Luke 9:28–36: Seeing the Glory of God

August 6, 2026

The Ten Signposts of the Bible
CAMDE—400—CALY
Creation. Abraham. Moses. David. Elijah. 400. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to-Come.

The disciples were riding a wave of momentum. Crowds came in droves to see Jesus, and the twelve were right there with him. Peter even confessed that Jesus was the Messiah. But then he showed that he still did not understand what that meant. 

In a solemn conversation, Jesus told the apostles that he would be rejected and put to death by the religious leaders. Yet the twelve were, at this point, thinking they would soon be ruling in the new kingdom. Jesus said it was time to suffer, and he ended with these piercing words: “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:25–26). 

Then Jesus added, “But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:27). 

Let’s clarify what Jesus means by “the kingdom of God.” The kingdom of God began to unfold with Jesus’ first coming. His death made it possible for people to enter. His ascension placed him at God’s right hand as our intercessor. Now the Holy Spirit lives within every believer. And finally, it will all culminate at Jesus’ second coming, when believers will experience the kingdom of God forever.

Before the disciples died, they would experience many aspects of the kingdom. In fact, three of the disciples were given a glimpse of the kingdom and the present glory of God in our passage today. Let’s consider that story. 

Eight days after Peter's personal confession, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain, likely Mount Hermon, to pray. It is customary for Jews to pray standing with their eyes open, looking toward heaven, and their hands raised. While Jesus was praying, “the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white” (Luke 9:29). Matthew describes his clothes as “white as light” (Matt. 17:2). Mark says they were “whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them” (Mark 9:3 NIV). The light did not come from outside; the brilliance of deity was shining out from Jesus. 

As Jesus’ face was transfigured and deity shone from him, two men appeared “in glory” and spoke with him. The men were Moses and Elijah. Moses was the one through whom God had given the law, so he represented the Old Testament Law. Elijah represented the prophets. The law and the prophets were what Jesus came to complete. It is interesting to note that because of his sin, Moses was not allowed to enter the promised land during his lifetime. But here he stood in the promised land with the promised Messiah! 

Don’t miss what Moses, Elijah, and Jesus were discussing. They “spoke of [Jesus’] departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31). They were talking about the Messiah’s whole redemptive mission: his death on the cross to pay for sin, his burial, his resurrection, and his ascension. These two Old Testament believers’ eternity depended on “his departure,” the fulfillment of everything the Law and the Prophets had pointed toward. His death was necessary to pay for sin, and our eternity depends on that saving work as well. 

Wouldn’t you like to know what that conversation was about? We can only assume these two saints of old were standing before the One who was fully God and fully man, with his deity shining through, to encourage him about the brutal days ahead. As Martin Luther said, “The sweating of blood and other high spiritual sufferings that Christ endured in the garden, no human creature can know or imagine.”^[1] No one ever dreaded death like Jesus. At the cross, he would take on the wrath of sin. So I imagine this was a heavenly visit for heavenly encouragement. 

While this conversation was going on, notice what the disciples were doing: “Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said” (Luke 9:32–33). 

Peter wanted the experience to continue. He did not want Jesus to go to the cross, but he did not know what he was saying–the cross was God’s plan all along. Bible scholar Trent Butler says it well, “Building tabernacles is not kingdom business. Following Jesus to the cross is.”^[2]

As Peter was speaking, the group was enveloped, “overshadowed” by a cloud. Then God spoke from the cloud, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” (Luke 9:35).

God’s message was booming and clear. Peter, James, and John–the leaders of the apostles, the ones who would begin the church—had to know that Jesus was God’s Son, the Chosen One, the Anointed One. They had to listen to him and follow him all the way to the cross. The year of opposition was about to begin. They would need to deny themselves and follow their Messiah. 

When the voice stopped speaking, Jesus was alone in his ordinary earthly form. Luke says, “They kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen” (Luke 9:36). 

The disciples would soon follow Jesus to the cross. They needed to listen and obey.

The words God spoke to those apostles on the mountain— “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”—are the same words for us today. Jesus is the Son of God, the Christ, our Savior and Lord. Listen to him and do what he says!

Read and reflect on Luke 9:28–36: Like Peter, are you more drawn to moments of comfort and spiritual excitement than to faithfully following Jesus on the path of sacrifice and obedience?

Talking to God: Ask God to help you really listen to Jesus. 

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