St Luke Chapter IX : Verses 28-36
Contents
- Luke ix. 28-36. Douay-Rheims (Challoner) text & Latin text (Vulgate)
- Douay-Rheims 1582 text
- Annotations based on the commentary in Madame Cecilia's Scripture Manuals (1904-1906)
Luke ix. 28-36.
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| Master, it is good for us to be here. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
Factum est autem post hæc verba fere dies octo, et assumpsit Petrum, et Jacobum, et Joannem, et ascendit in montem ut oraret.
29 And whilst he prayed, the shape of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became white and glittering.
Et facta est, dum oraret, species vultus ejus altera : et vestitus ejus albus et refulgens.
30 And behold two men were talking with him. And they were Moses and Elias,
Et ecce duo viri loquebantur cum illo. Erant autem Moyses et Elias,
31 Appearing in majesty. And they spoke of his decease that he should accomplish in Jerusalem.
visi in majestate : et dicebant excessum ejus, quem completurus erat in Jerusalem.
32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep. And waking, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
Petrus vero, et qui cum illo erant, gravati erant somno. Et evigilantes viderunt majestatem ejus, et duos viros qui stabant cum illo.
33 And it came to pass, that as they were departing from him, Peter saith to Jesus: Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias; not knowing what he said.
Et factum est cum discederent ab illo, ait Petrus ad Jesum : Præceptor, bonum est nos hic esse : et faciamus tria tabernacula, unum tibi, et unum Moysi, et unum Eliae : nesciens quid diceret.
34 And as he spoke these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them; and they were afraid, when they entered into the cloud.
Hæc autem illo loquente, facta est nubes, et obumbravit eos : et timuerunt, intrantibus illis in nubem.
35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son; hear him.
Et vox facta est de nube, dicens : Hic est Filius meus dilectus, ipsum audite.
36 And whilst the voice was uttered, Jesus was found alone. And they held their peace, and told no man in those days any of these things which they had seen.
Et dum fieret vox, inventus est Jesus solus. Et ipsi tacuerunt, et nemini dixerunt in illis diebus quidquam ex his quæ viderant.
Douay-Rheims : 1582 text
18. And it came to paſſe; when he was alone praying, his Diſciples alſo were with him; and he aſked them ſaying: Whom doe the multitudes say that I am?
29. And whiles he prayed, the ſhape of his countenance was altered: and his raiment white and gliſtering.
30. And behold two men talked with him. And they were Moyſes and Elias,
31. appearing in maieſtie. And they told his deceaſe that he ſhould accompliſh in Hieruſalem.
32. But Peter and they that were with him, were heauie with ſleepe. And awaking, they ſaw his maieſtie, and the two men that ſtood with him.
33. And it came to paſſe, when they departed from him, Peter ſaid to IESVS: Maiſter, it is good for vs to be here; and let vs make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moyſes, and one for Elias: not knowing what he ſaid.
34. And as he ſpake these things, there came a cloud, and ouerſhadowed them: and they feared, when they entered into the cloud.
35. *And a voice was made out of the cloud, ſaying: This is my beloued Sonne, heare him.
36. And whiles the voice was made, IESVS was found alone. And they held their peace, and told no man in thoſe daies any of theſe things which they had ſeen.
Annotations
28. And it came to pass about eight days after these words. “ St Luke says, after eight days, not contradicting St Matthew, but most fully agreeing with him. The one expressed both the day on which Jesus spoke (i.e. His discourse on His Passion) and that on which He led them up, but St Mark speaks only of the days between ” (St John Chrys., Hom., lvi.). The Jews generally reckoned time inclusively.4
he took Peter, and James, and John, and went up into a mountain to pray. As He had done when He raised Jairus’ daughter. They were to be the three privileged witnesses of his Transfiguration, that they might he strengthened to witness His Agony in Gethsemani ; — Peter, the future Vicar of Christ; John, the beloved disciple ; and James, the first of the apostles who suffered martyrdom.
Note. — “Three” was the number of witnesses legally exacted by the Jewish Law. There were also three heavenly witnesses — God the Father, Moses, and Elias.
and went up into a mountain to pray.. In like manner, on Ascension-day he led them out as far as Bethania (St Luke xxiv. 50).
apart. He led them apart, and then retired Himself to pray. This was the usual prelude to any event of great moment.
29. his raiment became white and glittering.. Lit. he was “metamorphosed” (μετεμορφώθη). Changed in outward appearance. Our Lord appeared in glory ; the Divine Nature, habitually concealed, now revealed Itself by glorifying the humanity of our Lord. In reality, it was less a miracle than the cessation of the miracle, which had thus kept the Divinity hidden in the Sacred Humanity since the Incarnation. The “clarity” of Jesus’ body was thus visible to the apostles. The bodies of the just after the resurrection will have the four qualities of clarity, impassibility, agility and spirituality.
the shape of his countenance was altered. “When our Lord was transfigured He did not lose His form and aspect, hut He appeared to His apostles as He will appear to all at the day of judgment” (St Jerome). Our Lord, though glorified, was recognized by His apostles. So, too, the saints in heaven will retain their personal identity.
white and glittering.. All the Codices except D have here “white as light” ( λευκὰ ὡς τὸ φῶς). St Mark has white as snow, so as no fuller upon earth can make white. In St Luke we read, his raiment became white and glittering. All three Synoptists note the brightness of our Lord’s garments, and the words failed them to express their dazzling whiteness : — they glistened like snow. Perhaps the snow-capped peaks of Lebanon suggested the comparison.
30. two men were talking with him. And they were Moses and Elias, The apostles could only know who they were either —
(a) By a special revelation.
(b) By the conversation which took place.
(c) Perhaps by their appearing as the Jews generally represented them.
Note. — Moses was the lawgiver ; Elias, one of the greatest of the prophets. Hence their apparition with Jesus proved that these leaders whom the Jews professed to follow and obey (i.e. the Law and the Prophets) acknowledged Jesus as the Messias.
talking with him. Both Moses and Elias appeared in majesty, and they spoke of his decease that he should accomplish in Jerusalem (St Luke ix. 31). Therefore this vision corroborated our Lord’s previous prophecy, and mentioned the place of His death. The original word is “exodus,” or “going forth” (τὴν ἔξοδον αὐτου). “Exodus” is a very weighty word, involving “ His Passion, Cross, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension.”
33. Peter saith to Jesus: Master, it is good for us to be here. He was as ardent and impetuous as ever. The voices aroused the three apostles from their stupor. Cf. Peter, and they that were with him, were heavy with sleep. And waking, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him (St Luke). Some commentators are of opinion that they did not actually give way to sleep, since the words of St Luke, waking, they saw his glory, etc., would, in the original Greek, be better translated “nevertheless remaining awake” (διαγρηγορήσαντες ). Others conclude that they actually slept, but were aroused by the brightness of the light and the voices. The three disciples, when thoroughly aroused from their drowsiness, perceived Moses and Elias, The “ sign from heaven ” demanded by the haughty Pharisees, and refused to them, was granted to the three lowly disciples.
Lord, it is good, etc. St Peter thought it preferable to remain there ; thus our Lord might avoid His enemies in Jerusalem. From St Luke we learn that these words were said as Moses and Elias disappeared. Cf. And it came to pass that as they were departing from him, Peter saith to Jesus : Master, it is good, etc.
and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias;. Tents of wattled boughs, such as were used at the Feast of Tabernacles. St Luke remarks that St Peter spoke, not knowing what he said. He was too much overcome by fear and other emotions to reflect that the Son of man must suffer many things, and that to remain on the Mount of the Transfiguration would frustrate this design.
34. And as he spoke these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them; and they were afraid, when they entered into the cloud.. Moses and Elias had disappeared, and now Jesus and His three apostles seem to be enveloped in a “ bright ” cloud. Probably it was the Shechinah or visible glory of God. “ Because it was His desire not to alarm but to teach, it is bright cloud” (St John Chrysostom), not a “very thick” one, as on Mount Sinai.
35. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son; hear him. The voice of God bore witness to His Beloved Son, The same words are repeated that were uttered at our Lord’s Baptism, with the addition. Hear ye him.
This is my beloved Son; hear him — i.e., my Son, the Beloved. The original Hebrew expression means the only begotten Son by eternal generation, not “a son of God” by adoption, like the blessed and those in a state of grace. St Matthew alone gives the words in full, in whom I am well pleased.
Additional Notes
The three narratives of the Transfiguration harmonized.
(St Matt. xvii. 1-13. St Mark ix. 1-2. St Luke ix. 28-36.)
(1) It took place on the eighth day (inclusive) after St Peter’s confession of faith.
(2) Jesus leads Peter, James, and John apart up a high mountain.
(3) Jesus prays, and is transfigured ; Moses and Elias appear and speak with Him concerning His “ decease.”
(4) The apostles are aroused from their drowsiness, hear the voices, and see Christ transfigured.
(5) As Moses and Elias are departing, Peter proposes to build three tabernacles.
(6) While he is speaking a bright cloud overshadows them, and they are afraid when they enter into the cloud.
(7) A heavenly Voice is heard saying, “ This is my beloved Son,” etc.^ while this Voice is speaking, Jesus is found alone.
(8) The apostles fall upon their faces in fear.
(9) Jesus touches them ?ind says, “ Arise and be not afraid.”
(10) They look up “immediately” and see no man, but Jesus only with them.
(11) He charges them to tell no man until after His Resurrection.
(12) They obey, but question among themselves.
Sequence of events leading up to the Transfiguration.
(A) Jesus is rejected by the Pharisees, and He departs from them and leaves Galilee.
(B) St Peter makes his glorious confession of faith in Christ as the Messias at Cmsarea Phili})pi, and acknowledges His Divinity.
(C) Jesus reveals to St Peter his future greatness as Head of the Church.
(D) The mysteries of the Passion are gradually unfolded to the disciples. St Peter rejects the idea of a sutfering Messias,
(E) Jesus teaches that self-renunciation is necessary for all His followers.
(F) The Transfiguration reveals to the favoured three that Christ is the Messias of whom the Prophets spoke, and the Voice from heaven proclaims Jesus to be the “ Son of God.”
The bright cloud. In Holy Scripture, God is frequently represented as revealing His presence and majesty by a “cloud.” Thus we read, “behold the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud” (Exod. xvi. 10). “ Lo, now will I come to thee in the darkness of a cloud,” etc. (xix. 9). “ Who makest the clouds thy chariot,” etc. (Ps. ciii. 3). Many
other texts might be cited. St Luke says, “ they were afraid when they entered into the cloud” (ix. 34). It has been questioned to whom the “ they ” refers. Did the disciples enter the cloud ? The most common opinion is that they did, for certainly the first ‘ ‘ they ” refers to the apostles, and why should they be afraid at seeing the vision disappear ? It would seem that all entered the cloud, then Moses and Elias gradually disappeared. St Peter spoke as though he would hold them back, then the Voice was heard when Jesus was alone and still transfigured.
The Time of the Transfiguration. Was it night or day ? The general consensus of opinion leans to night, since —
(a) Jesus retired to pray, and He was accustomed to retire thus at night.
(b) The apostles were heavy with sleep, hence we may conclude it was night.
(c) St Luke tells us, “ the day following when they came down from the mountain there met him a great multitude,” etc. This looks as though our Lord and His apostles had passed the night on the mountain, and that the next day the nine apostles and the multitude were going up the mount to seek Him and implore His aid.
Why the Apostles were allowed to see Jesus transfigured.
(1) In order to strengthen their faith in Christ as the Messias, and to prepare them for the Passion of Jesus,
(2) To teach them that, by His Passion, He was fulfilling the Law and the Prophets, and that both pointed to Him as the Messias.
(3) To teach them that the path to glory lies by the road to Calvary.
(4) To attach them more firmly to His service.
Note. — From the time of the Transfiguration we remark that —
(a) Our Lord works fewer miracles : five only are recorded between the Transfiguration and the Passion.
(b) Our Lord’s public sermons are more rare ; He speaks oftener with the Twelve, and His Passion is frequently the subject of His instructions.
The Transfiguration naturally made a deep impression on the three apostles. St Janies the Great did not live long enough to leave his impressions in writing, but St Peter, about thirty-five years after the event, thus wrote :
“ For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ : but having been made eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father, honour and glory : this voice coming down to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son, in whom I have pleased myself, hear ye him. And this voice we heard brought from heaven, when we were with him in the holy mount” (2 St Peter i. 16, 17, 18).
St John also evidently had the Transfiguration in mind when he wrote the following passages: —
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only-begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth ” (St John i. 14).
“ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of life ” (1 St John i. 1).
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SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.
The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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