Mark 9:2-9 (NRSV)
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Verse 2Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, Verse 3and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. Verse 4And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Verse 5Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." Verse 6He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Verse 7Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!" Verse 8Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
Verse 9As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Devotion
"His garments became white as light/glistening and intensely white/dazzling white."
In the story of Jesus' Transfiguration, his spiritual body radiates an eternal appearance of dazzling white. His body of glistening white is the same kind of body that we will experience in eternity. The story of Jesus' transfigured body is an image of what will happen to us when we are raised from the dead.
It seems that in this moment of Transfiguration, Jesus was revealing what people will look like in the glorious future of eternity. In that grand future, there will be a continued identity but also a transformation into a glorious state of light.
Luke uses the identical phrase, "dazzling white," to describe the two men in the resurrection tomb (Luke 24:4). Also, we hear of stories of people who have “near death” experiences and they often report of seeing bright lights and glowing, radiant figures.
Prayer
Jesus, dazzle us with your dreams for our future with you. Amen.