Paper 158
THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION
1. In a general way, Jesus knew beforehand what was to transpire on the mountain and he much desired that all his apostles might share this experience. It was to fit them for this revelation of himself that he tarried with them at the foot of the mountain. But they could not attain those spiritual levels which would justify their exposure to the full experience of the visitation of the celestial beings so soon to appear on earth. And since he could not take all of his associates with him, he decided to take only the three who were in the habit of accompanying him on such special vigils. Accordingly, only Peter, James, and John shared even a part of this unique experience with the Master.
2. It is significant that this extraordinary event was timed to occur while Jesus and the apostles were in the lands of the gentiles, and that it actually transpired on a mountain of the gentiles.
3. It was about three o'clock on this beautiful afternoon that Jesus took leave of the three apostles, saying: "I go apart by myself for a season to commune with the Father and his messengers; I bid you tarry here and, while awaiting my return, pray that the Father's will may be done in all your experience in connection with the further bestowal mission of the Son of Man." And after saying this to them, Jesus withdrew for a long conference with Gabriel and the Father Melchizedek, not returning until about six o'clock. When Jesus saw their anxiety over his prolonged absence, he said: "Why were you afraid? You well know I must be about my Father's business; ...I now declare that the Son of Man has chosen to go through his full life in your midst and as one of you. Be of good cheer; I will not leave you until my work is finished."
4. When the three had been fast asleep for about half an hour, they were suddenly awakened by a near‑by crackling sound, and much to their amazement and consternation, on looking about them, they beheld Jesus in intimate converse with two brilliant beings clothed in the habiliments of the light of the celestial world. And Jesus' face and form shone with the luminosity of a heavenly light. These three conversed in a strange language, but from certain things said, Peter erroneously conjectured that the beings with Jesus were Moses and Elijah in reality, they were Gabriel and the Father Melchizedek. The physical controllers had arranged for the apostles to witness this scene because of Jesus’ request.
5. The three apostles were so badly frightened that they were slow in collecting their wits, but Peter, who was first to recover himself, said, as the dazzling vision faded from before them and they observed Jesus standing alone: "Jesus, Master, it is good to have been here. We rejoice to see this glory. We are loath to go back down to the inglorious world. If you are willing, let us abide here, and we will erect three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." And Peter said this because of his confusion, and because nothing else came into his mind at just that moment.
6. While Peter was yet speaking, a silvery cloud drew near and overshadowed the four of them. The apostles now became greatly frightened, and as they fell down on their faces to worship, they heard a voice, the same that had spoken on the occasion of Jesus' baptism, say: "This is my beloved Son; give heed to him." And when the cloud vanished, again was Jesus alone with the three, and he reached down and touched them, saying: "Arise and be not afraid; you shall see greater things than this." But the apostles were truly afraid; they were a silent and thoughtfu1 trio as they made ready to descend the mountain shortly before midnight.
7. For about half the distance down the mountain not a word was spoken. Jesus then began the conversation by remarking: "Make certain that you tell no man, not even your brethren, what you have seen and heard on the mountain until the Son of Man has risen from the dead." The three apostles were shocked and bewildered by the Master's words, "until the Son of Man has
risen from the dead."
8. As they continued to descend the mountain, Jesus said to them: "You would not receive me as the Son of Man; therefore have I consented to be received in accordance with your settled determination, but, mistake not, the will of my Father must prevail. If you thus choose to follow the inclination of your own wills, you must prepare to suffer many disappointments and experience many trials, but the training which I have given you should suffice to bring you triumphantly through even these sorrows of your own choosing."
9. The transfiguration was the occasion of:
1. The acceptance of the fullness of the bestowal of the incarnated life of Michael on Urantia by the Eternal Mother‑Son of Paradise...
2. The testimony of the satisfaction of the Infinite Spirit as to the fullness of the Urantia bestowal in the likeness of mortal flesh...
Jesus welcomed this testimony regarding the success of his earth mission presented by the messengers of the Eternal Son and the Infinite Spirit, but he noted that his Father did not indicate that the Urantia bestowal was finished... After: this celestial visitation Jesus sought to know his Father's will and decided to pursue the mortal bestowal to its natural end.
10. It was shortly before breakfast time on this Tuesday morning when Jesus and his companions arrived at the apostolic camp. As they drew near, they discerned a considerable crowd gathered around the apostles ...a gathering equally divided between Jerusalem scribes and believing disciples ...Although the crowd engaged in numerous arguments, the chief controversy was about a certain citizen of Tiberias who had arrived the preceding day in quest of Jesus. This man, James of Safed, had a son about fourteen years old... the youth was both epileptic and demon‑possessed...Simon Zelotes and Judas Iscariot stepped into the presence of the father, saying: "We can heal him; you need not wait for the Master's return... Then Simon stepped forward and, placing his hand on the head of the child, looked directly into his eyes and commanded: "Come out of him you unclean spirit; in the name of Jesus obey me." But the lad had only a more violent fit, while the scribes mocked the apostles in derision, and the disappointed believers suffered... Andrew was deeply chagrined at this ill‑advised effort and its dismal failure. He called the apostles aside for conference and prayer. After this season of meditation, ...Andrew sought, in a second attempt, to cast out the demon,, but only failure crowned his efforts...And so, while Jesus was descending the mountain with the exuberant and ecstatic Peter, James, and John, their nine brethren likewise were sleepless in their confusion and downcast humiliation. They were a dejected and chastened group.
11. When Jesus had listened... he touched the kneeling father and bade him rise while he gave the near‑by apostles a searching survey. Then said Jesus to all those who stood before him: "0 faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I bear with you? How long shall I be with you? How long ere you learn that the works of faith come not forth at the bidding of doubting unbelief?" And then, pointing to the bewildered father, Jesus said, "Bring hither your son."...And as they talked, the youth was seized with a violent attack... Now did the father again kneel at Jesus'. feet while he implored the Master, saying: "If you can cure him, I beseech you to have compassion on us and deliver us from this affliction." And when Jesus heard these words, he looked down into the father's anxious face, saying: "Question not my Father's power of love, only the sincerity and reach of faith. All things are possible to him who really believes." And then James of Safed spoke those long‑to‑be‑remembered words of commingled faith and doubt, "Lord, I believe. I pray you help my unbelief."
When Jesus heard these words, he stepped forward and, taking the lad by the hand, said: "I will do this in accordance with my Father's will and in honor of living faith. My son, arise! Come out of him, disobedient spirit, and go not back into him."'... And all who were present, even the enemies of Jesus, were astonished at what they saw.
12. Thomas said: "Master ...we crave to have you talk with us concerning our defeat and instruct us in these matters...And Jesus answered Thomas, saying:..”.I will now show you the cause of your defeat in that which you so unwisely attempted ...you who remained on watch here with instructions to strive to acquire the mind of spiritual insight and to pray with us for a fuller
revelation of the Father's will, failed to exercise the faith at your command but, instead, yielded to the temptation and fell into your old evil tendencies to seek for yourselves preferred places in the kingdom of heaven—the material and temporal kingdom which you persist in contemplating...In what you attempted, in which you so completely failed, your purpose was
not pure. Your motive was not divine. Your ideal was not spiritual. Your ambition was not altruistic. Your procedure was not based on love, and your goal of attainment was not the will of the Father in heaven.
"How long will it take you to learn that you cannot time‑shorten the course of established natural phenomena except when such things are in accordance with the Father's will? nor can you do spiritual work in the absence of spiritual power. And you can do neither of these, even when their potential is present, without the existence of that third and essential human factor, the personal experience of the possession of living faith... When can you be depended upon to adhere to the higher and spiritual realities of the kingdom regardless of the outward appearance of all material manifestations?
13. “The Son of Man now enters upon the last phase of the bestowal. We are about to begin those labors which shall presently lead to the great and final testing of your faith and devotion when I shall be delivered into the hands of the men who seek my destruction. And remember what I am saying to you: The Son of Man will be put to death, but he shall rise again."
14. Andrew, speaking to Jesus, said: "Master, my brethren do not comprehend your deep sayings... Are you speaking to us in parables? We pray you to speak to us directly and undisguised form."
In answer to Andrew, Jesus said: "My brethren...You insist on clinging to the belief that I am the Messiah, and you will not abandon the idea that the Messiah must sit upon a throne in Jerusalem; wherefore do I persist in telling you that the Son of Man must presently go to Jerusalem, suffer many, things, be rejected by the scribes, the elders, and the chief priests, and after all this be killed and raised from the dead. And I speak not a parable to you; I speak the truth to you that you may be prepared for these events..”
15. And while he was yet speaking, Simon Peter, rushing impetuously toward him, laid his hand upon the Master's shoulder and said: "Master, be it far from us to contend with you, but I declare that these things shall never happen to you." ...he turned upon Peter and the other apostles, saying: "Get you behind me. You savor of the spirit of the adversary, the tempter, When you talk in this manner, you are not on my side but rather on the side of our enemy. In this way do you make your love for me a stumbling block to my doing the Father's will. Mind not the ways of men but rather the will of God."
16. "If' any man would come after me, let him disregard himself, take up his responsibilities daily, and follow me. or whosoever would save his life selfishly, shall lose it, but whosoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's, shall save it. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? What would a man give in exchange for eternal life? Be not ashamed of me and my words in this sinful and hypocritical generation, even as I will not be ashamed to acknowledge you when in glory I appear before my Father in the presence of all the celestial hosts. Nevertheless, many of you now standing before me shall not taste death till you see this kingdom of God come with power."
17. In all the association of the twelve with their Master, only a few times did they see that flashing eye and hear such swift words of rebuke as were administered to Peter and the rest of them on this occasion. Jesus had always been patient with their human shortcomings, but not so when faced by an impending threat against the program of implicitly carrying out his Father's will regarding the remainder of his earth career. The apostles were literally stunned; they were amazed and horrified. They could not find words to express their sorrow. Slowly they began to realize what the Master must endure, and that they must go through these experiences with him.
18. The apostles ...had continued the discussion begun at Mount Hermon as to...who should be the greatest ...Jesus,...beckoned to one of Peter's little ones and, setting the child down among them, said: "Verily, verily, I say to you, except you turn about and become more like this child, you will make little progress in the kingdom of heaven... If you would be first in the kingdom, seek to minister these good truths to your brethren in the flesh...If the things you do with your hands, or the things you see with your eyes give offense in the progress of the kingdom, sacrifice these cherished idols, for it is better to enter the kingdom minus many of the beloved things of life rather than to cling to these idols and find, yourself shut out of the
kingdom. But most of all, see that you despise not one of these little ones, for their angels do always behold the faces of the heavenly hosts."
U.B. 158; 1752‑1761
1. Did the transfiguration significantly influence Christianity of emphasize the divinity of Jesus?
2. Why was it natural for Peter to assume the heavenly persons were Moses and Elijah?
3. What did Jesus mean when he said, “you shall see greater things than this?”
4. What was Jesus referring to when he spoke of “the sorrows of your own choosing?”
5. What was the basic reason Jesus gave for the apostles not being able to cure James of Safed’s son?
6. After Jesus clearly told the apostles that he was not the Messiah and that he would be killed, why didn’t they believe what he told them?
7. What did Jesus mean when he said, “many of you now standing before me shall not taste death till you shall see this kingdom of God come with power?”