out by their labors as to sink down in sleep, till startled from their slumbers by the glory of the Lord shining round about them ; for, as Jesus prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, " and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the liglit. And behold there talked with him two men, which were Mo- ses and Elias, who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." Pe- ter's words, " Master, it is good for us to be here," are a natural expression of rapture: and his proposal to build three tabernacles indicated his desire both to keep his Lord from going down to Jerusalem to die there, and to prolong the blessedness of beholding with open face the glory of God. Such is at least a plausible interpre- tation of his language, while " he wist not what to say." It is worthy of remark that Peter had no thought of tents for himself and his companions, his only desire be- ing that the beatific vision might endure forever. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them — not a black cloud such as that which rested on Mount Sinai, but a cloud glistening as the Shechinah when the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, or as the cloud that filled the house of the Lonl when the priests were come out of the holy place. "And behold a voice out of the cloud" — that is, out of the long-established symbol of Jehovah's presence — "which said. This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased : hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid" — like Daniel and all others who have felt themselves entranced by revelations of God. "And Jesus came and touched them, and said. Arise, and be not afraid" — showing such gentleness as proved him to be fitly named the Lamb of God. How long the glorification of our Saviour continued it were vain to inquire; but it appears from the narrative of Luke that he did not lead down his disciples till the day fol- lowing that on which they had ascended the height. As they descended, he bade his disciples keep what they had seen a secret till after his resurrection, doubt- less because the whole vision, to those who had not seen it, would have been a rock of oifence, ajipearing as an idle tale. He also opened their eyes to see that Elias whom they looked for in the future was to be sought in the past, even m John the Baptist, who was clothed with his spirit and power.
The final causes of the transfiguration, although in part wrapped up in mystery, ap]iear to be in part plain. Among its intended lessons may be the following: First, to teach that, in spite of the calumnies which the Phar- isees had heaped on Jesus, the old and new dispensa- tions are in harmony with each other. To this end the author and tlie restorer of the old dispensation talk with the founder of the new, as if his scheme, even the most repulsive feature of it, was contemplated by theirs, as the reality of which they had promulgated only types and shadows. Secondly, to teach that the new dispen- sation was superior to the old. Moses and P^lias appear as inferior to Jesus, not merely since their faces did not, so far as we know, shine like the sun, but chiefly be- cause the voice from the excellent glory commanded to hear Mm in preference to them. Thirdly, to gird up the energies of Jesus for the great agony which was so soon to excruciate him; as in Gethsemane itself an an- gel appeared unto him strengthening him ; as the Holy (ihost descended upon him in the likeness of a dove before his temptation in the wilderness; and as, when the devil left him, angels came and ministered unto him. Fourtlily, to comfort the hearts of the disciples, who, being destined to see their Master, whom they had left all to follow, nailed to a cross, to be themselves per- secuted, and to suffer the want of all things, were in danger of despair. But, by being eye-witnesses of his majesty, they became convinced that his humiliation, even though he descended into the place of the dead, was vohuitary and could not, continue long. Gazing at the glorified body of their INIaster, tliey beheld not only a proof, but an express and lively image, of his resur-
TRANSFIGURATION
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TRANS^^IIGRATION
rection, ascension, and exaltation above the heavens. I For monographs on the transfiguration, see Volbe- As in a prophetic vision, they beheld him seated upon ding, Indix J'rof/rammatian, p. 47 ; Uase, Leben Jtsu, p.
clouds, and seen by every eye as the Judge of the (juick and the dead, or enthroned in heaven amid the liost of his redeemed. Henceforth they ceased not questioning one another what the rising from the dead shoukl mean. Fifthly, to teach ttiat virtue will not allow su- pine contemplation, but demands the exercise and ex- ertion of our several powers. To some this lesson may seem a refinement, but it is ingeniously deduced by Schleiermacher from the fact that, while I'eter yet spake in his ecstasy, the vision in which he longed to wear out his life vanished away: as if the aim were to teach us that when we have ascended the mount of vision on the cherub-wings of contemplation, even if we burn to dwell there in a perpetual sweetness, yet we must shun all monastic seclusion that we may mingle among men and do them good; even as the great Exemplar would not let his diosen repose in rapturous musings, and had scarcely come down from the mountain of his glory be- fore he recommenced his works of usefulness.