Luke 9:34
in Luke 9While Peter was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And while he said these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
KJV
While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
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This verse in Luke 9
Commentary
12 notes on this verse"While he spoke, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them." That is the overshadowing of the divine Spirit, who is not dark with the emotions of humankind but unveils secrets. This is also revealed in another place when an angel says, "And the power of the Most High shall overshadow you." The effect of this is shown when the voice of God is heard, saying, "This is my beloved Son; hear him." Elijah is not the Son, and Moses is not the Son.
This site's exposition
there came a cloud
on Luke 9:34-36
While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them, the same cloud of glory that once filled the tabernacle and the temple, and they feared as they entered into it. A voice out of the cloud says, This is my beloved Son: hear him, the Father speaking as at the baptism, the last two words answering Peter's tabernacles directly and echoing Moses' own promise of a prophet like himself whom Israel must hear. When the voice was past, Jesus was found alone, the law and the prophets having yielded the last word to him, and the three kept it close, telling no man in those days what they had seen.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
For it is the overshadowing of the divine Spirit which does not darken, but reveals secret things to the hearts of men.
(in Matt. tom. 12.) Now His disciples being unable to bear this, fell down, humbled under the mighty hand of God, greatly afraid since they knew what was said to Moses, No man shall see my face, and lice. Hence it follows, And they feared as they entered into the cloud.
(in Esai. c. 4. 5.) For the obscurity of the Law had passed away; for as smoke is caused by the fire, so the cloud by light; but because a cloud is the sign of calmness, the rest of the future state is signified by the covering of a cloud.
The Medieval Church2 voices
And as he was saying these things, etc. After the entrance and the progress, the Evangelist here determines the state or consummation of contemplation. Contemplation, however, is consummated in two things: of which the first is the manifestation of terrible majesty, and the second, the …
But while Peter spake, our Lord builds a tabernacle not made with hands, and enters into it with the Prophets. Hence it is added, While he thus spake there came a cloud and overshadowed them, to show that He was not inferior to the Father. For as in the Old Testament it was said, the Lord dwelt in the cloud, so now also a cloud received our Lord, not a dark cloud, but bright and shining.
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
And mark, that as when our Lord was baptized in Jordan, so also when He was glorified on the Mount, the mystery of the whole Trinity is declared; for His glory which we confess at baptism, we shall see at the resurrection. Nor in vain does the Holy Spirit appear here in the cloud, there in the form of a dove, seeing that he who now preserves with a simple heart the faith which he receives, shall then in the light of open vision look upon those things which he believed.
While he was speaking, a cloud came and overshadowed them. He who sought a material tabernacle received the shadow of the cloud, so that he might learn that in the resurrection, the saints are to be protected not by the covering of houses, but by …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
While he thus spake there came a cloud,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The event described in these verses, commonly called "the transfiguration" — is one of the most remarkable events in the history of our Lord's earthly ministry. It is one of those passages which we should always read with particular thankfulness. It lifts a corner of the veil which hangs over the world to come — and throws light on some of the deepest truths of our religion. In the first place — this passage shows us something of the glory which Christ will have at His second coming.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The event described in these verses, commonly called "the transfiguration" — is one of the most remarkable events in the history of our Lord's earthly ministry. It is one of those passages which we should always read with particular thankfulness. It lifts a corner of the veil which hangs over the world to come — and throws light on some of the deepest truths of our religion. In the first place — this passage shows us something of the glory which Christ will have at His second coming. We read that, "As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white!" — and that the disciples who were with Him "saw His glory." We need not doubt that this marvelous vision was meant to encourage and strengthen our Lord's disciples. They had just been hearing of His cross and death — and the self-denial and sufferings to which they must submit themselves, if they would be saved. They were now cheered by a glimpse of the "glory that would follow," and the reward which all faithful servants of their Master would one day receive. They had seen their Master's day of weakness. They now saw, for a few minutes — a pattern and specimen of His future power and glory. Let us take comfort in the thought, that there are good things laid up in store for all true Christians — which shall make ample amends for the afflictions of this present time. Now is the season for carrying the cross, and sharing in our Savior's humiliation. The crown, the kingdom, the glory — are all yet to come! Christ and His people are now, like David in the cave of Adullam — despised, and lightly esteemed by the world. There seems no form or loveliness in Him, or in His service. But the hour is coming, and will soon be here — when Christ shall take to Himself His great power and reign, and put down every enemy under His feet!
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ταῦτα | tauta | These things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | when he | G846 → | 5565 times |
| λέγοντος | legontos | is saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ἐγένετο | egeneto | came | G1096 → | 667 times |
| νεφέλη | nephele | a cloud | G3507 → | 25 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐπεσκίαζεν | epeskiazen | was overshadowing | G1982 → | |
| αὐτούς. | autous | them. | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐφοβήθησαν | ephobethesan | they feared | G5399 → | 95 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εἰσελθεῖν | eiselthein | entering | G1525 → | 194 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νεφέλην. | nephelen | cloud. | G3507 → | 25 times |
ταῦταThese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
αὐτοῦwhen he
autouG846 →5565 times
λέγοντοςis saying
legontosG3004 →1325 times
ἐγένετοcame
egenetoG1096 →667 times
νεφέληa cloud
nepheleG3507 →25 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐπεσκίαζενwas overshadowing
epeskiazenG1982 →
αὐτούς.them.
autousG846 →5565 times
ἐφοβήθησανthey feared
ephobethesanG5399 →95 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
εἰσελθεῖνentering
eiseltheinG1525 →194 times
αὐτοὺςof them
autousG846 →5565 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
νεφέλην.cloud.
nephelenG3507 →25 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 1:17When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
it leads to
- Isaiah 44:6
Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.
- Daniel 10:8–10
So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision. No strength remained in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless.
- Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
- Daniel 8:17–18
As he came near to where I stood, I was terrified and fell facedown. “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.”
- Isaiah 41:4
Who has performed this and carried it out, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD—the first and the last—I am He.”
- Isaiah 44:6
Through
Judges 13:22“We are going to die,” he said to his wife, “for we have seen God!”
it leads to
- Genesis 32:30
So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, “Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”
- Deuteronomy 5:26
For who of all flesh has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the fire, as we have, and survived?
- John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.
- Genesis 32:30
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
About Luke

This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Luke; Ambrose of Milan, Commentary on Luke; Ambrose of Milan, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Basil of Caesarea, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 9; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.
