My question is on Matthew 17, the Transfiguration of Jesus. First, what is the purpose for this story, what am I supposed to learn from it. Second, why did God choose Elijah and Moses, and who do they represent? Lastly, who is Elijah in this story, the O.T. Elijah? -- Jane Villaflor (Washington DC)
The account of the Transfiguration shows us that the ministry of Jesus (the Gospel) is complementary to, yet also superior to, the ministries of Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the Prophets). Yes, this is the same Elijah who appears in the Old Testament, and in whose spirit John the Baptist prepared the way for the Lord. This was a significant event, and appears in the first three gospels, as well as Peter's reference to it in 2 Peter 1.
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