Luke 9:28

Matthew and Mark said that the Transfiguration happened "after six days" (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2), but Luke wrote "some (about) eight days." Luke’s reference is less precise and may reflect a Hellenistic way of referring to a week. Again Luke reversed the normal order of the three primary apostles perhaps to link Peter with John, the leaders of the apostolic church in Palestine (cf. Luke 8:51).

His use of the definite article with "mountain" suggests a specific mountain, but Luke did not identify it. Perhaps the Transfiguration was so well known when he wrote that he did not need to identify it but only mentioned it as the mountain on which this event happened. Another idea is that he referred to the mountain this way to set it off in some special symbolic way as similar to Mt. Sinai and or Mt. Olivet (cf. Mt. Olympus). [Note: Liefeld, p. 926.] Playing down the identity of the mountain has the effect of magnifying Jesus. In view of Jesus’ geographical movements with His disciples it seems to me that the mountain was probably Mt. Hermon just north of Caesarea Philippi. Other possibilities are Mt. Tabor, Mt. Arbel, and Mt. Meron. [Note: See idem, "Theological Motifs in the Transfiguration Narrative," in New Dimensions in New Testament Study, p. 167, footnote 27.] Mt. Tabor is the traditional site, but it is too far from Caesarea Philippi and appears to have been occupied at this time. [Note: Morris, p. 172.]

Again Luke referred to Jesus praying. The implication is that the Transfiguration was an answer to His prayer. Frequently in Old Testament times revelations followed prayer (e.g., Daniel 9; et al.; cf. Acts 22:6; Acts 26:13), though this one came to the disciples, not to Jesus.