The Transfiguration; Jesus Son Of Mary And John: Part 03 Page 10

St.Mark 9: 2-8 Christians claim that on this occasion God said:

"This is my beloved Son; hear him."

To them, this is the second time God called Jesus:

" My Son."

A Voice from the Cloud:

The prominence of this event is highlighted by the belief which constitutes a fundamental dogma of Christianity, that God from atop of 'an high mountain apart' proclaimed: 'this is my beloved Son: hear him.' At the Baptism, a similar statement is attributed to God. Twice declared, the association of Jesus in Sonship with God conceptualize by Christians becomes duly validated. In my repudiation of the belief that the words spoken at the Baptism were not the utterance of God, I wish to do the same here. The Gospel is true but the interpretation is false. St. Mark 9: 7 testifies: 'And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud saying, this is my beloved Son: hear him.'

Question:

Who spoke these words?

	(a)	God
	(b)	Gabriel
	(c)	an angel
or	(d)	Someone who was present there

To whom were the words directed?

So aloud for everyone to hear?

Is this the modus operandi of God?

Further Question:

Why did the disciples, who were present, confess that after the voice:

'they saw no man any more save Jesus?'

Prior to this statement, the testimony was that Moses and Elias was on the mountain with Jesus (Mark 9:4). After the statement, the conversation insisted on clarification of Elias. Jesus confirmed Elias and said that he, Jesus, was the Son of Man, not Son of God. Could it be that the transfiguration was all about:

John becoming Elias and Jesus becoming the Messiah?

There certainly enough evidence of John denying that he is Elias, yet Jesus confirming that he is (to come). There is also enough evidence to show that Jesus was not confirming that he was the Messiah, yet John said that Jesus was the Messiah. Is one of them not telling the truth, or is it that the Transfiguration is where John becomes Elias and hence he was not lying. It was after the Transfiguration that Jesus announced that 'That Elias is come already "(Matt 17:12), meaning that he is here now; while in Matt:11:14 Jesus says "this is Elias, which was for to come", indicating he has not yet come. For more details on this matter please see the page on Elias, A Closer Look

The occasion of the transfiguration was very momentous indeed and not to be taken lightly. When the disciples said that they wanted to build a tabernacle, they who recognized the sanctity of such for it represented purity and all that is holy for the Jewish people. The authors do not profess to have much knowledge on this subject matter, however, the scholars should delve more into this and look for the power manifested in this event and the coming into being of Elias, the ray of hope that existed in the many traditions of the Jewish people.

Take the following into consideration:

The Transfiguration, unanswered Questions

1.	Moses was there	But he was supposedly long dead
2.	Elias was there	But Jesus said that John was Elias
3.	The Tabernacle	Certainly not a place for the choir
4.	After the meeting 'they saw no man any more save Jesus'	If 'no man' then what happened to Elias and Moses?
5.	When the disciple said that wanted to build a tabernacle, Who said "Not knowing what he said"? Luke 9:33 - (compare Mark 9 , Matt 17 and Luke 9)	Was the writer more knowledgeable than those present with Jesus at this occasion? Note: in Mark 9:5, these words are not present.
6.	This is my beloved Son: hear him. (Luke 9:35 Matt 17:5: Mark 9:7)	Seems clear, but unless you believe that Jesus is the son of God first, then you can say that God said these words. But THERE IS NO PROOF THAT GOD THE ALMIGHTY (Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah) SAID THESE WORDS. Prove it if you are truthful. Who hears the voice of God?
7.	The Word Transfiguration: The dictionary says it means "to change form or appearance".	WHOSE FORM OR APPEARANCE GOT CHANGED? Who got transfigured and into what? Jesus said "This Elias is come" (That Elias is indeed come). Where did he come from and what was he before he came?

The Gospel writers are unanimous that 'a voice came out of the cloud.'

Question to Consider:

It is evident that John was at the Baptism, what is the proof that he was again present here at the transfiguration? Yusuf Ali in Commentary No. 905 answers this most appropriately:

( Y.A Comment # 905):

'Jesus referred to John the Baptist as Elias; this is Elias which was for to come, and Elias is said to
have been present and talked to Jesus at the Transfiguration on the mount.'
(See Matthew 11:14)

The disciples saw John. It was there and then that it dawned upon them that Jesus was 'the Christ' (The Messiah). That is why on their return, their first question to Jesus was:

'Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come?' To this, Jesus replied:

'That Elias is already come.'

Gospel Matt 17:13: 'Then the disciples understood that he spoke unto them of John the Baptist.'

Question to Consider:

Who was the VOICE ?

John the Baptist, in St. John 1: 23 replies:

'I am the Voice.'

The Voice - John 1:21-23

1:21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

1:22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

Matthew 3:3 says: "For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

The mysterious voice at the Baptism and at the Transfiguration, in both instances were, according the Gospel account,:

the VOICE of John the Baptist!