Was what Peter, James and John saw on the Mount of Transfiguration was just a “vision”?Since no one went to heaven before Jesus opened the way for his elect to follow
'Vision'? "οραμα" Simply means that which is seen, which can be by the eyes or with the mind/heart, and thus with the eye of the mind. For instance:
Act 7:31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,
Did Moses actually see with his own eyes the burning bush, or did he only imagine it in the mind? Same word, "οραμα".
Notice the words and he brackets koine Greek, and verse connections:
Mat 16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see ["ιδωσιν" [G1492], idosin, from eido, meaning to look upon] the Son of man coming [see 2 Peter 1:16] in his kingdom.
Mat 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared ["ωφθησαν" [G3700], ophthesan, from optanomai, means to see with the eyes] unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
Mat 17:4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
Mat 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Mat 17:6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
Mat 17:7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
Mat 17:8 And when they had lifted up their eyes ['επαραντες δε τους οφθαλμους αυτων", again the word "ophthalmous" is used, meaning eyes], they saw ["ειδον" [G1492], eidon, from eido, meaning to look upon] no man, save Jesus only.
Mat 17:9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision ["οραμα" [G3705], [h]orama, meaning to see] to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
Mat 17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
Mat 17:12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
Mat 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
Mar 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen ["ιδωσιν" [G1492], idosin, from eido, meaning to look upon] the kingdom of God come with power [see 2 Peter 1:16].
Mar 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
Mar 9:3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
Mar 9:4 And there appeared ["ωφθη" [G3700], ophthe, from optanomai, means to see with the eyes] unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
Mar 9:5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
Mar 9:6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.
Mar 9:7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
Mar 9:8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about ["περιβλεψαμενοι" [G4017], periblepsamenoi from periblepo, meaning to look all around], they saw ["ειδον" [G1492], eidon, from eido, meaning to look upon] no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.
Mar 9:9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen ["ειδον" [G1492], eidon, from eido, meaning to look upon], till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
Mar 9:10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.
Mar 9:11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Mar 9:12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
Mar 9:13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
Luk 9:27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see ["ιδωσιν" [G1492], idosin, from eido, meaning to look upon] the kingdom of God.
Luk 9:28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
Luk 9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
Luk 9:30 And, behold ["ιδου" [G2400, idou, to behold with the eyes, to see, to look upon], there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
Luk 9:31 Who appeared ["οφθεντες" [G3700], ophthentes, from optanomai, means to see with the eyes]] in glory [see 2 Peter 1:17], and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
Luk 9:32 But Peter and they that were [past tense] with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake ["διαγρηγορησαντες" [G12356], diagregoresantes, from diagregoreo, meaing to be fully awake], they saw ["ειδον" [G1492], eidon, from eido, meaning to look upon] his glory [see 2 Peter 1:17], and the two men that stood with him.
Luk 9:33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.
Luk 9:34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
Luk 9:35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
Luk 9:36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen ["εωρακασιν" [G3708], [h]eorakasin, from horao, meaning to stare at, see, look upon, witness, experience (with eyesight, mind, body, etc)].
2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses ["εποπται", [G2030], epoptai from epoptes, meaning one who looks upon] of his majesty.
2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2Pe 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
It was on the 7th day (after 6 days and before "about an" 8) that the Mount of Transfiguration took place.
Peter, in 2 Peter is contrasting his own eyewitness testimony at the mount of Transfiguration, his own eyesight there, to that of prophecy of the scripture, which is more sure than his own eyesight, since the eyes of a man might be deceived or be led astray, but God's prophetic word is always true and can never lie or deceive (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18, etc). They saw with their eyes and heard with their ears. In scripture, this is known as being an awake 'vision' or 'sight' to behold, rather than a dream while asleep, but this is that which something is seen and heard while fully awake. (Luke 9:32). Several examples in scripture can be given in addition to this.
So, consider all of the words, in their context as used, and they being fully awake (and several translations into English translate it that way), and then seeing Moses and Elijah in "glory", which means resurrected and glorified immortal bodies (see Romans 5:14; Jude 1:9 for Moses, and see 2 Kings 2 for Elijah) of flesh and bones. They were no whispy aether, but flesh and bone glorified Moses and Elijah standing on the Mount of Transfiguration next to Jesus, which is why Peter wanted to build three Tabernacles on the spot. Even the voice of the Father with the clouds of Heaven were present there. They were not asleep, nor imagining it. They actually saw it with their own eyes and heard with the own ears.
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