The event of the Transfiguration of Jesus is a significant moment in the New Testament, where Jesus is revealed in His divine glory to three of His disciples. This event is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-8, and Luke 9:28-36. The specific mountain upon which the Transfiguration took place is not named in the biblical texts, leading to various traditions and scholarly debates regarding its identification.

Biblical Account:

In the Gospel of Matthew, the account begins: "After six days, Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light" (Matthew 17:1-2). Similarly, Mark describes the event: "After six days, Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them" (Mark 9:2). Luke adds that Jesus went up the mountain to pray, and as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became dazzling white (Luke 9:28-29).

During the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with Jesus. A bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!" (Matthew 17:5). The disciples fell facedown, terrified, but Jesus touched them and told them not to be afraid.

Traditional Identifications:

1. Mount Tabor: The most traditional site associated with the Transfiguration is Mount Tabor, located in the Lower Galilee region of Israel. This identification dates back to the early centuries of Christianity, with church fathers such as Origen and St. Jerome supporting this view. Mount Tabor is a prominent, isolated hill rising about 1,843 feet above sea level, making it a plausible location for the event described as occurring on a "high mountain."

2. Mount Hermon: Some scholars propose Mount Hermon as the site of the Transfiguration. This mountain is located in the northern part of Israel, near Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus and His disciples were shortly before the Transfiguration event (Matthew 16:13). Mount Hermon is significantly higher than Mount Tabor, reaching elevations of over 9,000 feet, and its remote location aligns with the description of Jesus leading His disciples to a secluded place.

3. Other Locations: Other less common suggestions include Mount Meron and other high places in the region. However, these identifications lack the historical and traditional support that Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon have received.

Theological Significance:

The Transfiguration is a pivotal moment in the Gospels, revealing the divine nature of Jesus Christ and affirming His messianic mission. The presence of Moses and Elijah symbolizes the Law and the Prophets, bearing witness to Jesus as the fulfillment of both. The voice of God the Father confirms Jesus' identity as His beloved Son, echoing the declaration made at Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3:17).

The event also serves to strengthen the faith of the disciples, particularly Peter, James, and John, who would later face trials and persecution. The Transfiguration provides a foretaste of the glory of the resurrected Christ and the future hope of believers' transformation into His likeness.

In summary, while the exact location of the mountain remains uncertain, the theological implications of the Transfiguration are profound, emphasizing the divine glory of Christ and His fulfillment of the Old Testament promises.Matthew 17:1-9
And after six days Jesus takes Peter, James, and John his brother, and brings them up into an high mountain apart,
Nave's Topical Index

Mark 9:2-10
And after six days Jesus takes with him Peter, and James, and John, and leads them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
Nave's Topical Index

He was Transfigured
... The DESIRE of AGES Chapter 46 He Was Transfigured. ... He whose hand formed mountain
and valley is at home with ... The dew is heavy upon His bowed form, but He heeds ...
/.../white/the desire of ages/chapter 46 he was transfigured.htm

Jesus was Transfigured --"As He was Praying. "
... possible especially to see the Word transfigured before us ... Father, He goes up into
the mountain; and then ... them." [5789] And perhaps the fullers upon the earth ...
/.../origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/39 jesus was transfiguredas he.htm

The Transfiguration of Christ. (Luke, ix. , 29-36. )
... his dearest disciples, apart, into a mountain, [503] to ... he appeared to them glorified
and transfigured with celestial ... from Him was reflected back upon the Law ...
/.../section 185 the transfiguration of.htm

Whether the Proofs which Christ Made Use of Manifested ...
... For if before He died for us and rose again the disciples could not look upon Him
when He was transfigured upon the mountain, how much less were they able to ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the proofs which christ.htm

Prayer Incidents in the Life of Our Lord (Continued)
... and to gild with heavenly glory earth's mountain to us ... was not on the heights of
His transfigured glory, nor ... to begin His conflict and to enter upon His ministry ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/ix prayer incidents in the.htm

The Warning
... He preached on the hillside; He desired that a boat should be at His command upon
the lake; He prayed upon the mountain; He was transfigured beside the snows ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 14 26-31 the warning.htm

The Transfiguration
... up into a high mountain apart, which mountain may be ... with a small smooth space of
ground upon the top ... the kingdom of heaven that He was transfigured before them ...
/.../kingsley/twenty-five village sermons/sermon xv the transfiguration.htm

Ministry
... in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the mercy ... They have seen humanity
as transfigured into the ... From the mountain where He has talked with the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 47 ministry.htm

The Transfiguration
... the most pitiable and shameful crime ever committed upon earth; to ... and John, his
brother, up into a high mountain, apart, and was transfigured before them ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon iii the transfiguration.htm

The Transfiguration
... the dead to life again; how he walked upon the waters ... and Peter, and went up with
them "into a mountain, apart by themselves, and was transfigured before them ...
/.../newton/the life of jesus christ for the young/the transfiguration.htm

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