Mt 17:1 “And after six days Jesus takes Peter and James and John his brother, and leads them apart up a high mountain. And he was transfigured before them; and his face shone like the sun, and his garments were made white like snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you will, let us make here three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold a voice from the cloud saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’ And when the disciples heard, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. And Jesus came and touched them and said, ‘Rise, and do not be afraid.’ And lifting up their eyes they saw no one except Jesus alone. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, ‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.’”
Having laid the foundations of the Church, those are touched upon by whose power the keys accomplish what they accomplish; as here are touched upon the Resurrection and the Passion. Or better: since it has been said that now all the keys of the kingdom of heaven are entrusted to ministers, it is shown here what the kingdom is like which they proclaim, just as was promised at the end of the preceding chapter. Therefore two things are touched upon here: namely the glory of the Resurrection, and following it the merit of the Passion and its effect both against the devil who impedes and toward the freedom of the children which will be most perfectly accomplished. And these two are contained in the second part of the chapter, as is clear.
Concerning the manifestation of the glory of the kingdom of the Resurrection, he introduces three things: where and when and to whom the manifestation was made, and the manner of the manifestation, and the instruction by which he teaches the disciples the truth. These are evident in the text.
He speaks of the time: “after six days,” namely after the confession. The same is also found in Mark. But Luke says “about eight days.” The answer according to Augustine is that Luke counts the first day on which the confession was made and the last day on which the transfiguration occurred; Matthew and Mark count only the intervening days. Yet eight is fitting to the resurrection of bodies, while “after six days” corresponds to the seventh, the eternal rest, as it is written: “He who has entered into God’s rest has himself also rested from his works as God did from his.”
“Jesus takes”—note the intimacy. As it is said: “My father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken me up” (Ps 27:10). And again: “I will take you to myself as a people, and I will be your God” (Ex 6:7).
“Peter and James and John”—“in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand” (Dt 19:15)These he also took as more intimate at the raising of the ruler’s daughter and in the Passion when he prayed. Peter signifies prelates, James the active life, John the contemplative.
“And he leads them”—as it is written, “The Lord alone was his guide” (Dt 32:12), and “You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance” (Ex 15:17). This mountain signifies the place in which God is pleased to dwell. It was Mount Tabor, which is interpreted as “coming light.” “Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in your name” (Ps 89:13) He leads them apart from the noise of the world: “Come apart into a desert place and rest a while” (Mk 6:31).
Mt 17:2 “And he was transfigured before them.” He describes the transfiguration in the Lord himself and in the witnesses. In the Lord he describes it in body and in clothing. When he says “transfigured,” he does not mean that the bodily shape was changed, but that the appearance of the physical body—color and qualities—was transformed when the action of a higher power appeared in it. Because the Lord’s body was united to the divinity and was the instrument of a soul full of grace, the divinity shines beyond all light: “She is more beautiful than the sun and above every arrangement of stars” (Wis 7:29).
Therefore what appears according to the power of the divinity in the body is the divine transfiguration into light. That light was natural to that body insofar as it was united to the divinity. Hence Luke says “the appearance of his face became different” (Lk 9:29) not “another.”
He says “before them” to delight the disciples and draw their hearts to the desire of eternal things: “I will love him and manifest myself to him.” Hence Peter boasts: “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Pet 1:16).
“And his face shone like the sun.” Yet how could they endure it, since the sun blinds? It must be said that their sight was strengthened by greater light.
“And his garments were made white like snow.” The garment signifies the saints: “You shall clothe yourself with them as with an ornament” (Is 49:18). Snow signifies spiritual purity: its rarity signifies spirituality, whiteness innocence and chastity, softness meekness, warmth charity.
Mt 17:3 “And behold Moses and Elijah appeared.” Here is the testimony of witnesses: first of the Fathers, then of the apostles, then of creatures, then of the Father. Moses came from the dead, Elijah living, to show that Christ has power over life and death. They spoke of his “departure” which he would accomplish in Jerusalem—namely his Passion. Origen says Moses prayed for his people. This departure was of love, sorrow, and humility: You shall clothe yourself with them as with an ornament (Is 49:18).
Mt 17:4 “Peter answered: Lord, it is good for us to be here.” He wished to dwell apart with Christ. Yet he errs, because this glory is not yet to be possessed but promised. “If you will”—he submits to Christ’s will. “Let us make three tabernacles”—he errs in dividing what is one, since the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel have one dwelling, which is the Church: “Behold the dwelling of God with men.”
Mt 17:5 “While he was speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them.” The cloud tempers the excess of light: “He protected me in the shadow of his hand.”
“And a voice from the cloud: This is my beloved Son… listen to him.” The Father bears witness, as also Peter later testifies: “This voice we heard brought from heaven.” As lawgiver he must be heard: “Listen to me and eat what is good.” The same voice sounded at the baptism for sanctification, here for majesty, and in the Passion for glory.
Mt 17:6 “And the disciples fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.” This is natural when human weakness encounters divine majesty: “Who can behold the thunder of his greatness?”
Mt 17:7 “Jesus came and touched them… Rise and do not fear.” He consoles by presence, touch, and word.
Mt 17:8 “Lifting their eyes they saw no one but Jesus alone,” signifying that when all passes away God will be all in all.
Mt 17:9“Coming down the mountain he commanded them to tell no one until the Son of Man rises.” This teaches humility and prevents scandal, lest they be disturbed seeing him suffer after such glory. Also there is a time to keep silence and a time to speak. He says “from the dead” because he dies to visit the dead and alone was free among the dead.
CONTINUE
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