CHAPTER I - SOME PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS ON MK 9, 2-9

INTRODUCTION In this chapter my attempt is to do some preliminary investigation into the text under consideration which will be a basis for our further exegetical analysis. First of all I try to establish the unity of Mk 9,2-9 as a single pericope. This delimitation of the text is based on the place, the characters and the theme of the passage under consideration. Then I try to establish the original text with the help of textual critical methods which in our case is easy as there are no notable variant readings in GNT. As a next step, I would translate the original Greek text into English for our use. Then I try to establish a structure of the text based on the finite verbs and persons found in the text. Then I will give a brief discussion on the literary genre and the history of the interpretation of this text. This will be followed by a comparative study of the synoptic narratives of transfiguration. 1. DELIMITATION OF THE PERICOPE There is sufficient consensus among the exegetes with regard to the beginning of this pericope as there is explicit mentioning of the change of time (meta. h`me,raj e]x), place (eivj o;roj u`yhlo.n) and persons (o` VIhsou/j to.n Pe,tron kai. to.n VIa,kwbon kai. to.n VIwa,nnhn) in v.2a-b. But with regard to the conclusion of this periscope there are diverse opinions. Some exegetes see Mk 9, 8 as the conclusion of this periscope since v.8 reestablishes the opening situation in v.2.1 Some see 9,2-13 as a unit. But we can divide 9,2-13 into two units based on who takes the
1 Cf. COLLINS, A.Y., Mark: A Commentary (Minneapolis 2007).p. 419; GNILKA, J., Marco (Assisi 1987)
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468-72; Heil, J.P., The Transfiguration of Jesus: narrative Meaning and Function of Mark 9:2-8 Matt 17:1-8 and Luke 9:28-36 (Analecta Biblica 144, Rome 2000)151.

initiative. That is to say in 9,2-9 the initiative is from the part of Jesus and in 9,10-13 the initiative is from the part of disciples. For our discussion we consider the delimitation of the pericope as 9,2-9. Klemens Stock sees the conclusion of this pericope in v.9.2 In v.2, we have Jesus going upto the mountain with his disciples and in v.9 we see them coming down from the mountain and in between the miraculous events occur. Jesus leading the disciples upto the mountain in v.2 (kai. avnafe,rei auvtou.j eivj o;roj u`yhlo.n) corresponds to Jesus coming down with them from the mountain (kai. katabaino,ntwn auvtw/n evk tou/ o;rouj) in v.9. So the pericope starts not with the event of transfiguration but with Jesus action of leading the disciples to the high mountain and the pericope concludes with a corresponding action of Jesus coming down with his disciples from the mountain. The imposition of silence in v.9 is also part of this conclusion as in 8, 27-30. 2. TEXTUAL CRITICISM We do not have any notable variant reading given in the GNT. NestleAland in its Appendix II gives some minor variant readings which does not alter the sense of the text considerably. In 9,2b (kai.T metemorfw,qh e;mprosqen auvtw/n() after kai., 45 W 13 (565) pc have the additional words evn tw/| proseu,cesqai auvtou.j (while they were praying); 28 pc read evn tw/| proseu,cesqai auvto.n (while he was praying). These closely related readings are related to the influence of Lk 9,29 which is identical to the latter. 3. THE TRANSLATION OF THE TEXT
2

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and
3

led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them,
2

and his garments became glistening,

2 STOCK, K., Marco. Commento contestuale al secondo Vangelo (Roma 2003) 165.

intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

And there
5

appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. beloved Son; listen to him."
8 7 6

And Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make For he And a cloud

overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my And suddenly looking around they no
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longer saw any one with them but Jesus only.

And as they were coming

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down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead.
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So they kept the

matter to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant. And they asked him, "Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?" 4. THE STRUCTURE OF THE PERICOPE In the following scheme we shall present the structure of this pericope. This structure is based on the subjects and finite verbs used in this pericope.3 A B V.2a Jesus Leading the Three Disciples up a High Mountain Vv.2b-6 The First Revelation Vv.2b-4 Metamorphosis of Jesus and the Apparition of Elijah with Moses Vv.5-6 The Reaction of Peter and the Narrative Remark B Vv.7-8 The Second Revelation V.7 The Cloud and the Voice V.8 The Reaction of the Disciples
3 Stock. K., Il Cammino di Gesu verso Gerusalemme Marco 8,27-10,52 (ad uso degli student) (Roma 2008)66.
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A V.9 Jesus Coming Down with the Disciples from the Mountain and the Secrecy Motif In 9,2a, o` VIhsou/j is the subject and verbs used are paralamba,nei and avnafe,rei in present tense and in active voice. In 9, 2b-8 we do not find Jesus as the subject of any of the active verbs. In 9,2b metemorfw,qh is an aorist passive of which the subject is Jesus. In the narrative part, Jesus is not the subject of any active verbs. All active verbs in the narrative part are concerning Elijah, Moses, Peter, the disciples and the launderer. In 9,9 Jesus is the subject of the verb diestei,lato. In this scene, there are four speeches: the conversation of Elijah and Moses with Jesus, Peters intervention, Voice from the cloud and finally imposition of silence. The text does not speak about the content of the first speech. Peters intervention and the voice from the cloud are in direct speech. Peters intervention is the fruit of fear and the imposition of silence implies a prohibition. So the voice from the cloud which is at the end of the narrative part is the peak-point of revelation here. In A and A the initiative is from Jesus. In A, we have kai. avnafe,rei auvtou.j eivj o;roj u`yhlo.n which corresponds to Kai. katabaino,ntwn auvtw/n evk tou/ o;rouj in A. In B we have the first revelation that is to say Jesus metamorphosis and the apparition of Elijah with Moses and in B we have correspondingly the narration of theophany, the coming of the overshadowing cloud and the voice from the cloud, the second revelation. 5. LITERARY GENRE While discussing the literary genre of the transfiguration A.Y Collins says . the following: The account of the transfiguration evokes the Old

Testament genre of the theophany and especially the Hellenistic and Roman genres of epiphany and metamorphosis.4 Donahue and Harrington in their commentary on the Gospel of Mark says the following: No one of these literary genres- historical report, resurrection appearance, apocalyptic visionfully explains the transfiguration of Jesus, but each of them explain something. A more helpful approach to the text is to say that it is a christophany, that is, a manifestation or revelation of who Jesus Christ really is.5 I think the study of H. P. Heil gives a more precise answer to this question. He says that it is a mandatory epiphany.6
The mandatory epiphanies to Balaam (Num 22:31-35), to Joshua (Josh5:13-15), and to Heliodorus 82Macc 3.22-34) provide literary precedents for the gospel audiences to recognize and understand the literary genre of the transfiguration narrative as that of a similar pivotal mandatory epiphany, in which the climatic mandate serves as a pivotal focus In the case of the transfiguration mandatory epiphany the pivotal mandate not only points out that Jesus, rather than Moses or Elijah, is Gods beloved/chosen Son, but also directs the disciples and the audience to listen to Jesus in order to understand the significance of the epiphanic appearance of the transfigured Jesus in conversation with Moses and Elijah.7

4 COLLINS, A.Y., Mark: A Commentary (Minneapolis 2007) 416-417.

4

5 DONAHUE, J.R., HARRINGTON, D.J., The Gospel of Mark. 274.

5

6 Cf. HEIL, J.P., The Transfiguration of Jesus: narrative Meaning and Function of Mark 9:2-8 Matt
6

17:1-8 and Luke 9:28-36 (Analecta Biblica 144, Rome 2000) 51-73

7 Ibid., 72-73
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6. MK 9, 2-9 IN RELATION WITH ITS PARALLEL PASSAGES In all the synoptic gospels the account of transfiguration follows closely upon Jesus first prediction of his passion, death and resurrection (Mk 8, 27-33;Mt 16,13-23;Lk 9, 18-22) with its challenging call for anyone to follow Jesus. In each case the transfiguration narrative immediately follows Jesus promise that there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God"(Lk 9,27) or there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power" (Mk 9,1) or there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom"(Mt 16,28). Some scholars see this promise as part of transfiguration narrative or as a very closely connected transition to it.8 Each version of the transfiguration account exhibits the same sequence of literary motifs but with notable variations.9 Let us closely compare the three versions to find out the similarities and differences. The following table will show us that the same sequence of literary motifs are found in all the three versions.

Same sequence

Matthew

Mark

Luke

8 E. Nardoni, A Redactional Interpretation of Mark 9:1, CBQ43 (1981) 365-84.

8

9HEIL, J.P., The Transfiguration of Jesus: narrative Meaning and Function of Mark 9:2-8 Matt 17:1-8
9

and Luke 9:28-36 (Analecta Biblica 144, Rome 2000) 24-31.

of literary motifs. 1. Introduction. Jesus takes Peter James and John up a mountain. 2. Jesus transfigured before them. is
17:1 Kai. meqV h`me,raj e]x paralamba,nei o` kai. to.n auvtou/ kai. katV VIhsou/j to.n Pe,tron kai. VIa,kwbon VIwa,nnhn avdelfo.n o;roj ivdi,an 17:2 e;mprosqen auvtw/n( kai. e;lamyen to. pro,swpon auvtou/ auvtou/ w`j o` h[lioj( ta. de. i`ma,tia fw/j evge,neto leuka. w`j to.
2

9:2a

Kai.

meta. e]x o`

9:28 meta.

28

VEge,neto de. tou.j lo,gouj

h`me,raj paralamba,nei

tou,touj w`sei. h`me,rai ovktw. kai. paralabw.n Pe,tron kai. VIwa,nnhn kai. VIa,kwbon avne,bh eivj to. o;roj proseu,xasqai

VIhsou/j to.n Pe,tron kai. to.n VIa,kwbon kai. to.n VIwa,nnhn o;roj u`yhlo.n kai. katV avnafe,rei auvtou.j eivj ivdi,an mo,nouj

avnafe,rei auvtou.j eivj u`yhlo.n

kai.

9:2b-3 metemorfw,qh

kai.
3

9:29

29

kai. evge,neto

metemorfw,qh

evn tw/| proseu,cesqai auvto.n to. ei=doj tou/ prosw,pou e[teron i`matismo.j kai. auvtou/ o` auvtou/

e;mprosqen auvtw/n( evge,neto leuka. ouv

kai. ta. i`ma,tia auvtou/ sti,lbonta li,an( du,natai oi-a ou[twj

gnafeu.j evpi. th/j gh/j leuka/nai

leuko.j evxastra,ptwn

3. Moses and Elijah appear and speak with the transfigured Jesus.

17:3

kai. ivdou. w;fqh Mwu?sh/j kai. sullalou/ntej

9:4

kai. w;fqh auvtoi/j su.n Mwu?sei/

9:30-32

30

kai. ivdou.

auvtoi/j VHli,aj

VHli,aj

a;ndrej du,o sunela,loun auvtw/|( oi[tinej h=san Mwu?sh/j kai. VHli,aj( e;legon auvtou/( plhrou/n VIerousalh,m Pe,troj auvtw/| bebarhme,noi ei=don th.n diagrhgorh,santej kai.
32 31

kai. h=san sullalou/ntej tw/| VIhsou/

metV auvtou/

oi] ovfqe,ntej evn do,xh| th.n h]n e;xodon h;mellen evn o` de. su.n h=san u[pnw|\ de. do,xan oi`

auvtou/ kai. tou.j du,o a;ndraj tou.j sunestw/taj auvtw/|

4. Peter offers to

17:4

avpokriqei.j de. Ku,rie( h`ma/j poih,sw kalo,n w-de eiv w-de

9:5-6 o`

kai. avpokriqei.j le,gei tw/| w-de

9:33

33

kai. evge,neto avpV auvtou/

o` Pe,troj ei=pen tw/| VIhsou/( evstin ei=nai\ qe,leij(

Pe,troj

evn tw/| diacwri,zesqai auvtou.j to.n VIhsou/n( VEpista,ta( kal ei=pen o` Pe,troj pro.j

VIhsou/( ~Rabbi,( kalo,n evstin h`ma/j ei=nai( kai. poih,swmen trei/j skhna,j( soi. mi,an

build tents.

trei/j skhna,j( soi. mi,an kai. Mwu?sei/ mi,an kai. VHli,a| mi,an

kai. Mwu?sei/ mi,an kai. VHli,a| mi,an ga.r h;|dei avpokriqh/|(

6

o,n evstin h`ma/j w-de ei=nai( kai. poih,swmen skhna.j trei/j( mi,an soi. kai. mi,an Mwu?sei/ kai. mi,an VHli,a|( mh. eivdw.j o] le,gei

ouv ti,

e;kfoboi

ga.r evge,nonto

5. A overshadows them. cloud

17:5a fwteinh. auvtou,j(

e;ti auvtou/ evpeski,asen

9:7a nefe,lh

kai. evge,neto evpiskia,zousa

9:34 auvtou/

34

tau/ta nefe,lh de.

de. kai. evn

lalou/ntoj ivdou. nefe,lh

le,gontoj auvtou,j\

auvtoi/j(

evge,neto

evpeski,azen evfobh,qhsan

tw/| eivselqei/n auvtou.j eivj th.n nefe,lhn

6. Voice cloud. from the

17:5b-7 kai. ivdou. fwnh. evk o` th/j ui`o,j nefe,lhj mou evn
6

9:7b fwnh. o`

kai.

evge,neto th/j o`

9:35

35

kai. evk

fwnh. th/j

evk ui`o,j mou

evge,neto

le,gousa( Ou-to,j evstin o` w-| kai. oi` avgaphto,j( euvdo,khsa\ auvtou/ avkou,santej

nefe,lhj( Ou-to,j evstin avgaphto,j( auvtou/ avkou,ete

nefe,lhj le,gousa( Ou-to,j evstin o` ui`o,j mou o` evklelegme,noj( auvtou/ avkou,ete

avkou,ete

maqhtai. e;pesan evpi. pro,swpon auvtw/n kai. evfobh,qhsan sfo,dra kai. prosh/lqen
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o`

VIhsou/j kai. a`ya,menoj auvtw/n ei=pen( VEge,rqhte kai. mh. fobei/sqe

7. Jesus alone is with them.

17:8 tou.j

evpa,rantej de. ovfqalmou.j ouvde,na

9:8

kai. evxa,pina ouvde,na avlla. to.n

9:36

36

kai. evn tw/| th.n kai. fwnh.n VIhsou/j auvtoi. evn

peribleya,menoi ouvke,ti ei=don e`autw/n

gene,sqai eu`re,qh mo,noj

auvtw/n

ei=don eiv mh. auvto.n VIhsou/n mo,non

VIhsou/n mo,non meqV

evsi,ghsan kai. ouvdeni. avph,ggeilan evkei,naij tai/j h`me,raij ouvde.n w-n e`w,rakan

6.1 Mt 17, 1-9 In 9,2 Mark speaks of Peter and James and John in the same order as Mt 17,1 but after John omits his brother, which Matthew adds. Only Matthew mentions that John is the brother of James. In Matthew the disciples are taken apart (katV ivdi,an) to which Mark adds the tautologous alone (mo,nouj). When Jesus is transfigured Matthew says his face shown like the sun (kai. e;lamyen to. pro,swpon auvtou/ w`j o` h[lioj() and his cloths became white as the light(ta. de. i`ma,tia auvtou/ evge,neto leuka. w`j to. fw/j). Only Matthew employs the word ivdou. Three times to introduce the appearance of Elijah and Moses(17,3) of the cloud(17,5), and of the voice from the cloud(17,4)Only Matthew does Peter addresses Jesus as Lord (17,4). Only in Matthew does the voice from the cloud refer to my beloved son as the one with whom I am well pleased (17,5). Only Matthews version elaborates the response of the disciples to the voice from the cloud. When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe(17,6). Only in Matthews version Jesus come forward, touches and speaks to the disciples. fear"(17,7). 6.2 Lk 9, 28-36 In contrast to Mark and Matthew, Luke has about eight days after these words (9,28). Only Luke says that Jesus ascended the mountain to pray (9,28), so that the transfiguration occurs while he is praying (9,29). Unlike Matthew and Mark Luke does not have Jesus transfigured before them, but the appearance of his face became different(9,29). The unique characteristic of Lukes version is found in 9,31. The transfigured Jesus is in conversation with Moses and Elijah who appear in glory and they are speaking about Jesus departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem. Only in Luke the three disciples overcome by sleep with the
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But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no

indication they did not hear the conversation. Only in Luke, Peter addresses Jesus as VEpista,ta( Master (9,33). Only in Luke does the voice from the cloud command the disciples auvtou/ avkou,ete, To him listen!(9,35) rather than avkou,ete auvtou/, Listen to him(mk9,7;Mt 17,5). 6.3 Mk 9, 2-9 Of all three versions Markan account of transfiguration is most concise. In Mark Jesus transfiguration does not involve any change in his face but his cloths became very radiantly white. Only Mark notes that this whiteness was unearthly (9,3). Only Mark has mentioned the incapacity of the launderer on the earth to whiten so radiantly. Only Mark has Elijah with Moses(9,4). Only in Mark Peter addresses Jesus as Rabbi (9,5). Only in Mark the three disciples were terrified at the point where Elijah appears with Moses in conversation with the transfigured Jesus, so that peter did not know what to say (9,4-6). CONCLUSION Although there is sufficient consensus with regard to the beginning of the transfiguration pericope in Mark, exegetes differ in their opinions concerning the conclusion of this pericope. We have delimited the pericope as 9,2-9. Jesus leading the disciples upto the mountain in v.2 (kai. avnafe,rei auvtou.j eivj o;roj u`yhlo.n) corresponds to Jesus coming down with them from the mountain (kai. katabaino,ntwn auvtw/n evk tou/ o;rouj) in v.9. So the pericope starts not with the event of transfiguration but with Jesus action of leading the disciples to the high mountain and the pericope concludes with a corresponding action of Jesus coming down with his disciples from the mountain. The imposition of silence in v.9 is also part of this conclusion as in 8, 27-30. The structure proposed to this pericope is based on the persons and the finite verbs used in this pericope. The literary genre of the transfiguration narrative we have identified as an epiphany. More specifically it is a pivotal mandatory epiphany. It is
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mandatory because the whole scene focuses on the climactic command of "listen to him." It is pivotal because the scene occurs at a key juncture in the overall narrative, i.e., after Jesus' announcement of his forthcoming passion, death, and resurrection. Although each version of the transfiguration narrative exhibits its own characteristics, each narrates essentially the same sequence of literary motifs. A close reading of the three accounts will immediately show us that Marks text is so close to Matthews than either is to Lukes.

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