eter, ‘It is good for us to be here;’ for it behoves us ever, whilst in the flesh, to be advancing, and not to remain in one stage of virtue and contemplation, but to pasa on to other degrees.” It is, perhaps, too curious a question to ask how the three disciples knew them to be Moses and Elijah. The same Divine power which presented them with a vision of the other world gave them an intuitive knowledge on the subject. And we may, perhaps, infer from hence that in that world to come there will be not only recognition, but knowledge, at once imparted, of those whose faces we have not seen “in the flesh.” St Luke (ix. 32) says that Peter and his companions “ were heavy with sleep (BeBapnudva brvw).” It is probable that the Transfiguration took place at night. The whole manifestation would be rendered
more conspicuous and striking amidst the ©
darkness and stillness of night But St. Luke is careful to add, “when they were fully awake (3:aypnyophoavres).” This word might be render “having remained awake.” But whichever translation be adopted, the intention of the evangelist is evidently to show that it was not in a dream or @ vision of the night that they saw this. It was a great reality, on which they looked with open eyes.
Ver. 6.—They became sore afraid. There is a slight change of reading here. Instead of joav yep ExpoBoi, the best authorities Bive ixpoBor yap eyévovro. A sense of great awe and terror overpowered the bliss and brightness of the scene. All the revelations of the other world strike terror, even though abated as this manifestation was by the presence of their dear Lord and Saviour.
Ver. 7.—There came a cloud overshadow- ing them. The oloud enfolded them all, so that they could not be seen, it was so ample and dense, aud yet so bright and shining. St. Matthew (xvii. 5) mys it was “a bright cloud.” The cloud was a symbol of
the grandeur and unapproachable glory of God. The disciples were admitted within this cloud that they might have a foretaste of future glory, and that they might be witnesses of what took place under the cloud, and especially that they might be able to give evidence throughout all ages of the voice which they heard come out of the cloud from “the excellent glory” (the expression is equivalent to the Hebrew “Shechinah,” and St. Peter says (2 Epist. i. 18), it came from heaven), This is my beloved Son: hear ye him. But at the same time that this cloud was the symbol, it was also the veil of Deity, of the glory of Deity. “ He maketh the clouds his chariot,” says the psalmist (Ps. ciy. 3). Moreover, the cloud abated and subdued the splendour of Christ’s appearance, which otherwise the mortal eyes of the disciples could not have borne. It will be observed that St. Mark omits the words, found in St. Matthew (xvii. 5), “in whom I am well pl ased.” So does St. Luke. But it is :emuarkable that they are found in St. Peter (2 Kpist. i. 17); from whence we might have expected te find them here. In St. Luke (ix. 35) the most approved readings give, “This is my Son, my chosen (é«AeAcyuevos).” The words, “my beloved Son,” are impressed upon us in order that epithets so sweet and endearing might kindle our love and devotion. “Hear
e him ”—not Moses, who has now departed,
ut Christ himself, the new Author of a new Law. “Hear ye him” was not said when our Lord was baptized, because he was then only just proclaimed to the world. But now these words signify the abolition of the old lispensation, and the establishment of the new covenant in Christ.
Ver. 8.—And suddenly looking round about, they saw no one any more, save Jesus only with themselves. St. Matthew here says (xvii. 6), “When the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.” St. Mark omits this; but in his characteristic manner states that which implies what St. Matthew has recorded. It was the “touch ” of Jesus that caused them to look round about; and then ina moment they per- ceived that they were alone with Jesus, as they were before this manifestation begam’ The order of incidents in the Transfiguration appears to have been this: Our Lord is praying. The disciples, fatigued with the ascent of the mountain, are heavy with sleep; and Christ is transfigured. Then appear Moses and Elijah; and they are talking with Jesus about his exodus—his decease to be accomplished at Jerusalem The disciples roused from their sleep by the supernatural brightness, and by the conver
4 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK.
et
gation, and now, fully awake, behold the glory of Jesus, and Moses and Elijah talking with nim. As Moses and Elijah are pre- paring for their departure, Peter, excited, enchanted, bewildered, and yet grieved to gee that they were going, seeks to detain them by the proposal to make some tem- porary resting-place for them. Then comes the bright overshadowing cloud, and a voice out of the cloud, “ This is my beloved Son: hear ye him.” At the sound of this voice the disciples fall terrified to the earth. But they are soon comforted by Ohrist, and, look- ing up, they see him alone with themselves.
Ver. 9.— He charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, save when the Son of man should have risen again from the dead. They were not even to tell their fellow-disciples, lest it might cause vexation or envy that they had not been thus favoured. The time of our Lord’s resurrec- tion would be a fitting opportunity for revealing this mystery; and then the dis- ciples would understand and believe it, when, after his passion and death, which were an offence to them, they should see him rising in glory, of which event the Trans- figuration was a a For, by the Resur- rection they would certainly know that Christ underwent the death of the cross, not by constraint, but of his own accord, and out of his great love for us.