9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” 10And the disciples asked him, “Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11He replied, “Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things; 12but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.” 13Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:9-13, NRSV)
Elijah has come and the people did not recognize him and they killed him. So now what will happen to the Messiah?
The transfiguration is what they are talking about as they are coming down the mountain, and Jesus ordered them not to talk about it. And this dazzling white transformation was a vision of Jesus being raised from the dead, but they can not talk about it until he has been raised. And the wheels are already in motion because Elijah has returned and proclaimed the coming Messiah and he was killed, so now will the Messiah be received or killed?
What would you believe in this story?
