St. Mark 9: 2 – 13

(Yesterday’s reading St. Mark 8: 27 – 9:1)

Feb. 24, 2022

2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, 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.

6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?

12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.

13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

After all our years in church and all the Bible study classes we’ve participated in, we understand that the Transfiguration is a proof of Jesus being the consummation of both the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elias – aka Elijah). But I learned this interesting information about which we aren’t readily aware.

The St. Ignatius Catholic Study Bible states “… high mountain: Traditionally identified with Mount Tabor in lower Galilee. Theologically, this mountain is the New Covenant counterpart to Mount Sinai where Jesus manifests His divine splendor just as God revealed His glory to Moses (Ex 24:15-18) and Elijah (1Kings 19:8-18) on Sinai (Horab).”

These are questions I never seem to ask myself -of what importance, if any, is the mountain on which the Transfiguration takes place? Chuckling to myself, I can see that question on an exam paper. Now, when I take my ‘finals’, I’ll be prepared!

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