David B.
Haight (1906-2004), who, at the time of writing, was a member of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles wrote the following about Jesus’ Transfiguration:
We learn from the scriptures that the Savior,
finding a secluded place knelt and prayed; and as he prayed to his Father, he
was elevated far above the doubt and wickedness of the world that has rejected
him. As he prayed, he was transfigured. His countenance shone as the sun, and
his garments became as white as the snow fields above them. He was enwrapped in
an aura of glistening brilliance; his whole presence reflected such a divine radiance
that the light of the sun or the white of the sow is the only thing to which the
Evangelists can compare that celestial scene. Two figures appeared by his side: Moses and Elias (Elijah). When
the prayer was ended and the coming ordeal accepted, the full glory fell upon
him from heaven—a testimony of his divine Sonship and power.
Luke’s account indicates that the three
apostles did not witness the beginning of his marvelous transfiguration. They
were heavy with sleep, as they would later be at Gethsemane, but they were
suddenly startled into wakefulness (Luke 9:32). Then they saw and heard. In the
darkness of the night they saw an intense light and the glorified form of heir
Lord. Beside him, in that same glory of
light, were the two ancient prophets.
As the vision began to fade, Peter, we are
told, apparently anxious to delay the departure of the heavenly visitors,
expressed the first thought that came to his mind: “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 Elias” (Luke
9:33).
They may have been surprised at the
inappropriate proposal made by the eager Peter, who would yet learn the meaning
of the night’s events. But even as Peter spoke, a bright cloud of brilliant light
overshadowed Jesus and his heavenly
visitors, Moses and Elijah, and also three apostles. Then a voice was
heard: “This is my beloved Son: hear him” (Luke 9:35).
The three apostles fell prostrate and hid
their faces. How long it was before Jesus came to them and touched them is not
clear; but when they raised their eyes, it was all over. The bright cloud had
vanished; the gleams of light, the shining countenance had passed away; and
they were alone with Jesus. Only the light from the stars shone on the mountain
slopes.
After such an experience, the apostles may
have hesitated to rise; but Jesus, not appearing as they had seen him before he
knelt in prayer, touched them and said, “Arise, and be not afraid” (Matthew
17:7). He was their dear friend.
The day was probably dawning as they descended
the mountain. Jesus instructed them to tell no one until he had risen from the
dead. The vision was for them; they were to ponder it in the depths of their
own hearts. They were not even to tell the other apostles. The three disciples
kept Christ’s instructions but could not understand the full meaning. They could
only ask each other, or wonder in silence, what this resurrection from the dead
could mean. But they now knew more fully than ever that their Lord was indeed the
Christ, the Son of God.
Though it may be difficult for us to
understand, Jesus must have been
strengthened and sustained by Moses and Elijah in preparation for the
suffering and agony ahead of him in working out the infinite and eternal
atonement of all mankind. In a few days an angel from heaven would again
strengthen him when he would sweat great drops of blood in the Garden of
Gethsemane.
The three chosen apostles were taught of his
coming death and also his resurrection, teachings that would strengthen each of
them in the eventful days ahead.
Testifying later, John said, “We beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father” (John 1:14). The
apostle Peter, speaking of his personal experience, wrote: “We have not
followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he
received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to
him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him,
in the holy mount” (2 Peter 1:16-18).
Peter, James, and John. They alone beheld the
glory and majesty of the transfigured Jesus and undoubtedly received the keys
of the kingdom. These three were yet to be taken to a spot in Gethsemane where
they would behold his suffering as he took upon himself the sins of the world
so that he might redeem us from the fall, demonstrate to us through his resurrection
that he is the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, and show us that he is
the Redeemer of the world.
These same three witnesses who were on the
mount—Peter, the senior apostle, and James and John—appeared to Joseph Smith
and Oliver Cowdery in 1829 to confer upon them the Melchizedek Priesthood and
give them the keys of the kingdom and apostleship. Christ himself, followed by
Moses, Elias, and Elijah, appeared to Joseph and Oliver in the Kirtland Temple,
giving authority and committing other essential keys of the dispensation . . .
The divine keys, power, and authority have been committed by heavenly
messengers to Joseph Smith in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times.
Those keys—the same that were delivered to Peter, James, and John on the
mountain—authorize us to carry the true gospel to all nations to declare the
power, glory, and majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ and to warn that the day of
his coming is near. A prophet of God holds these keys of authority today. We
invite people everywhere to inquire further into this divine message we have to
offer to all mankind. (David B. Haight, A
Light Unto the World [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1997], 10-12, 13, emphasis
added)
Apart from
the really beautiful insights into the theology of Jesus’ Transfiguration and
related concepts, the reason I found this to be interesting can be seen in the
section I put in bold. Why? According to Haight, he believed (correctly) that
(1) only two heavenly figures appeared to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration
and (2) they were Moses and Elijah, not Moses and John the Baptist (alt. Moses
and Elijah and John the Baptist).
While I will not attempt to read the mind of a dead person (unlike Fawn Brodie
and Dan Vogel!), it would be surprising if Haight did not know of the version
of the Transfiguration in JST Mark 9:3 that has John the Baptist in the place
of (not in addition to, as some
desperately claim) with Moses, which, frankly, is evidence that the JST is not always inspired (cf. JST Matt 17:2-3 and Luke 9:30 which has Moses and Elias [OT Elijah] appearing to Jesus, showing an inconsitency in the JST)
For more,
see:
“Elias”
as a “Forerunner” in LDS Scripture (cf. Was
it Jesus or John the Baptist who received angelic ministration?)
