Why did Jesus instruct the disciples to keep the transfiguration secret until His resurrection? Setting the Scene Mark 9:9: “As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus admonished them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.” Why the Silence Was Necessary • Protection of God’s redemptive timetable – John 7:30; 8:20 show multiple attempts to seize Jesus, yet “His hour had not yet come.” – Public knowledge of the transfiguration’s glory could have provoked premature confrontation or popular acclaim (John 6:15). • Preventing distorted expectations – Israel looked for a conquering Messiah (John 12:34). A revealed, radiant Christ too early would stoke that political hope and eclipse the necessity of the cross (Mark 8:31-33). • Ensuring a complete gospel testimony – The transfiguration makes fullest sense only in light of death and resurrection. Without the empty tomb, glory on the mountain could be viewed as an isolated miracle, not a foretaste of the Kingdom (Romans 1:4). • Spiritual preparedness of the witnesses – Even the three closest disciples “kept this statement to themselves, discussing what ‘rising from the dead’ meant” (Mark 9:10). They needed the resurrection plus the Spirit’s illumination (John 14:26) before speaking with clarity. What the Disciples Were to Wait For 1. The Resurrection: proof that suffering precedes glory (Luke 24:26). 2. The Spirit’s power at Pentecost to declare Christ boldly (Acts 1:8; 2:32). 3. God’s chosen moment to unveil the event: Peter later recounts it when the church can grasp its significance (2 Peter 1:16-18). How the Transfiguration Fits the Bigger Picture • Confirms Jesus as the fulfillment of Law (Moses) and Prophets (Elijah). • Previews the splendor believers will share (1 John 3:2). • Foreshadows His second coming—glory revealed after suffering endured (Philippians 2:8-11). Takeaway Truths • Jesus governs revelation with precision; nothing leaks before its appointed hour. • The path of glory still runs through the cross—then and now. • God’s people speak most effectively when experience, Scripture, and Spirit-filled understanding converge. |
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