The Transfiguration, an Earnest of the Second Coming
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[16] For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. [17] For when He received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," [18] we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain.
Prophecy and the Second Coming
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[19] And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
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Commentary:
16-18. The transfiguration of Jesus Christ, at which the voice of God the Father was heard (verses 16-18), and the testimony of the Old Testament prophets (verses 19-21) are a guarantee of the doctrine of Christ's second coming.
"The power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ": this phrase sums up the purpose of apostolic preaching: "power" indicates that Jesus Christ is God and is almighty like the Father; the "coming (literally "Parousia") means the same as His manifestation in glory at the end of time. This is not a matter of "myth"; it will be as real as His sojourn on this earth, of which the Apostles are "eyewitnesses". When speaking of the Transfiguration, the sacred writer refers to the "majesty" of Jesus Christ (an attribute which He always possesses, because He is God) and the "voice" of the Father confirming Christ's divine nature (cf. Matthew 17:5). The simple line of argument is that if Jesus Christ allowed His divinity to be glimpsed just for a moment, He will also be able to manifest it in its fullness and forever at the end of time.
"On the holy mountain": this wording indicates that he is referring to the transfiguration and not to the baptism of our Lord (Matthew 3:16-17). The mountain is described as "holy" because a theophany occurred there; similarly, in the Old Testament Zion is called a "holy mountain" because God revealed Himself there (cf. Psalm 2:6; Isaiah 11:9).
19-21. "The prophetic word" finds its complete fulfillment in Jesus Christ (cf. Hebrews 1:1). This does not refer to a particular prophecy; at that time "the prophetic word" meant the messianic prophecies or (more usually) all the Old Testament insofar as it proclaims the enduring salvation to come.
These verses encapsulate the whole notion of biblical prophecy—its value, interpretation and divine origin. They also show the close connection between the Old and the New Testaments. "The books of the Old Testament, all of them caught up into the Gospel message, attain and show forth their full meaning in the New Testament (cf. Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:27; Romans 16:25-26; 2 Corinthians 3:14-16) and, in their turn, shed light on it and explain it" (Vatican II, "Dei Verbum", 16).
By reaching their fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Old Testament prophecies confirm the truthfulness of what Jesus said and did. Together with the Transfiguration they constitute a guarantee of the second coming of the Lord.
The comparison of prophecy to the morning star is a very good one, for that star is designed to bring light and announce the coming of day. Similarly, the fullness of Revelation which begins with the earthly life of Christ will reach its climax when He comes in glory.
The Transfiguration
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[1] And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. [2] And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as light. [3] And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him. [4] And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if You wish, I will make three booths here, one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah." [5] He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him." [6] When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe. [7] But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear." [8] And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
[9] And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead."
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Commentary:
1-13. Realizing that His death will demoralize His disciples, Jesus forewarns them and strengthens their faith. Not content with telling them in advance about His death and resurrection on the third day, He wants two of the three future pillars of the Church (cf. Galatians 2:9) to see His transfiguration and thereby glimpse the glory and majesty with which His holy human nature will be endowed in Heaven.
The Father's testimony (verse 5), expressed in the same words as He used at Christ's baptism (cf. Matthew 3:17), reveals to the three Apostles that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the beloved, God Himself. To these words--also spoken at Christ's baptism--He adds, "Listen to Him", as if to indicate that Jesus is also the supreme prophet foretold by Moses (cf. Deuteronomy 18:15-18).
3. Moses and Elijah are the two most prominent representatives of the Old Testament--the Law and the Prophets. The fact that Christ occupies the central position points up His pre-eminence over them, and the superiority of the New Testament over the Old.
This dazzling glimpse of divine glory is enough to send the Apostles into a rapture; so happy are they that Peter cannot contain his desire to prolong this experience.
5. In Christ God speaks to all men; through the Church His voice resounds in all ages: "The Church does not cease to listen to His words. She rereads them continually. With the greatest devotion she reconstructs every detail of His life. These words are listened to also by non-Christians. The life of Christ speaks, also, to many who are not capable of repeating with Peter, `You are the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matthew 16:16). He, the Son of the living God, speaks to people also as Man: it is His life that speaks, His humanity, His fidelity to the truth, His all-embracing love. Furthermore, His death on the Cross speaks--that is to say the inscrutable depth of His suffering and abandonment. The Church never ceases to relive His death on the Cross and His resurrection, which constitute the content of the Church's daily life [...]. The Church lives His mystery, draws unwearingly from it and continually seeks ways of bringing this mystery of her Master and Lord to humanity--to the peoples, the nations, the succeeding generations, and every individual human being" ([Pope] John Paul II, "Redemptor Hominis", 7).