These systems of philosophy in Germany, "that na- tion of thinkers and critics," have, each in its turn, in- fluenced the science of Biblical philology; and whether it be the moralism of Kant, or the idealism of Fichte, or the deeper transcendentalism of Hegel, it makes Scripture speak its own dogmas, and consecrates the apostles the coryphaei of its system. When Strauss wrote his Leben Jesv, (iermany was thrilled by the publica- tion— all classes of her divines and philosophers, his- torians and scholars. When, as in this work of Strauss, all historical reality is denied to the gos[)els, and they are declared to be composed, not of facts, but ideas, and are affirmed to describe, not a personal God or a histor- ical Christ, but a cluster of notions intensely prevalent in JudiBa; and when it is argued that the names and events occurring in the evangelical narrations are but symbols of inward emotions, and the blasphemies of pantheism are reasoned for from the union of deity and humanity in Jesus, as shadowing forth the identity of the forms vulgarly named Creator and creature, it is easily seen that the author uses the philoso])liy of He- gel as the great organ of perverting and desecrating the records of the evangelists, especially of polluting the (iner and more experimental portions of the work of the beloved disciple. Weissc, the producer of a sim- ilar mixture of boldness and impiety, declares it impos- sil)le for any one to understand his theology uidess he have mastereil bis philosophy. No one can compre- hend the systems of Daub, Schwartz, or Schleiermaoher till he has mastered the philosophy which Schelling propounded in his early and adventurous youth. " A
TRANSELEMENTATION
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TRANSFIGURATION
life beyond the grave," says Strauss, " is the last foe which speculative criticism has to encounter, and, if it can. to extirpate." So, to find a place for such theories, this author commenced a series of wild and unjustifia- ble attacks on the gospels — finding discrepancies where there are none, creating exaggerations where the nar- rative is easy and simple, denying the possibility of miracles, and involving the whole narrative in confu- sion and mystery, in order to destroy its historical char- acter, and render its interpretation possible only on the supposition of its being a useless and disconnecte<l my- thology. Whatever sophistry and perverted logic could supply, whatever perplexity a shrewd and malicious criticism could suggest, whatever reasoning a clever and fascinating philosophy could produce, were used to create and garnish the new hypothesis. The whole system is a sad memorial of the proud and unhallowed wisdom of this world, impugning the revelation already given, de- lighting in every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and exulting in withdrawing every thought from the obedience of Christ. Well might Escheninayer speak of the "Ischariotismus" of Hegelianism. While it kissed, it betrayeil,and at length proceeded to the trial and condemnation of its victim {Old and New, Aug. 1870, p. 18G).— Eadie, liccles. Cyclop. s. V. SeeUKisM; Pantheism, Rationalisji.
Tianselenientation {trans and elemenfum), a term used to signify the change of the elements iii one body into those of another.
Transfiguration. The Greek word /tfrf/iop0w5?;, well rendered •' was transfigured," signifies a change of form or appearance (Matt, xvii, 2; Mark ix, 2), and is so explained in Luke ix, 29, " the fashion of his counte- nance was altered." This is one of the most wonderful incidents in the life of our Saviour upon earth, and one so instructive that we can never exhaust its lessons. The apostle Peter, towards the close of his life, in run- ning his mind over the proofs of Christ's majesty, found none so conclusive and irrefragable as the scenes when he and others were with his Master in the holy mount (2 Pet. i, 18) as eye-witnesses that he received from God the Father honor and glory,when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, "Tiiis is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The apostle .John likewise refers to the convincing power of the "glory" exhibited on that occasion (John i, 1-i). If we divide Christ's public life into three periods — the first of mir- acles, to prove his divine mission ; the second of parables, to inculcate virtue; and the third of suffering, first clear- ly revealed and then endured, to atone for sin — the transfiguration may be viewed as his baptism or initia- tion into the third and last. He went up the Moinit of Transfiguration on the eighth day after he had bid- den every one who would come after him take up his cross, declaring that his kingdom was not of this world, that he must suffer many things, and be killed, etc.
The Mount of Transfiguration is traditionally thought to have been iMount Tabor; but as this height is fifty miles from Ca;sarea Philippi, where Jesus last taught, it has of late been supposed to have been a mountain much less distant, nameh^, Mount Hermon. As there was an interval, however, of a week between this and the preceding occurrence, we may naturally conclude that a part of this time was occupied in the journey. See Tabok. The only persons thought worthy to as- scend this mount of vision were Peter, James, and .John, three being a competent number of witnesses, or they being more fiiithful and beloved than any others. What- ever the reason was, these three disciples appear on more than one other occasion as an elect triumvirate — as at the raising of Jairus's daughter, and during our Lord's agony in the garden. Tlie disciples, in all prob- ability, ascended the moinitain anticipating nothing more than that Jesus, as at other times (Luke vi, 12), would continue all night in prayer to God. When the curtains of night closed around them, thev were so worn