The story of the
transfiguration (Mark 9:2-8 par.) brings us to the heart of these
relationships. The dating of the episode is unusual (Mark 9:2) and it
emphasizes the significance of this event and its connection with the preceding
story about Peter’s confession and with Jesus’ first announcement of his
passion. The three intimate friends are witnesses of the event (cf. Deut
19:15). The high mountain (Mark 9:2) is an obvious allusion to the place where
divine revelations occurred in the OT (cf. 2 Pet 1:18, αγιω ορει). Christ is changed
into the form of the heavenly Son of Man (cf. Dan 7:9; Rev 1:14. The clothing
of the heavenly being is resplendent, Rev 3:5; 4:4; 7:9; 1 Enoch 62:15f.
On the shining of his face [Matt 17:2], cf. Rev 1:16; 4 Ezra 7:97; also Exod
34:29 [not ελαμψεν here, but δεδοξασται]). According to the older interpretation, the Law and the Prophets were
paying homage to someone greater. This, however, is not supported by the
wording of the passage or by the biblical point of view. The ideas that were
commonly accepted at the time indicate that the disciples must have interpreted
the presence of these two men as a proclamation that the new age had come. This
also explains Peter’s mysterious remark about the erection of shelters (σχηνας),
because in the last days God will again pitch his tent among his people, just
as he did in the time of Moses. Moreover, the cloud that enveloped them (ωεφαλη επισκαιζουσα αυτοις) had appeared during
the wilderness wandering and at the dedication of the first temple as a sign of
God’s presence, and it was expected that it would reappear in the last days (2
Macc 2:8). The high point of the event was the voice from heaven, and this confirms
our interpretation. Like the word spoken by God at Jesus’ baptism, it reminds
of us Ps 2:7. The wording is changed to the second person and is expanded with
the command “listen to him” (ακουετε αυτου) that is taken from
Deut 18:15 where the coming of the prophet is predicted. These changes indicate
that the voice is speaking to the disciples. They have confessed Jesus as the
Christ, and he has announced his cross to them. Now they must see him as the “only
beloved Son of God,” the Messiah. They must listen to him because he is the
promised prophet. In this experience the disciples share in “an imposing
revelation of Jesus’ relationship to redemptive history.” Jesus deserves a
place with Moss and Elijah, but he is not like them; he is the prophet (Deut
18:15) and the Messiah (the Jews had already applied the Deuteronomy passage to
the Messiah). The new age has begun. What the disciples have confessed in
prescient faith and contrary to public opinion has been presented to them in
great splendor that surpasses all expectation. Jesus of Nazareth, who is journeying
toward suffering and death, is not simply a prophet—he is the Christ of God.
The same
basis elements are found in the saying of Jesus, primarily in those which show
his attitude toward John the Baptist. On the one hand, Jesus identifies himself
fully with John. Matthew is correct when he summarizes the preaching of them
both with the identical words (Matt 3:2; 4:17). Jesus speaks of Elijah’s coming
and being rejected and in the same breath he mentions the suffering of the Son
of Man (Mark 9:12f. par. Matthew). Rejection of the Baptist and rejection of
Jesus are put on the same plane (Mark 11:30ff. par. Matt 11:18f. par. Luke; cf.
Matt 21:32). (Leonhard Goppelt, Typos: The Typological Interpretation of the Old
Testament in the New [trans. Donald H. Madvig; Grand Rapids, Mich.:
Eerdmans, 1982], 62-64—notice the final part in bold—rejection of a human
prophet is en par with rejecting Jesus. This should give some pause to
those who abuse John 5:23 to support their [often Creedal Trinitarian] model of
Christology—cf. Jerome
H. Neyrey on Jesus being Equal to God in John 5)