Harmonizing the Transfiguration accounts in Matt 16-17 vs. Mark 8-9 vs. Luke 9

LEGEND – Portions of the Word below are colour-coded based on where they are derived from:

• Matthew 16:13-28, 17:1-23 … NASB  = Green — * my starting point
• Mark 8:27-38, 9:1-31 … NASB  = Purple
• Luke 9:18-45 … NASB  = Red  — Luke who explored all details carefully  

Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He was asking His disciples, “Who do the people say that I, the Son of Man,  am?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets of old has risen again.”(Matt 16:13-14, Mark 8:27-28, Luke 9:18-19)

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (Matt 16:15-19, Mark 8:29, Luke 9:20)

Then He warned the disciples and instructed them that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and be rejected and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again and be raised up on the third day. And He was stating the matter plainly. (Matt 16:21, Mark 8:30-32, Luke 9:21-22)

Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” (Matt 16:22-23, Mark 8:32-33, Luke 9:18-45)

And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will find it, he is the one who will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits himself, his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matt 16:24-26, Mark 8:34-37, Luke 9:23-25)

For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.  For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. (Matt 16:27, Mark 8:38, Luke 9:26)

And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom, until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” (Matt 16:28, Mark 9:1, Luke 9:27)

Some eight days, [or more precisely] six days later after these sayings, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves to pray. (Matt 17:1, Mark 9:2, Luke 9:28)

And while He was praying He was transfigured before them; and the appearance of His face became different, His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light, radiant and exceedingly white and gleaming, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. (Matt 17:2, Mark 9:3, Luke 9:29)

And behold, two men Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (Matt 17:3, Mark 9:4, Luke 9:30-31)

Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, Master, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; (Matt 17:4, Mark 9:5, Luke 9:32-33)

if You wish, let us make three tabernacles, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” –not realizing what he was saying.  For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. (Matt 17:4, Mark 9:5-6, Luke 9:33)

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud formed and began to overshadow them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.  And behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, My Chosen One; with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” (Matt 17:5, Mark 9:7, Luke 9:34-35)

2 Pet 1:16-18 “For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”– 18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.”

When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. (Matt 17:6)

And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” (Matt 17:7)

And when the voice had spoken, lifting up their eyes they looked around and they saw no one with them anymore except Jesus Himself alone. (Matt 17:8, Mark 9:8, Luke 9:36)

As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them not to relate to anyone what they had seen, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” (Matt 17:9, Mark 9:9)

They seized upon that statement, discussing with one another what rising from the dead meant. (Mark 9:10)

And His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” (Matt 17:10, Mark 9:11)

And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming first and will restore all things;  And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt?  (Matt 17:11, Mark 9:12)

but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished just as it is written of him. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”  Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist. (Matt 17:12-13, Mark 9:13)

And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen. (Luke 9:36)

On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, When they came back to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him.  When they came to the crowd, He asked them, “What are you discussing with them?”  A man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and shouted, saying, (Matt 17:14, Mark 9:14-16, Luke 9:37-38)

“Lord, Teacher, I brought You my son, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only boy, have mercy on my son, (Matt 17:15, Mark 9:17, Luke 9:38)

for he is a lunatic and is very ill; possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and grinds his teeth and stiffens out [and] he  often falls into the fire and often into the water.  And only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves. (Matt 17:15, Mark 9:18, Luke 9:39)

I brought him to Your disciples [and] told [them] to cast it out, and they could not cure him.” (Matt 17:16, Mark 9:18, Luke 9:40)

And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring your son here to Me.” (Matt 17:17, Mark 9:19, Luke 9:41)

They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, While he was still approaching, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion and slammed him to the ground, [so that]  he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” And Jesus said to him, ” `If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:20-24, Luke 9:42)

When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.” After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up.  And [He] gave him back to his father. (Matt 17:18, Mark 9:25-27, Luke 9:42)

And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.   But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing,  He said to His disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement. (Luke 9:43-45)

When He came into the house, His disciples came to Jesus [and] began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?” And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matt 17:19-21, Mark 9:28-29)

From there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it. For He was teaching His disciples while they were gathering together in Galilee, telling them [again], “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; and they will kill Him, and when He has been killed He will be raised three days later, on the third day.” And they were deeply grieved. (Matt 17:22-23, Mark 9:30-31)