Jesus prayed often, and often alone. Praying was one of Jesus’ habits. A habit is another word for routine, except prayer is not a mechanical procedure or activity. (Matthew 6:5-7) Prayer is personal communion with God. David’s Psalms are good examples of personal communion with God. Hence, this is the reason Jesus usually prayed alone.
However, eight days after explaining to his disciples how he as the Messiah, the Son of Man would suffer, die, and be raised again on the third day, and how they must daily carry their crosses to be raised from the dead, Jesus brought three disciples with him up a mountain for his prayer retreat. Most scholars believe this was Mount Herman though the three gospels that record this event do not name the mountain. (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28)
All three accounts say that Jesus’ appearance changed. Matthew and Mark used the Greek word “metamorphoo” meaning transformed and transfigure. Science uses the word metamorphoses derived from the Greek word to describe the changing of a caterpillar to a butterfly. Metamorphoses means to change into a wholly different form or appearance.
After Jesus informed his disciples that he would suffer, die, and be raised from the dead he promised them, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” (29) What Peter, John, and James witnessed was the fulfillment of that promise.
I take many things from this event. One is that when I am raised from the dead Jesus tells me that I will be like him and the angels. The Apostle Paul wrote, “I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:50-53)
