Jesus' Identity and the Mountain of Transfiguration

Matthew 16

¹³ Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

¹⁴ They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

¹⁸ I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

¹⁹ I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.”

²⁰ Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.

²¹ From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you.”

²³ But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.”

Mark 8

²⁷ Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”

²⁸ They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others, one of the prophets.”

²⁹ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”

³⁰ He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.

³¹ He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

³² He spoke to them openly. Peter took him and began to rebuke him.

³³ But he, turning around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”

Luke 9

¹⁸ As he was praying alone, the disciples were near him, and he asked them, “Who do the multitudes say that I am?”

¹⁹ They answered, “ ‘John the Baptizer,’ but others say, ‘Elijah,’ and others, that one of the old prophets has risen again.”

²⁰ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

²¹ But he warned them and commanded them to tell this to no one,

²² saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.”

Matthew 17

¹ After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves.

² He was changed before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.

³ Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.

⁴ Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

⁵ While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

⁶ When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid.

⁷ Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.”

⁸ Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.

⁹ As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

¹⁰ His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

¹¹ Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things;

¹² but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them.”

¹³ Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer.

Mark 9

¹ He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see God’s Kingdom come with power.”

² After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves, and he was changed into another form in front of them.

³ His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

⁴ Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Peter answered Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

⁶ For he didn’t know what to say, for they were very afraid.

⁷ A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

⁸ Suddenly looking around, they saw no one with them any more, except Jesus only.

⁹ As they were coming down from the mountain, he commanded them that they should tell no one what things they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

¹⁰ They kept this saying to themselves, questioning what the “rising from the dead” meant.

¹¹ They asked him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

¹² He said to them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and restores all things. How is it written about the Son of Man, that he should suffer many things and be despised?

¹³ But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they have also done to him whatever they wanted to, even as it is written about him.”

Luke 9

²⁸ About eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray.

²⁹ As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling.

³⁰ Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah,

³¹ who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

³² Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him.

³³ As they were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he said.

³⁴ While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.

³⁵ A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!”

³⁶ When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.

Matthew 17

¹⁴ When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying,

¹⁵ “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water.

¹⁶ So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

¹⁷ Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.”

¹⁸ Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.

¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?”

²⁰ He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

Mark 9

¹⁴ Coming to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes questioning them.

¹⁵ Immediately all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, greeted him.

¹⁶ He asked the scribes, “What are you asking them?”

¹⁷ One of the multitude answered, “Teacher, I brought to you my son, who has a mute spirit;

¹⁸ and wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they weren’t able.”

¹⁹ He answered him, “Unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.”

²⁰ They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the mouth.

²¹ He asked his father, “How long has it been since this has been happening to him?” He said, “From childhood.

²² Often it has cast him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

²³ Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

²⁴ Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, “I believe. Help my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!”

²⁶ After crying out and convulsing him greatly, it came out of him. The boy became like one dead, so much that most of them said, “He is dead.”

²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up; and he arose.

²⁸ When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?”

²⁹ He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but by prayer and fasting.”

Luke 9

³⁷ On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great multitude met him.

³⁸ Behold, a man from the crowd called out, saying, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only born child.

³⁹ Behold, a spirit takes him, he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams; and it hardly departs from him, bruising him severely.

⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they couldn’t.”

⁴¹ Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”

⁴² While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.