Lukas 9:18-36
Konteks9:18 Once 1 when Jesus 2 was praying 3 by himself, and his disciples were nearby, he asked them, 4 “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 5 9:19 They 6 answered, 7 “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; 8 and still others that one of the prophets of long ago has risen.” 9 9:20 Then 10 he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter 11 answered, 12 “The Christ 13 of God.” 9:21 But he forcefully commanded 14 them not to tell this to anyone, 15 9:22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer 16 many things and be rejected by the elders, 17 chief priests, and experts in the law, 18 and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” 19
9:23 Then 20 he said to them all, 21 “If anyone wants to become my follower, 22 he must deny 23 himself, take up his cross daily, 24 and follow me. 9:24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, 25 but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 9:25 For what does it benefit a person 26 if he gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself? 9:26 For whoever is ashamed 27 of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person 28 when he comes in his glory and in the glory 29 of the Father and of the holy angels. 9:27 But I tell you most certainly, 30 there are some standing here who will not 31 experience 32 death before they see the kingdom of God.” 33
9:28 Now 34 about eight days 35 after these sayings, Jesus 36 took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up the mountain to pray. 9:29 As 37 he was praying, 38 the appearance of his face was transformed, 39 and his clothes became very bright, a brilliant white. 40 9:30 Then 41 two men, Moses and Elijah, 42 began talking with him. 43 9:31 They appeared in glorious splendor and spoke about his departure 44 that he was about to carry out 45 at Jerusalem. 46 9:32 Now Peter and those with him were quite sleepy, 47 but as they became fully awake, 48 they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 9:33 Then 49 as the men 50 were starting to leave, 51 Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters, 52 one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah” – not knowing what he was saying. 9:34 As 53 he was saying this, a cloud 54 came 55 and overshadowed 56 them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 9:35 Then 57 a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. 58 Listen to him!” 59 9:36 After 60 the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. So 61 they kept silent and told no one 62 at that time 63 anything of what they had seen.
[9:18] 1 tn Grk “And it happened that.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[9:18] 2 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:18] 3 sn Prayer is a favorite theme of Luke and he is the only one of the gospel authors to mention it in the following texts (with the exception of 22:41): Luke 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:28-29; 11:1; 22:41; 23:34, 46.
[9:18] 4 tn Grk “the disciples were with him, and he asked them, saying.”
[9:18] 5 sn “Who do the crowds say that I am?” The question of who Jesus is occurs frequently in this section of Luke: 7:49; 8:25; 9:9. The answer resolves a major theme of Luke’s Gospel.
[9:19] 6 tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[9:19] 7 tn Grk “And answering, they said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “They answered.”
[9:19] 8 sn The appearance of Elijah would mean that the end time had come. According to 2 Kgs 2:11, Elijah was still alive. In Mal 4:5 it is said that Elijah would be the precursor of Messiah.
[9:19] 9 sn The phrase has risen could be understood to mean “has been resurrected,” but this is only a possible option, not a necessary one, since the phrase could merely mean that a figure had appeared on the scene who mirrored an earlier historical figure. Note that the three categories in the reply match the ones in Luke 9:7-8.
[9:20] 10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[9:20] 11 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[9:20] 12 tn Grk “Peter answering, said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “Peter answered.”
[9:20] 13 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[9:20] sn See the note on Christ in 2:11.
[9:21] 14 tn The combination of the participle and verb ἐπιτιμήσας and παρήγγειλεν (epitimhsa" and parhngeilen, “commanding, he ordered”) is a hendiadys that makes the instruction emphatic.
[9:21] 15 sn No explanation for the command not to tell this to anyone is given, but the central section of Luke, chapters 9-19, appears to reveal a reason. The disciples needed to understand who the Messiah really was and exactly what he would do before they were ready to proclaim Jesus as such. But they and the people had an expectation that needed some instruction to be correct.
[9:22] 16 sn The necessity that the Son of Man suffer is the particular point that needed emphasis, since for many 1st century Jews the Messiah was a glorious and powerful figure, not a suffering one.
[9:22] 17 sn Rejection in Luke is especially by the Jewish leadership (here elders, chief priests, and experts in the law), though in Luke 23 almost all will join in.
[9:22] 18 tn Or “and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
[9:22] 19 sn The description of the Son of Man being rejected…killed, and…raised is the first of six passion summaries in Luke: 9:44; 17:25; 18:31-33; 24:7; 24:46-47.
[9:23] 20 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[9:23] 21 sn Here them all could be limited to the disciples, since Jesus was alone with them in v. 18. It could also be that by this time the crowd had followed and found him, and he addressed them, or this could be construed as a separate occasion from the discussion with the disciples in 9:18-22. The cost of discipleship is something Jesus was willing to tell both insiders and outsiders about. The rejection he felt would also fall on his followers.
[9:23] 22 tn Grk “to come after me.”
[9:23] 23 tn This translation better expresses the force of the Greek third person imperative than the traditional “let him deny,” which could be understood as merely permissive.
[9:23] 24 sn Only Luke mentions taking up one’s cross daily. To bear the cross means to accept the rejection of the world for turning to Jesus and following him. Discipleship involves a death that is like a crucifixion; see Gal 6:14.
[9:24] 25 sn The point of the saying whoever wants to save his life will lose it is that if one comes to Jesus then rejection by many will certainly follow. If self-protection is a key motivation, then one will not respond to Jesus and will not be saved. One who is willing to risk rejection will respond and find true life.
[9:25] 26 tn Grk “a man,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here to refer to both men and women.
[9:26] 27 sn How one responds now to Jesus and his teaching is a reflection of how Jesus, as the Son of Man who judges, will respond then in the final judgment.
[9:26] 28 tn This pronoun (τοῦτον, touton) is in emphatic position in its own clause in the Greek text: “of that person the Son of Man will be ashamed…”
[9:26] 29 tn Grk “in the glory of him and of the Father and of the holy angels.” “Glory” is repeated here in the translation for clarity and smoothness because the literal phrase is unacceptably awkward in contemporary English.
[9:27] 30 tn Grk “I tell you truly” (λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ἀληθῶς, legw de Jumin alhqw").
[9:27] 31 tn The Greek negative here (οὐ μή, ou mh) is the strongest possible.
[9:27] 32 tn Grk “will not taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).
[9:27] 33 sn The meaning of the statement that some will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God is clear at one level, harder at another. Jesus predicts some will experience the kingdom before they die. When does this happen? (1) An initial fulfillment is the next event, the transfiguration. (2) It is also possible in Luke’s understanding that all but Judas experience the initial fulfillment of the coming of God’s presence and rule in the work of Acts 2. In either case, the “kingdom of God” referred to here would be the initial rather than the final phase.
[9:28] 34 tn Grk “Now it happened that about.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[9:28] 35 tn Matt 17:1 and Mark 9:2 specify the interval more exactly, saying it was the sixth day. Luke uses ὡσεί (Jwsei, “about”) to give an approximate reference.
[9:28] 36 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:29] 37 tn Grk “And as.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[9:29] 38 tn Here the preposition ἐν (en) plus the dative articular aorist infinitive has been translated as a temporal clause (ExSyn 595).
[9:29] 39 tn Or “the appearance of his face became different.”
[9:29] sn In 1st century Judaism and in the NT, there was the belief that the righteous get new, glorified bodies in order to enter heaven (1 Cor 15:42-49; 2 Cor 5:1-10). This transformation means the righteous will share the glory of God. One recalls the way Moses shared the Lord’s glory after his visit to the mountain in Exod 34. So the disciples saw the appearance of his face transformed, and they were getting a sneak preview of the great glory that Jesus would have (only his glory is more inherent to him as one who shares in the rule of the kingdom).
[9:29] 40 tn Or “became bright as a flash of lightning” (cf. BDAG 346 s.v. ἐξαστράπτω); or “became brilliant as light” (cf. BDAG 593 s.v. λευκός 1).
[9:30] 41 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[9:30] 42 sn Commentators and scholars discuss why Moses and Elijah are present. The most likely explanation is that Moses represents the prophetic office (Acts 3:18-22) and Elijah pictures the presence of the last days (Mal 4:5-6), the prophet of the eschaton (the end times).
[9:30] 43 tn Grk “two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah.” The relative clause has been simplified to an appositive and transposed in keeping with contemporary English style.
[9:31] 44 tn Grk “his exodus,” which refers to Jesus’ death in Jerusalem and journey back to glory. Here is the first lesson that the disciples must learn. The wondrous rule comes only after suffering.
[9:31] 45 tn Or “accomplish,” “bring to completion.”
[9:31] 46 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[9:32] 47 tn Grk “weighed down with sleep” (an idiom).
[9:32] 48 tn Or “after they became fully awake,” “but they became fully awake and saw.”
[9:33] 49 tn Grk “And it happened that as.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[9:33] 50 tn Grk “as they”; the referent (“the men,” referring to Moses and Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:33] 51 tn Grk “to leave from him.”
[9:33] 52 tn Or “booths,” “dwellings” (referring to the temporary booths constructed in the celebration of the feast of Tabernacles).
[9:33] sn By making three shelters Peter apparently wanted to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths that looked forward to the end and to treat Moses, Elijah, and Jesus as equals. It was actually a way of expressing honor to Jesus, but the remark at the end of the verse makes it clear that it was not enough honor.
[9:34] 53 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[9:34] 54 sn This cloud is the cloud of God’s presence and the voice is his as well.
[9:35] 57 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[9:35] 58 tc Most
[9:35] tn The participle ὁ ἐκλελεγμένος (Jo eklelegmeno"), which could be translated “the One who has been chosen,” is best understood as a title rather than a descriptive phrase, probably deriving from Isa 42:1 (LXX) which uses the similar ὁ ἐκλεκτός (Jo eklekto") which also appears in Luke 23:35.
[9:35] sn This divine endorsement is like Luke 3:22 at Jesus’ baptism. One difference here is the mention of the Chosen One, a reference to the unique and beloved role of the regal, messianic Son.
[9:35] 59 sn The expression listen to him comes from Deut 18:15 and makes two points: 1) Jesus is a prophet like Moses, a leader-prophet, and 2) they have much yet to learn from him.
[9:36] 60 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[9:36] 61 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the concluding summary of the account.
[9:36] 62 sn Although the disciples told no one at the time, later they did recount this. The commentary on this scene is 2 Pet 1:17-18.
