Paper 158 Overview: The Mount of Transfiguration

This paper describes Jesus taking Peter, James, and John up Mount Hermon where they witnessed his "transfiguration" - a special meeting with heavenly beings. During this experience, Jesus's appearance changed, and the three apostles saw him talking with two bright beings. A voice from a cloud said, "This is my beloved Son; give heed to him."

While Jesus was on the mountain, the other apostles tried but failed to heal a boy with seizures. When Jesus returned, he successfully healed the boy. Jesus then explained to his followers that he would soon face great challenges and would be killed but would rise again. This shocked the apostles, who didn't fully understand what he meant.

On Friday afternoon, August 12, Jesus and his followers reached the foot of Mount Hermon. They stayed there for two days preparing spiritually for what was about to happen. Jesus knew what was going to take place on the mountain and wanted all his apostles to share in it.

However, the apostles weren't spiritually ready for this experience. Since Jesus couldn't take all of them, he decided to only take Peter, James, and John, who often accompanied him on special visits. These three would witness part of a unique experience with celestial beings.

Early Monday morning, August 15, Jesus took the three apostles up Mount Hermon. This was six days after Peter had declared Jesus to be the Son of God. Jesus went to the mountain because he had important matters to deal with regarding his mission on earth.

In the afternoon, Jesus told the three apostles to wait while he went off by himself to talk with "the Father and his messengers." When Jesus returned, the apostles saw him talking with two bright beings. Peter thought they were Moses and Elijah, but they were actually Gabriel and the Father Melchizedek. A silvery cloud appeared, overshadowing them, and a voice said, "This is my beloved Son; give heed to him."

As they walked down the mountain, Jesus told the three apostles not to tell anyone what they had seen until after "the Son of Man has risen from the dead." The apostles were shocked and confused by this statement. They didn't understand what Jesus meant about rising from the dead.

Peter changed the subject by asking about the old belief that Elijah must come before the Messiah appears. Jesus explained that John the Baptist had fulfilled the role of Elijah. Jesus told them he knew they still thought of him as the Messiah according to their traditional ideas, and he allowed this belief even though it would lead to disappointments.

What Peter, James, and John saw on the mountain was a glimpse of a heavenly meeting. The transfiguration marked several important events: the acceptance of Jesus's earthly life by the Eternal Son of Paradise, and the testimony of the Infinite Spirit that Jesus had fulfilled his mission.

Jesus welcomed this confirmation from the messengers of the Eternal Son and Infinite Spirit. However, he noted that his Father only spoke through his Personalized Adjuster, saying "This is my beloved Son; give heed to him." After this heavenly visit, Jesus decided to continue his human life to its natural end rather than returning immediately to his place in the universe.

When Jesus and the three apostles returned to camp Tuesday morning, they found a crowd gathered around the other nine apostles. The people were arguing about a man named James of Safed who had brought his epileptic son to be healed by Jesus, but the nine apostles had failed to cure him.

The nine apostles had been arguing about who would be greatest in the coming kingdom. When James of Safed arrived with his son, Simon Zelotes and Judas Iscariot tried to heal the boy but failed. Andrew and the others were embarrassed by this failure. James of Safed decided to wait for Jesus to return, believing only the Master could help his son.

As Jesus approached the camp, the nine apostles were relieved to see him. The crowd came forward, and James of Safed knelt before Jesus, explaining his son's condition. The boy had seizures that often made him fall into water or fire. He asked Jesus to heal his son.

Jesus looked at the father and apostles and asked how long the boy had been sick. When told it was since early childhood, the boy had another seizure. The father begged Jesus to help if he could. Jesus replied, "All things are possible to him who really believes." The father said, "Lord, I believe. I pray you help my unbelief." Jesus then healed the boy completely.

That night, at the home of Celsus, Thomas asked Jesus to explain why the nine apostles couldn't heal the boy. Jesus said they failed because they lacked faith and were arguing about who would be greatest in the kingdom. They were focused on worldly ambitions rather than spiritual power.

Jesus told them they couldn't do spiritual work without spiritual power, and this required personal faith. He explained they needed to stick to higher spiritual realities rather than focusing on material signs. Jesus then said they were entering the last phase of his time on earth, which would lead to his death and resurrection. The apostles were confused and saddened by this talk.

On Wednesday morning, Jesus and the twelve left Caesarea-Philippi for Magadan Park. They took an unusual route through Galilee to avoid those who might follow them. During a lunch break, Andrew told Jesus that his brothers didn't understand his sayings about dying.

Jesus explained that because they believed he was the Son of God, he must tell them the truth about his coming death in Jerusalem. When he said this, Peter rushed forward, put his hand on Jesus's shoulder, and said these things should never happen to him. Jesus firmly corrected Peter, saying "Get you behind me" because Peter's words were testing him like the adversary would. Jesus then taught them about taking up their responsibilities and following him.

When they arrived in Capernaum at twilight, they went directly to Simon Peter's house for dinner. David Zebedee was preparing to take them across the lake. Jesus asked the apostles what they had been discussing during their walk, but they didn't answer because they had been arguing about positions in the coming kingdom.

Jesus called a little child to stand among them and said unless they became like this child, they would make little progress in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever became humble like the child would be greatest. After this lesson, they got into the boat and sailed across to Magadan.