Bible Assignment # 3

How did Peter recognize the other two persons as Moses and Elijah who were with Jesus during
the Transfiguration?

Answer:

Six days later Jesus took Peter and James and

his brother John along and led them up into a lofty
mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured
before them; his face shone as the sun, and his
outer garments became brilliant as the light. And
look! There appeared to them Moses and Elijah
conversing with him.

Then Peter said to Jesus: Lord, it is fine for

us to be here. If you wish, I will erect three
tents here, one for you, one for Moses and,
one for Elijah. Matthew 17: 1-3

The Transfiguration is perhaps the most

magnificent and spectacular event that involved
Jesus that was witnessed first-hand by Peter. It
occurred sometime after Passover 32 CE 1. The
Bible did not specify the exact location or which
mountain did this event happened. So far, scholars
have pointed to at least four possible locations:
Mounts Tabor, Panium, Hermon and Nebo2.

But what caught my attention is how was able to recognize that the two other persons conversing with
Jesus were Moses and Elijah. The two were long-dead and the years between Moses and Elijah and
Peter are long and far. There were no paintings or any drawings depicting the faces and looks of the two
patriarchs so therefore, how did Peter recognize the two?

A VISION

As they were descending from the mountain, Jesus commanded them: Tell the vision to no one until the
Son of man is raised up from the dead. Matthew 17:9

The key word here is Vision. What Peter, James and John saw should not be treated like an ordinary
event that can be witnessed using usual means. It was something extraordinary which only a Vision,
allowed and or provided by Jah himself.

The book Insight defines Vision as:

A sight or scene presented to a persons mind by day or by night, usually through other than
ordinary means, and sometimes while the recipient was in a trance or was dreaming.

1
Insight, Volume 2, p. 1120
2
Wikipedia, Transfiguration of Jesus