Luke 9:32
But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
Peter, James and John fell asleep from weariness while Jesus spent the night in prayer with His Father, and waking they beheld His glory with the two men standing beside Him. The glory usually veiled by His humanity shone through it as brightly as human eyes could bear, His face shining like the sun and His clothing white and glistening until they had to shield their eyes. A cloud overshadowed them and the voice of God in terrible majesty proclaimed Jesus the beloved Son to be heard, the second of three such testimonies after His baptism and before His betrayal. The vision was given to reveal His divinity, Messiahship and kingdom and to strengthen their faith for His coming humiliation, suffering and death, so that in sorrow at the crucifixion they would not cast away their confidence that His death belonged to God's plan of redemption. It fulfilled His promise that some standing with Him would see the kingdom of God come with power, showing that kingdom in miniature with Moses representing those raised from the dead at His second appearing and Elijah representing those translated without seeing death.
Sleep and Waking Glory
Peter, James, and John were with Jesus on the mount, John being among the three witnesses and James one of the three. Overcome by weariness they fell asleep while Jesus prayed through the night in communion with His Father.
When they awoke they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. His glory, usually veiled by His humanity, shone through it as much as human beings could bear. His countenance was changed and shining like the sun, His face lighted with divine glory, and His raiment white and glistening. It was so intense they had to shield their eyes.
They first gazed in fear, amazement, astonishment, and terror. Then they were able to endure the light and recognize that Jesus was not alone. He was accompanied by honored messengers from God, the heavenly visitors Moses and Elijah speaking with Him.
The glory they saw was Jesus being glorified by His Father. A cloud overshadowed them and the voice of God in terrible majesty proclaimed Him the beloved Son to be heard. This was the second of three times that voice proclaimed Him, after His baptism and before His betrayal. At the cross that testimony was withdrawn and silent while He suffered abuse and mockery alone.
Strength and Coming Kingdom
What the three awoke to see was a visible showing of His divinity and Messiahship, His majesty and identity as the Son of God, and His kingdom, giving Peter firsthand evidence of the honor and glory the Father gave Him and certain proof that He was the promised Messiah. That sight of His divine glory was meant to reveal Him, remove doubts, greatly strengthen faith, and comfort the disciples for His coming humiliation, sufferings, and death. His death belonged to God's plan of redemption and was necessary for His glory and the Father's glory and for humanity's sharing in that glory, so that in bitter sorrow and disappointment at the crucifixion they would not entirely cast away confidence.
The glorification also came before His betrayal and crucifixion to strengthen Him for His last dreadful sufferings, when the Son of man was glorified and God was glorified in Him. In this the transfiguration fulfilled His promise that some standing with Him would not taste death till they saw the kingdom of God come with power, showing Christ's kingdom in miniature and a miniature picture of the kingdom of the redeemed. Jesus was clothed with heaven's glory and proclaimed by the Father as the Son of God, and the disciples beheld His excellent majesty.
Moses represented those who will be raised from the dead at Christ's second appearing, and Elijah, who was translated without seeing death, represented those who will be alive then and changed from mortal to immortal and translated to heaven without seeing death. Moses and Elijah were sent instead of angels to talk with Jesus concerning His sufferings and death and to bear God's glory to Him, chosen because they had themselves experienced earth's trials. Moses had been honored by speaking with God face to face and seeing His glory.
The disciples misunderstood the vision, with Peter thinking Elijah's appearance meant Christ's kingdom was about to be established on earth and the heavenly visitors would protect Jesus from death, failing to grasp that His mission required suffering and death.
Witness Below the Mount
The waking to see His glory was only a brief glimpse of heavenly glory, given after the sleep on the mountain, before descending to meet suffering below. What stood against that glory was the sight of Jesus coming down to rescue the suffering demon-possessed child. In that contrast the Divine One is seen stooping from the Father's glory to save the lost, so that redemption is presented as deliverance from Satan's power.
The glory seen with the two men beside Him, and the voice of God from the cloud, recalled both the transfiguration glory and the glory seen in the temple. That remembrance reassured that God was caring for Jesus and that an angel was present to protect Him. Peter, James and John, who thus saw Jesus glorified, were the three favored disciples brought into especially close relationship with Christ. They were thereby fitted to become chief witnesses to Him after His death.
The verse belongs to Christ's words and acts when He was reflecting light upon people in the world just before He was to be taken from them, desiring them to remember all He had said to them. It is to be studied for its meaning, so that hearts are in full harmony with Christ and intelligent in regard to His work and what He will do for those who follow on to know the Lord. That following on is as one whose going forth is prepared as the morning, in continual increase of light, in preparation for a coming time of trials and persecutions everywhere. Beholding Christ's glory on the mount, though Peter and the others had first been overcome by sleep, points to serving people in need below. Those who have seen His beauty are called to bring faith and prayer to people enslaved by Satan, and nearness to Christ is shown in self-sacrificing love for humanity. The mount of transfiguration is thus a picture of spiritual ascent, calling woman to rise toward a life of strength, knowledge, love, toil and self-sacrifice, leaving behind the world's idols.