tents may suggest a reminiscence of the Judean Feast of Tabernacles or Booths, the annual harvest festival commemorating the tents used during the Exodus, or of the tent over the tabernacle described during Moses’ Sinai encounter (Exod. 26:7-14). The Mosaic theme is unmistakable. Other themes include an echo of Jesus’ baptism, a reminder of Peter’s confession just preceding this story, a foreshadowing of the Resurrection and an anticipation of the Parousia, the disciples’ fear and subsequent silence. Matthew follows Mark’s account more closely than does Luke. Luke uniquely includes a premonition about the events that would happen in Jerusalem as an additional theme.

Traditional interpretation differs. Some scholars suggest that the historical basis of the story was originally the account of a resurrection appearance which was later transferred into the earthly life of Jesus; others propose that it is an epiphany describing Jesus’ divinity or an enthronement tradition shaped in light of the suffering Son of Man being proclaimed as the Son of God. Other suggestions include the story as a theophany, a Hellenistic mystery legend, or a tale from the world of magic; still others maintain that the story reflects an actual experience on the part of the disciples.

Later Christian tradition identified the mountain on which the Transfiguration took place with Mt. Tabor. If the sequence of events is taken literally in the Synoptic accounts, that choice would be unlikely since Mt. Tabor is 72 km. (45 mi.) from Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus and his disciples were just six days (eight days in Luke) earlier. A better possibility is Mt. Hermon, a high mountain just N of Caesarea Philippi. Whatever the location, the event was a peak experience in relaying God’s relationship to and purpose for Jesus.

Bibliography. W. D. Davies and D. C. Allison, The Gospel according to Saint Matthew 2. ICC (Edinburgh, 1991); M. D. Hooker, A Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Mark (London, 1991).

Glenna S. Jackson

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

TRANSFIGURATION, THE

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)