As Jesus embarks on a God-sized field trip with Peter, James and John, we read about the mind boggling results. They were on a high mountain, and Jesus was transformed in His appearance right before their eyes. And as this happened, even His clothing was changed:
intensely white (ESV)
dazzling white (NIV)
exceedingly white (NASB)
exceeding white as snow (KJV)
His clothes shimmered, glistening white (The Message)
Shining, exceedingly white, like snow (NKJ)
So white, so intense, that the gospel of Mark describes it as so pure that, “no launderer on earth can whiten them.” (NASB)
This transformation was thorough.
I believe that as Jesus invited His closest disciples into this majestic moment, He was also giving them a snapshot of the power of redemptive transformation. He was exposing them to the power of the words of Psalm 51:7:
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
The spiritual cleansing of our Savior exceeds the picture of “glistening white” that was used to describe His clothing. No stain too permanent, no dirt too extensive, no corruption too onerous, that the redemptive power of Jesus isn’t greater still.
No sin expressed, no thought conceived, no pain so deep that the grace of Christ is not deeper still. There is no confining the lavish love of God.
The high mountain of His grace reveals the comprehensive transformation of the soul. We are liberated through this forgiveness, we are mobilized with this generosity, and we are compelled to live inside this sacrificial love.
and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. ~ Mark 9:3 (ESV)
And by His grace, we become radiant white. For His glory!
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