What does it mean that Jesus’ face shone like the sun?

A couple different places in Scripture record that Jesus’ face “shone like the sun.” The first is when Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a mountain and “he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2; cf. Mark 9:2–3 and Luke 9:28–29).

The second description of Jesus’ face shining like the sun is in the book of Revelation. The apostle John sees a vision of the Lord Jesus in His glory: “In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance” (Revelation 1:16).

The Old Testament is an interpretive key to unlocking the meaning of Jesus’ face shining like the sun. When Moses returned from his Mount Sinai meeting with God, “his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord” (Exodus 34:29). The people of Israel responded in fear, and Moses took to veiling his face to shield the radiance from them. Jesus fulfilled the prophecy that someone like Moses would come to Israel (see Deuteronomy 18:15), and the face shining like the sun is one similarity. An important difference is that Jesus’ glory was His own, whereas Moses’ was a reflection of God’s. Moses did not possess glory within himself.

The radiance in Matthew 17:2 and Revelation 1:16 originates from Jesus’ essence. And it indicates more than physical brightness. In Scripture, light can represent both spiritual truth and sacred holiness. Jesus proclaims His role as the “light of the world” in John 8:12. He is the light because He illuminates our souls, minds, and hearts with truth. When the veil is taken away, He blazes with God’s holiness.

The fact that Jesus’ face shone like the sun emphasizes Christ’s incorruptible and holy nature. The emanating brilliance is a sign of divine glory. A direct view of the sun at noontime is an overwhelming sight. No one can sustain such a view for long. As sinners, we cannot endure beholding Christ’s unveiled glory. In the presence of the Lord’s divine light, John said, “I fell at his feet as though dead” (Revelation 1:17). God told Moses, “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” (Exodus 33:20).

The New Jerusalem will receive its light from God’s glory because the Lamb illuminates it: “The city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light” (Revelation 21:23, NLT). The glory of Christ’s radiance, only briefly glimpsed by a select few in this world, will illuminate God’s restored world for all the redeemed for all eternity.

In 2 Corinthians 3:18, the apostle Paul writes, “All of us who have had that veil [of ignorance and tradition] removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord, who is the Spirit, makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (NLT). Followers of Christ should demonstrate the character of Christ. We should reflect the Light of the world more and more clearly through our pursuit of holiness and love.

Jesus’ shining face represents His presence, glory, and authority. As we await the complete revelation of His glory, may we walk in His light (1 John 1:7).