While a few days late on this post in terms of the liturgical calendar, a couple of weeks ago Mark 9:2-8 came up in the worship service in the church calendar.

It is worth noting that the transfiguration story is often understood as a precursor to the resurrection. But let us be clear, in the original ending of the Gospel of Mark, there is no resurrection story. So how could the transfiguration be a precursor to a story that does not exist?

Perhaps the transfiguration is not a story that points toward resurrection at all. Perhaps Mark's telling of the transfiguration points to the crucifixion.

Take a look at these similar connections:

The transfiguration took place six days later while the crucifixion took place over the course of six hours.
Three men witnessed the transfiguration but three women witnessed the crucifixion .
Moses and Elijah appeared in one story while the other had two unnamed thieves with Jesus.
Jesus has white clothes but at the crucifixion his clothes are gambled for and he is naked.
Peter wants to build three tents on the mountain but when Jesus dies the Jerusalem temple tent is torn.
God declares Jesus as the "Son of God" at the transfiguration, but it was a roman centurion who make this same statement at the crucifixion .

This is just what I came up with while looking at the texts side by side and no exegetical work.

While I quickly want to jump to the resurrection and all the hope that comes with that, perhaps I am missing the point int he gospel of Mark for whom seems to be pointing to the crucifixion as the apex of the gospel.