Witnessing the Transfiguration

Q: Why did Jesus pick the three disciples Peter, John and James to witness the transfiguration?

A:  Thank you for your question. The Bible does not readily give an answer as to why Jesus chose Peter, John and James to accompany Him to the mountain where He was transfigured (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36). However, given what we know about Peter, John and James, we might be able to figure out a meaning for their presence at the event. To do so, let us look at each of the three individually.

Peter - Peter wrote two books of the Bible, 1 Peter and 2 Peter. Yet, what he is most remembered for is his denial of knowing Jesus Christ three times prior to the death of the Lord (Matthew 26:75). One of Peter's attributes seemed to be that he was fearful. Not only do we witness this when he denied Jesus three times, because he was fearful for his life, but we see it later on when it led to him being scolded by Paul for being a hypocrite in the presence of the men who came from James (Galatians 2:12). During the Transfiguration it is recorded that Peter said, ""Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) (Mark 9:5-6)" Peter did not know what to say because he was frightened. In the account of the Transfiguration recorded in Matthew it says that after God spoke Peter, John and James "fell facedown to the ground, terrified (Matthew 17:6)." And then Jesus, in an attempt to comfort them, said, “Get up.. Don’t be afraid (Matthew 17:7).” Even though it is understandable why Peter would be afraid when worried about being taken by a mob, hearing the voice of God and when being around judgmental people, it is still a theme that is prevalent in his life. However, the experience at the Transfiguration made a huge impression on Peter. So much so that he wrote about it in 2 Peter 1:16-18, when defending the truth regarding Jesus Christ being God in the flesh. He did not deny Jesus this time around. He was not afraid to admit knowing Him.

John - As far as John's presence at the Transfiguration is concerned, it could have simply been an act of love towards John. On more than one occasion, depending on which Bible translation you are using, John is referred to as the "disciple whom Jesus loved (John 13:23, 19:26, 21:7, 21:20)." In one of the more memorable and intimate moments recorded in the Bible, we see how much Jesus loved John. "Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home (John 19:25-27)." While dying on the cross, Jesus tells John to take care of Mary for Him. This is an obvious admission of the Lord's love for, and trust in, John. Although John doesn't refer directly to the Transfiguration, like Peter did in his second letter, he no doubt must have recalled that moment when writing 1 John. John wrote this letter to address the heresy of gnosticism; a teaching that falsely claimed that Jesus did not come in the flesh. Therefore, right from the beginning of his letter, John relies on his personal experiences with Jesus Christ to rebuke the error. "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life (1 John 1:1)."

James - James was the brother of the Apostle John as is referenced in the Matthew 17:1. Given the affection that the Lord had for John, it is conceivable that He shared a similar affection for his brother, James. Therefore, the Lord had no problem letting him share in the glorious event of the Transfiguration. This James is not considered to be the half-brother of Jesus who is the author of the epistle bearing the same name. In fact, this James was martyred when King Agrippa killed him (Acts 12:2). By most accounts, James was martyred in A.D. 44, whereas the epistle of James, the half-brother of Jesus, is said to have been written between A.D. 50 and A.D. 60. Given the fact that King Agrippa killed James in an attempt to persecute the church is proof that James was known for his faith. Perhaps his presence at the Transfiguration, as well as other important events like the healing of the daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:37), Jesus agonizing in Gethsemane and His subsequent arrest (Matthew 26:36-56), played a large role in his conviction to evangelize. Interesting to note is that in the account of the healing of the daughter of Jairus a reference is made to fear. After Jairus was told that his daughter had died, Jesus said to him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe (Mark 5:36).” One can only wonder if James overheard the Lord saying this to Jairus. If so, it parallels what He said to James, John and Peter at the Transfiguration when they were frightened by what they were witnessing.

Regardless of why Peter, John and James were present at the Transfiguration, we can see that an event like that can be used by God to embolden those in attendance as well as other believers who read about what transpired. Christian faith is not a blind faith. Our faith has an object, which is Jesus Christ. Knowing what He has done in the lives of fellow Christians throughout history and in our own lives encourages us to not be afraid to testify about who He is and the salvation He offers to the world. Grace and Peace.