And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
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Ambrose of Milan
AD 397
Or, Peter went up, who received the keys of the kingdom of heaven, John, to whom was committed our Lord's mother; James, who first suffered martyrdom.
Now in a mystical manner, after the words above said, is exhibited the transfiguration of Christ, since he who hears the words of Christ, and believes, shall see the glory of His resurrection. For, on the eighth day the resurrection took place. Hence also several Psalms are written, 'for the eighth, 'or perhaps it was that He might make manifest what He had said, that he who for the word of God shall lose his own life, shall save it, seeing that He will make good His promises at the resurrection.
But Matthew and Mark have related that He took them with Him after six days, of which we may say after 6000 years, (for a thousand years in the Lord's sight are as one day;) but more than 6000 years are reckoned. We had rather then take the six days symbolically, that in six days the works of the world were completed, that by the time we may und...
Only three, three chosen, were led to the mountain…. This perhaps means none can see the glory of the resurrection except he who has preserved the mystery of the Trinity intact with the undefiled purity of faith. Peter, who received the keys of the kingdom, John, to whom his mother was entrusted, and James, who was the first to mount a bishop’s throne, ascended.
You may know that Peter, James and John did not taste death and were worthy to see the glory of the resurrection. It says “about eight days after these words, he took those three alone and led them onto the mountain.” Why is it that he says “eight days after these words”? He that hears the words of Christ and believes will see the glory of Christ at the time of the resurrection. The resurrection happened on the eighth day, and most of the psalms were written “For the eighth.” It shows us that he said that he who because of the Word of God shall lose his own soul will save it, since he renews his promises at the resurrection. But Matthew and Mark say that they were taken after six days. We may say this means after six thousand years, because a thousand years in God’s sight are as one day. We counted more than six thousand years. We prefer to understand six days as a symbol, because God created the works of the world in six days, so that we understand works through the time and the world...
For as He rose from the dead after the seventh day of the Sabbath, during which He lay in the tomb, we also after the six ages of this world, and the seventh of the rest of souls, which meanwhile is passed in another life, shall rise again as it were in the eighth age.
Hence He ascends the mountain to pray and be transfigured, to show that those who expect the fruit of the resurrection, and desire to see the King in His glory, ought to have the dwelling place of their hearts on high, and be ever on their knees in prayer.
Now the transfigured Savior shows the glory of His own coming, or our resurrection; who as He then appeared to His Apostles shall in like manner appear to all the elect. But the raiment of the Lord is taken for the band of His Saints, which in truth when our Lord was upon earth seemed to be despised, but when He sought the mount, shines with a new whiteness; for now are we the sons of God; and it does not yet appear what we shall be. Butwe know that, when he shall appe...
Not asthough His body changed its human form, but a certain glistening glory overspread it.
The mystery, namely, of His Incarnation, also the life-giving Passion accomplished on the sacred cross.
“I say to you, there are some of those standing here who shall not taste of death until they have seen the kingdom of God.” … By the “kingdom of God” he means the sight of the glory in which he will appear at his revelation to the inhabitants of earth. He will come in the glory of God the Father and not in a humble condition like ours. How did he make those who received the promise spectators of a thing so wonderful? He goes up into the mountain taking three chosen disciples with him. He is transformed to such a surpassing and godlike brightness that his garments even glittered with rays of fire and seemed to flash like lightning. Besides, Moses and Elijah stood at Jesus’ side and spoke with one another about his departure that he was about, it says, to accomplish at Jerusalem. This meant the mystery of the dispensation in the flesh and of his precious suffering upon the cross. It is also true that the law of Moses and the word of the holy prophets foreshadowed the mystery of Christ. T...
Mountain Since Christ has ascended the mountain, both to pray and to be transfigured, all of us who hope for the fruit of his resurrection, and long to see the king in his glory, must dwell in heaven by our thoughts, and apply our minds to continual prayer. (Ven. Bede)
Or else this took place because the multitude said He was Elias or Jeremias, to show the distinction between our Lord and His servants. And to make it plain that He was not an enemy of God, and transgressor of the law, He showed these two standing by Him; (for else, Moses the lawgiver, and Elias who was zealous for the glory of God, had not stood by Him,) but also to give testimony to the virtues of the men. For each had ofttimesexposed Himself to death in keeping the divine commands. He wishes also His disciples to imitate them in the government of the people, that they might be indeed meek like Moses, and zealous like Elias. He introduces them also to set forth the glory of His cross, to console Peter and the others who feared His Passion. Hence it follows, And spoke of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
Matthew and Mark indeed say that the transfiguration took place on the sixth day after the promise made to the disciples, but Luke on the eighth. But there is no disagreement in these testimonies, but they who make the number six, taking off a day at each end, that is, the first and the last, the day on which He makes the promise, and that on which He fulfilled it, have reckoned only the intervening ones, but He who makes the number eight, has counted in each of the two days abovementioned. But why were not all called, but only some, to behold the sight? T here was only one indeed who was unworthy to see the divinity, namely Judas, according to the word of Isaiah, Let the wicked be taken away, that he should not behold the glory of God. If then heal one had been sent away, he might have, as it were from envy, been provoked to greater wickedness. Henceforward He takes away from the traitor every pretext for his treachery, seeing that He left below the rest of the company of the Apostles...
You ought to be very much ashamed of yourself on this account too, for permitting him to appear on the retired mountain in the company of Moses and Elias.
And this is just the way of the Creator. "In the mouth of three witnesses "says He, "shall every word be established.".
While, in the revelation of His own glory, He prefers, from among so many saints and prophets, to have with him Moses and Elias.
Deservedly, therefore, even while in the flesh, did the Lord show Himself to him, the colleague of His own fasts, no less than to Elijah.
Or, He takes these with Him as men who were able to conceal this thing, and reveal it to no one else. But going up into a mountain to pray, He teaches us to pray solitary, and going up, into stooping to earthly things.
