Jesus manifests His glory in the Transfiguration to three apostles and receives testimony from Moses and Elijah — from the Law and the Prophets. By these things the faith of the apostles is strengthened, and Jesus, who had just foretold His Passion and commanded His followers to carry the cross, presents, as it were, a certain prelude of the glory to which one must come through the cross and death.
The Synoptics carefully note the time of the Transfiguration, and by emphasizing it they teach us that immediately after the first announcement of the Passion Christ wished to present to His chosen ones this example of His glory, so that they might be more effectively fortified against the scandal of the cross and learn from Christ’s glory that He goes forth to meet suffering and death of His own will and by most wise counsel.
“And after six days” (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2), but Luke says, “Now it came to pass about eight days after these sayings” (Luke 9:28). They count only the intermediate days, after which in fact the event took place in full and complete days; Luke, however, includes both the day on which He spoke and the day on which He led them up the mountain. As he says “about eight days,” he either indicates that the number was not precisely fixed for him or that it did not happen after fully completed eight days, but he hints at six full days and some part of the two extreme days.
Jesus takes Peter and James and John his brother — Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. Christ honored these above the others; He gave them special names, admitted them when He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51), and wished them to be witnesses of the agony in the garden (Matthew 26:37). Peter had confessed the divinity and was the prince of the apostles; James first adorned the apostolic robe with the purple of martyrdom; John excelled in virginity. Since these three excelled in different ranks by a certain primary virtue, they are therefore honored by Christ with special privilege and greater favors and were found worthy to adhere more closely as more intimate companions.
Christ also shows His freedom in distributing graces and favors and leads them up a high mountain apart. According to Luke, Christ went up the mountain to pray (Luke 9:28), and since the next day they come down (Luke 9:37), the Transfiguration seems to have happened at night. Thus it is easily explained how the disciples were overcome by sleep while Christ prayed (Luke 9:32).
Which mountain it was the evangelists do not say; yet the long-standing opinion identifies it as Tabor. The arguments against this do not prove the contrary. Nothing prevents us from assigning probability to the ancient tradition concerning Tabor (cf. Judges 4:6, 12, 14; Psalm 89:12 [Vulgate 88:13]; Jeremiah 46:18; Hosea 5:1).
How closely this narrative is connected with what precedes and for what reasons this manifestation of glory was granted is well explained by Leo: that the apostles might conceive steadfast courage and not fear the harshness of the cross nor be ashamed of Christ’s suffering.
“And He was transfigured before them” (Matthew 17:2) — not that He changed the human body into another body, but it was surrounded by a glory like light; the form remaining, its features were imbued with a luminous brightness. “His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as snow” (Matthew 17:2). Nothing brighter than the sun nor whiter than snow could be found for comparison.
The splendor of heavenly light is a symbol of divine glory and majesty. God is said to dwell in inaccessible light (1 Timothy 6:16) and to be clothed with light as with a garment (Psalm 104:2). The human soul of Christ, hypostatically united to the eternal Word, enjoyed the beatific vision; the natural effect of this vision is the glorification of the body. Christ, as a wayfarer, restrained this effect for the purpose of the Incarnation, but in the Transfiguration He willed some rays of this glory to overflow into His body.
In this glory is also manifested what the future glory of bodies will be, which will overflow from the soul filled with the beatific vision. Thus, as Gregory notes, in this Transfiguration is foretold the glory of the final resurrection.
“And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah speaking with Him” (Matthew 17:3). These two represent the Law and the Prophets. As preparation for the messianic kingdom, so also they announce and predict it; by appearing they show that the Law and the Prophets look to Christ and are fulfilled in Him. Moses appears as legislator bearing witness that the Law is not abolished but fulfilled; Elijah appears as zealot for God’s glory and restorer of the covenant.
What Christ refused to give as a sign from heaven to the scribes and Pharisees, He grants to strengthen the apostles’ faith — Elijah descending from where he had ascended and Moses returning from the dead. Hence it can be learned that Christ has power over life and death and rules both heavenly and earthly things as Lord of the living and the dead.
Luke teaches that they spoke “of His exodus which He was to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31). Thus what Christ had said about His Passion is confirmed, and it is shown that all things written about Him in the Law, Prophets, and Psalms must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). The Passion is revealed as part of the divine plan and as the cause of glory.
Elijah appeared in his own body, since he had been taken without dying (cf. 2 Kings 2:11). As for Moses, the more probable opinion is that his soul appeared through an assumed body, as angels do.
The apostles recognized them either by divine illumination or from the conversation itself.
“Peter answered and said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make here three tents…” (Matthew 17:4). Filled with the sweetness of glory, he wishes to remain; as Luke says, “not knowing what he said” (Luke 9:33), overcome by awe and delight.
If Peter, seeing the glorified humanity, is so filled with joy, how great must be the joy of those who behold the divine nature itself. If it seemed the greatest good to behold Christ with only two saints, what joy will there be when the just come to Mount Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem and the company of angels and see God face to face (cf. Hebrews 12:22; 1 Corinthians 13:12).
“While he was still speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them” (Matthew 17:5). The cloud is a sign of God’s presence, as often in the Old Testament (e.g., Exodus 16:10; 19:9; 24:15–16; 1 Kings 8:10; Psalm 104:3). From the cloud came a voice: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5), confirming Peter’s confession (Matthew 16:16). This also echoes the promise of the Prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22).
In the brightness, in the appearance of Moses and Elijah, and in the cloud, divine testimonies are given to the eyes; in the voice from the majestic glory (2 Peter 1:17) testimony is given to the ears.
“And when the disciples heard, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid” (Matthew 17:6). Heavenly manifestations strike the human soul with holy fear (cf. Isaiah 6:5; Ezekiel 2:1; Daniel 10:8; Luke 1:29). “Jesus came and touched them… Arise, and do not be afraid” (Matthew 17:7). “Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus alone” (Matthew 17:8).
From this event many lessons are drawn: our faith is strengthened, we are stirred to good works, invited to endure suffering patiently in view of the glory prepared for us, and we observe Christ’s humility, who restrained the glory due to Him by the hypostatic union so as to share our sufferings.
As before He forbade them to say He was the Christ (Matthew 16:20), so now “as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them: Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead” (Matthew 17:9). Reasons given include that the greatness might seem incredible, that after such glory the cross might cause scandal, or that the apostles were not yet ready; but after the redemption and the founding of the Church, the time would come for all mysteries to be proclaimed publicly.
CONTINUE
Comments
Post a Comment