The Transfiguration of Jesus

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On the mountain how did Peter, James and John know it was Moses and Elijah that was with Jesus?
 
Since none of the verses describing the Transfiguration describe how the Apostles knew it was Mses and Elijah, we can conclude that “how” was not particularly significant. Given the story, we can presume either Jesus told them, or they knew through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
 
The scripture doesn’t tell us, as awalt cited. It may be that Moses and Elijah were presented in an iconic way that the disciples would recognize. The way various saints are still depicted–with what they were best known for, such as holding a book or the instruments of their martyrdom and that sort of thing. If so, Peter, James and John would not think it necessary to relate that, though. It seemed enough to simply say that Moses and Elijah appeared with Our Lord because the author of the Gospel knew he didn’t have to explain how if it was well known at the time how they would have known. Does that make any sense?
 
Maybe an angel announced what was happening, or God spoke to them like when Jesus was baptised in the Jordan River.
 
I appreciate all your comments. I don’t know the answer and anyway its not really important but I was just curious.The question popped into my mind when I was thinking about the Transfiguration in the Luminous Mysteries…
 
I think the Holy Ghost revealed to them who were the two persons with our Lord at the Transfiguration.🤓
 
What did it mean?

This thread has a general topic and so maybe somebody would like to take a different tangent and discuss why the T. was so important? Perhaps start off with explaining what it was?
 
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thistle:
On the mountain how did Peter, James and John know it was Moses and Elijah that was with Jesus?
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The verses concerning the transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-3 read as follows:

"AND AFTER six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.

Verse three makes it clear that the apostles witnessed Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah. Although not explicity stated, this would lead one to conclude that the apostles knew what was being said, and that they knew from the course of the discussion who it was that Jesus was speaking to. Since this is only a summary of what the apostles witnessed, it is also likely that they talked to Jesus a bit more about it, and if they didn’t realize from the conversation that it was Moses and Elijah, it is reasonable to assume that Jesus told them that it was.
 
BayCityRickL said:
What did it mean?

This thread has a general topic and so maybe somebody would like to take a different tangent and discuss why the T. was so important? Perhaps start off with explaining what it was?
Click to expand...

Moses was the representative of the Law and Elijah the representative of the Prophets…

And from what I understand, the Eastern Churches consider this a pretty important moment in the life of Christ, if not THE defining moment? I could have misread that…

And “Transfiguration”… what is the significance of the name itself? In latin it would mean… cross-shaping? through-shape?

And by the way, the Transfiguration is a pretty good example of Communion of the Saints, for your apologetical bag ‘o’ tricks.
 
Oh! and also, the event has prefigurements in the Old Testament with Moses going up on the mountain with his companions, and coming down with the Ten Words (the Law).

And a very interesting speculation here in which the author says that Christ meeting Moses and Elijah is exactly the same event as when Moses went up on Sinai to recieve the Law and when Elijah went up on Horeb and heard the still, small voice of the Lord. In this speculation, Sinai, Horeb and Tabor all become the same mountain and the same instant. Very interesting!
 
In Lukes Gospel 9:30-31 details at the transfiguration what Moses, Elijah and Jesus were speaking about “his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem”. ( Moses too had a memorable exodus that prefigured Jesus to be perpetually celebrated in the sacrafice of a lamb, which Jesus fulfilled in the prophecies of the prophets (Elijah) the Eucharist.) Deuteronomy 19:15 A prophet like me wil the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen: to him you shall listen ( sounds like the voice in the cloud at the transfiguration), Verse 18: I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen, and will put my words into his mouth: he shall tell them all that I command. The disciples just like Nathanael John1:45-51 (they found the one Moses wrote in the law) (under a fig tree) who learned the law and the prophets, in their faith would of had no problem recognizing Moses, Elijah , just like Nathaneal just at the words of Jesus recognized him as " You are the Son of God: you are the King of Isareal".
 
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