The Transfiguration: Jesus on Mount Tabor

Chapter III: The Transfiguration

I: Jesus on Mount Tabor

Luke ix. 28-45; Mark ix. 2-32; Matt. Xvii. 1-23.

Since this instruction a week had elapsed, during which the Master descended the valley of the Jordan, then quietly and unheeded took the mountain track which leads across the hills lying along the eastern shore of lake Genesareth.  On the eighth day1 the Evangelists show Him wending His way up the steep sides "of a tall mountain," which they do not mention by name, yet it is none other than Tabor, if we may trust the testimony of Tradition.

It was twilight when Jesus began the ascent.  Three Apostles bore Him company,— Simon and the two "Sons of the Thunder," James and John.  As they were destined to behold the Agony of the Lord it was fitting that their faith should be fortified beforehand, and their eyes illumined by the effulgence of the Godhead.  They climbed the rocks wearily, without any presentiment of what they were to witness, and once on the summit, seeing the Master rapt in prayer, according to his nightly custom, they stretched themselves along the ground close at hand, and here upon Mount Tabor, as again only a little later in Gethsemane, soon yielded to the need of sleep.

The Transfiguration. J-J Tissot.

And, lo!  While praying Jesus is transfigured: a Glory all Divine streams through the veils of flesh, His face shines like the sun, a whiteness as of glistening snow envelops His garments.  "Never fuller upon earth made whiteness like unto this," says Saint Mark.  At the same moment two figures appeared at either side; they were Moses and Elias, one coming up from the valley of Moab, whence he had vanished in the cloud, the other alighting from his flame-girt chariot.  The Vision thrilled the air with its glories, shedding such strong pulsations of light that the Apostles were roused from slumber; their eyes opened upon these dazzling rays, their ears caught the words wherewith Moses and Elias addressed the Christ.

"They were talking of His departure from the world, which was to be accomplished at Jerusalem."
The splendid spectacle was as if about to fade from their site.  Rapt and awestruck Peter cried out:—
"Master!  It is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make three pavilions here, one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias!"


What had he in mind when uttering these words?  Did the Apostle’s spirit dream of long days of happiness like this upon the Heaven-kissed Heights, with Israel's yearning hopes all gratified, with Moses and Elias to add a supreme splendour to the new Kingdom of the Christ?  Or was it as a refuge from the pleasures of earth that he was fain to raise these three leafy tents?  The Gospel scarcely allows us to indulge in any such conjectures, for it goes on to tell us how the disciples were, for the time being, bewildered with fear, and Peter "not knowing what he was saying."
Even while the latter was still speaking a radiant cloud encircled them, and from the silvery mist came a Voice saying,—

"This is My beloved And, in Whom I am well pleased; hear Ye Him."

Then they fell with faces to the earth, and when, upon recovering somewhat from their terrors, they dared at last to lift their eyes they saw no one but Jesus.  Still the Apostles would not venture to stand before Him; but the Saviour stepped toward them and touched them, saying,—

"Arise and fear not!"

Indeed it was not to inspire their souls with fear that Moses and Elias had appeared on this mountain peak; it was to adore the Divinity of the Christ; for, in their person, both the Law and the Prophets did homage to Him.  They had entered within the cloud the instant that the Voice of the Father commanded man to hearken to His Son, and by this departure proclaimed that their Mission was concluded, and that they yielded their places to the one and only Master.

The Lord did not expect that the Apostles would at once grasp the full meaning of the marvellous show; it was enough for His purpose that they should treasure the memory of the fact in order to testify to its truth, later on, in the presence of the Church.  And so, when in the cool of early dawn He made the descent of the mountainside with them, He did not explain the significance of this Apparition, but rather, with grave words, bound them "not to reveal what they had seen until the Son of Man shall be risen from the dead."

Then only, enlightened from on High, they were to reveal to their brethren "that their cats majesty of Jesus had been unveiled before them, that before their very eyes He had received or on a from God their Father, and that a cat's voice had come from out that magnificence of Glory proclaiming Him Son of the Most High."

The three Apostles obeyed, though they had no clearer insight into the purport of the Saviour's words than they had had into the meaning of His Transfiguration.
"How will He rise from among the dead?" They kept asking themselves; and why had Elias disappeared again?  The ScribeS say that he must go before the Messiah, and once more set all things in order.  Is not this our Lord also the Christ?

These questions trouble their minds so much that they finally laid them before the Master.
"It is true that he Elias must first come, and that he will restore all things," He answered them.  But I tell you that Elias is already come and they have not known him, but have dealt with him in all things as it pleased them; in like manner the Son of Man must suffer at their hands." Then He explains the Oracle of Malachy so clearly to them that they were enabled to distinguish between the two Forerunners whom the Scribes had confounded.  There was that Elias of old, whose return will betoken the last days of the world; while the other Elias, the first Herald of the Christ, is John the Baptist.

As they were nearing the foot of the mountain Jesus perceived the rest of His disciples surrounded by a great concourse of people.  They had been endeavouring to heal a possessed youth, but their efforts had been of no avail, and the Scribes, gloating over their discomfiture, were pushing the argument against them in gleeful triumph, when of a sudden the multitude became aware of the approach of the Lord.  Apparently His countenance still burned with the afterglow of its recent splendour, for, after a momentary thrill of awe, with one accord the people flocked about Him to give Him greeting.

"About what were you disputing together?" He enquired.

The demoniac boy. J-J Tissot.

The Scribes' faces had fallen; the disciples were too much abashed to tell of their failure; but a man's voice arose from the midst of the bystanders:—

"Master," it said, " I brought you my son, who is possessed by a dumb spirit; wherever it happens to seize him it throws him down upon the earth, and the child foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and so pines away.  I have begged your disciples to drive it out, and they were not able; but do you, I beseech you, only look at him, for he is my only child." And pushing his way through the by-standers he flung himself at the Saviour's feet.

In a glance Jesus saw all the eager faces surrounding the pause supplement; saw among them His relentless phones; saw a crowd more curious than compassionate; above all, saw that His own Apostles were still faint-hearted unwavering in their fate

This spectacle wrung from His heavy heart the cry,—

"Unbelieving and depraved race that you are, how long shall I be with you?  How long shall I suffer you?"

Then turning to the man who had invoked His help:

"Bring your child here," He said.

The boy was brought; hardly had he seen Jesus when, seized with the frenzy, he was dashed down to the ground, and writhed in foaming delirium.

Thereupon the Lord asked the father:—

" For how long a time has this been going on?"

"From his infancy," responded the latter; "and often-times the Spirit has thrown him into the fire and into the water in order to destroy him.  If you can do anything, come to our aid,— have pity upon us!"

"If you can believe," replied Jesus, "everything is possible to him who believes."

Disquieted by these words the man began to fear lest he had shown too little confidence in the Master, and in his distress the tears came, as he cried, half weeping,—

"Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief."

The Saviour, noting how the curious folk were pressing around Him, turned toward the little lad lying in agony at His feet.

"Deaf and dumb Spirit," He said, "I command thee, come from out this child, and never more re-enter him."

The demon, raising up the poor possessed body, wracked it once more, fiercely, then came forth with a great cry.  Like one stunned the lad fell back to the ground; but no foam about his lips, with no convulsion in his limbs.

"He is dead!" explained the witnesses of this prodigy.

But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him up, and the child, now whole and sound, stood erect before them.

After this Jesus lost no time in seeking shelter from the curious within the walls of some dwellings; the Apostles accompanying Him felt shame for their public failure, and cast about for something to account for it.  At the time when the Master first gave them their Mission, had He not also endowed them with all power over the devils?  Why was it, then, that they had been unable to cast out this one just now?

When questioned in secret He replied that the cause was their own unbelief; for the prediction of His approaching death had destroyed their faith to such a degree that Jesus seems to be at a loss for some object small enough to be likened to the poor residue of their belief in Him.

"If you had faith as great as a grain of mustard you should say to this mountain: Move hence to yonder spot!  And it would be removed, and nothing shall be impossible to you."

But in addition to this first cause of their powerlessness He told them that their souls were still far from seeking that heavenly help which alone can prevail over the hosts of Hell; and that such dominion is bestowed only upon those who, with hearts cleansed by prayer and fasting, rise above this body of flesh.

Jesus withdrew from Tabor at once, taking the road to Capharnaum, careful that no one along the journey should know of His presence.  Nevertheless He continued His instructions to the disciples, telling them: "The Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him, and after having been put to death He shall rise again the third day." But the Apostles understood nothing of what He told them on the subject; His words seemed, as it were, veiled to them;" they indeed dreaded to be forewarned of the coming evil, and so followed their Master in sadness, "not venturing to question him."

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam