Mark 9:2-13 (ESV)

² And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, ³ and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. ⁵ And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶ For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. ⁷ And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” ⁸ And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. ⁹ And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. ¹¹ And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” ¹² And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? ¹³ But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

Jesus said some were present with him “Who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power” ( 9:1). Six days after that declaration, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him to a high mountain. When the four of them were alone, Jesus was transfigured in their presence. We get the English word “metamorphosis” from the Greek word translated here as “transfigured.” Jesus was changed in a way outwardly visible to Peter, James, and John, and even his clothes took on a new nature. No wonder the three disciples with Jesus were terrified. To top that off, Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus. In the Old Testament, God revealed himself to both Moses and Elijah on a mountain. So, the two men to whom God previously revealed himself on a mountain were now present and talking to Jesus. Poor Peter didn’t know what to do. He suggested they make tents to hang out in. Peter probably thought Jesus decided to set up his kingdom right then and that Moses and Elijah were staying. God interrupted Peter and declared from heaven, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” God set Jesus apart from Moses and Elijah and proclaimed to the disciples that Jesus is above those two great men.

God said, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” The word translated as “listen” is worth noting because of its verb tense. It is an imperative, which is a command. God said to Peter, James, and John, “Be obedient to Jesus. Do what he says.” Jesus, not Moses and not Elijah, was God’s definitive representative, because he was God in human flesh. The disciples and all who follow Jesus after them must heed God’s announcement. We are to do what Jesus says. This seems so simple, yet we can make it so confusing. None of us is saved by works or by doing anything. Not one human has the ability to earn her salvation. But if we are followers of Christ and enjoy a relationship with him through repentance and faith, then we need to do what he said. Take some time to really search your heart today. Are you doing things or failing to do things that conflict with what Jesus commands his people? If so, confess, repent, and do things his way. You will never regret your decision to “listen to Jesus.”