His Departure at Jerusalem
28 About eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling. 30 Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him. 33 As they were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he said. 34 While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud. 35 A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!” 36 When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.
He goes up to pray and is changed while praying — and the conversation on the mountain is about how he is going to die.
About eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray.
The scene is told in the earliest account Mark 9:1–29. Three things belong to this one, and each is the kind of detail a researcher collects.
The first is the purpose. He goes up to pray, and as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered Luke 9:29. The change happens during prayer rather than as a display arranged for the three. They are watching something that was going to happen anyway.
The second is the subject of the conversation, and it is this Gospel's most valuable addition to the episode.
who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
The word rendered departure is exodus. Moses is standing there — the man who led the first one — and what the three of them are discussing is a second going-out, to be accomplished in the city. A death is being called a deliverance in the presence of the man who conducted the original, and the verb is accomplish, the word for completing a work rather than suffering a fate.
Set beside the passion prediction eight days earlier, the mountain does not interrupt the announcement of the cross. It confirms it, and supplies the category for reading it.
The third detail is human. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory Luke 9:32. They nearly slept through it — as they will in the garden Luke 22:45, where this book alone explains that they were sleeping for sorrow.
"Master, it is good for us to be here. Let's make three tents" Luke 9:33, and the account adds not knowing what he said. The proposal levels the three, and the correction comes from the cloud.
A cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud Luke 9:34. The verb overshadow was used once before in this book, of the power of the Most High coming on Mary Luke 1:35.
A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!”
The last clause is the answer to Peter's suggestion. Not three shelters for three equals — one of them is to be listened to.
When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.
No command to silence is recorded here; they simply say nothing. Some things are not reportable until later.
settled What this mark means