Transfiguration Texts: Matt 17:1–13; Mark 9:1–12; Luke 9:28–36.
The three Evangelists present the event in essentially the same connection.
Mt 17:1 “And after six days Jesus took Peter and James and John his brother with him and led them up a high mountain by themselves.” All three Evangelists introduce the narrative with a time indication: Matthew “after six days,” likewise Mark; Luke, with the remark “about eight days,” refrains from giving a strictly exact chronological statement. The starting point (terminus a quo) can only be Peter’s confession and Jesus’ first prediction of his Passion. By the precise indication of time the close connection between the Transfiguration and those two events is emphasized; the Transfiguration was meant to strengthen the disciples in faith in Christ as the Son of God, to show them that Jesus, despite his impending suffering and death, is the Son of the living God, who after completing his work was exalted to the glory of the heavenly Father; it was to offer a foretaste of that glory to which the disciples themselves would attain along the path of suffering.
Place of the Transfiguration.
Jesus takes with him the three otherwise specially favored disciples — Peter, James, and John — so that they may be lawful witnesses of his wondrous glorification, just as they would soon be witnesses of his deepest humiliation in Gethsemane. The place was a “high mountain.” According to a tradition going back to the third century it was Mount Tabor, lying about two hours southeast of Nazareth, roughly a day’s journey from Jerusalem, rising over 600 meters high and about 300 meters above the surrounding plain, so that one has an extensive view from it. The plateau has a length of about 800 and a width of about 400 meters. The exegetical and historical reasons advanced in modern times against this ancient tradition do not seem sufficient to overthrow it. It is not proven that in Christ’s time there were fortifications or even a city on Mount Tabor; according to Josephus the opposite seems rather to have been the case. Moreover, neither Matthew nor Mark explicitly states that Jesus first set out from the region of Caesarea Philippi for Galilee only after the Transfiguration.
Mt 17:2. — The marvelous event: the Transfiguration of Jesus. “And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as the light (as snow).” According to the meaning of μεταμορφόω (to be transfigured), we must think of a change in Jesus’ outward form (μορφή), which Luke expresses: “the appearance of his face became different.” In what this transformation consisted is indicated by the following statements: Jesus’ face radiated with a brilliance comparable only to pure sunlight, and this brightness extended also to his garments, though in lesser degree. The essence of the Transfiguration is understood differently among exegetes: according to the majority, the divine glory was reflected in Jesus’ face so that it shone in splendid brightness; according to others, the divine glory transformed his human body in the strict sense, so that the Transfiguration was a momentary anticipation of the glorified state in which the Savior has been since his Resurrection.
Mt 17:3. — The sudden appearance of Moses and Elijah in “glory,” that is, in heavenly splendor.
Both men occupy an outstanding position in Israel’s history and stand in closest relation to the divine plan of salvation: Moses as representative of the Law, Elijah of the Prophets. Their appearance was therefore a proof of the coming fulfillment of Law and Prophets and at the same time an act of homage to Christ as the consummator of God’s kingdom. Luke alone reports the condition of the disciples at the moment when Jesus was transfigured and the representatives of the Old Testament suddenly appeared. Many exegetes think both persons appeared with their real glorified bodies. Others argue that while this raises no difficulty for Elijah, who was taken from the earth in a wondrous manner, it is more problematic for Moses, whom Scripture explicitly says died and was buried. These hold that Moses and Elijah appeared as they live in the other world, so that their appearance presupposes neither resurrection nor restoration of their bodies. In support they point to the fact that angels appear in human form without possessing such bodies. In the same sense St. Thomas cautiously says of Moses: Moyses stat ibi in anima solum; sed qualiter visus est? Dicendum quod sicut angeli videntur — “Moses stands there in soul alone; but how was he seen? One must say: as angels are seen.”
Mt 17:4 “But Peter answered and said to Jesus: Lord, it is good that we are here; if you will, I will make (we will make) three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” According to Luke, Peter spoke these words as Moses and Elijah were about to depart from Jesus and did not know what he was saying, because he and the other disciples were seized with fear at the overwhelming impression of heavenly glory. Peter’s words express the delight of spiritual enjoyment which the Transfiguration granted and the desire to prolong it permanently — a desire arising from a simple, innocent heart, yet impractical or impossible, for the apostle did not know what he said. According to Luke, Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus about his “departure” (ἔξοδος — exodus), that is, about the end of his earthly life in Jerusalem.
Mt 17:5–6. — The wonderful event on the mountain: the theophany.
This has two moments vividly presented.
First moment: “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them.” The cloud was luminous, namely through the light proceeding from Christ; nevertheless it could overshadow, since it placed the figures in a kind of twilight so that they were seen less distinctly than before. Since the cloud in the Old Testament is a symbol of God’s presence, the cloud covering announced to the disciples the gracious presence of God on the mountain. At the same time it symbolizes the superiority of the New Covenant: as the appearance of Yahweh on Sinai “in the darkness of the cloud” signified the shadowy character of the Old Covenant, so the “bright” cloud on the mountain of Transfiguration proclaims that now the covenant of grace and truth begins.
Second moment: From the cloud the disciples heard the voice: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear him.” The closing words — “hear him” — with special emphasis, refer to the well-known prophecy of Moses in Deut 18:15. The heavenly voice fully explains the meaning of the Transfiguration and the wondrous events accompanying it: Jesus is the prophet promised by Moses, the consummator of the Old Testament order, Lord and ruler of the whole world, whose present activity accords with the divine plan and whose word is the norm of life for humanity.
Mt 17:6 cont. Mt 17:7.
Already the Transfiguration filled the disciples with fear; the appearance of Moses and Elijah increased it. Matthew alone reports that the disciples fell to the ground when they heard the heavenly voice and were raised only when touched by Jesus. The heavenly voice gave them the firm certainty of the presence of the Holy God, which fills sinful human beings with fear and trembling.
Mt 17:8 When the disciples looked up, Moses and Elijah had already departed, and Jesus stood again before them in his ordinary form.
Mt 17:9 As they were descending from the mountain, the disciples received the command not to tell anyone — not even the other apostles — about what they had seen until Jesus’ Resurrection.
CONTINUE
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