The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ its Historicity Relationship to Research Paper

The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ its Historicity Relationship to the Old Testament the Manifestation of His Divinity Anticip - Research Paper Example In fact, the story itself is called into question on many levels, the fact that this was a completely isolated experience and completely foreign to most human beings’ perceptions of reality. However, the converse is also true, that just because it was a solitary instance, and not found in multiple occurrences in the life of Christ tends to increase the veracity of the mystery as an actual event and not a simply a literary creation designed with the intention of enlarging and deifying the personage of Jesus Christ. 2 "We are asserting that the transfiguration occurred for the sake of the disciples. Is it possible to affirm that it was for Christ's benefit? Some have thought that he needed it for his encouragement, seeing that he was faced with so much public opposition and with such dullness of comprehension on the part of his closest followers. But the narrative gives no hint of hesitation or weakness or discouragement on his part. " 3 This paper will explore several different facets of the research that has been done regarding this mystery and while not attempting to draw any conclusions or final dictums regarding it, hopes to present an unbiased look at the Transfiguration from several viewpoints and attempt a rational understanding. THE TRANSFIGURATION The retelling of the story can be found in the Gospels of Matthew 17:1–8, KJV, Mark 9:2–10, KJV, and Luke 9:28–36, KJV with some variation between them. The event itself takes place on the â€Å"Mount of the Transfiguration,† as it has come to be known. A plethora of research on the actual location (some believe it to be Mount Tabor) of this mountain exists, but its true identity has never been verified. The reference to a high mountain also give some credence to the resurrection analogy as well. 4 The Apostles John, James and Peter accompanied Jesus on the trek to this mountaintop, where they witnessed Jesus change before their eyes, a glow began from within him and his clot hing became bright white and a radiance, which they identified with the glory of God, blossomed from his frame. Then the prophets of the Old Testament, Moses and Elijah appear at his side and a cloud envelops them all. From within the cloud a voice booms out, "This is my Son, whom I love, listen to him!" Then as quickly as it came the cloud vanished, taking with it the two prophets and leaving only Jesus and his three disciples. As they walked back down the mountain Jesus bid them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after his suffering, Crucifixion and Resurrection. †¦so the transfiguration story, with its voice from heaven echoing the earlier voice at Jesus' baptism, confirms the narrators application of "Son of God" (1:1; 9:7). Jesus' comment to Peter, James, and John on the way down the mountain sets the limit to the messianic secret: they are "to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead"5 One of the first questions whi ch comes to mind is why Jesus asked his disciples to keep this event a secret? Surely the recounting of this event would solidify many more men and women to his following. The answer is quite simple, if this were known than the life of Jesus may have unfolded very differently, and that would have been anathema to the greater cause of Jesus’ existence: "But Mark's story has already insisted upon