Беседа на повествование евангелиста Луки о Преображении Господнем (Лк. 9:28–36). Блаженного Феофилакта, архиепископа Болгарского 240

And it came to pass, according to these words, as these days, that I sing Peter, and John, and James, and go up to the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the vision of his face was different, and his robe shone white. And behold, two men spoke with him, even Moses and Elijah: He appeared in glory, and spoke his departure, and wanted to put him to death in Jerusalem. Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; they were awakened and saw his glory, and both men stood with him. And when she was separated from him, Peter spoke to Jesus. Mentor, it is good for us to be here: and we will create three canopies, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: unknown, as the hedgehog said. Behold, I said to him, “The clouds became, and they fell; and they were afraid of those who entered into the clouds.” And a voice came from the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son; listen to him. And when there was a voice, Jesus was found alone: ​​and they were silent, and told no one in those days nothing from those that they had seen (Luke 9:28-36). The Evangelist Matthew says that Jesus ascended the mountain when six days passed after these words (the essence of those who stand here are not those who have not tasted death...) (Matthew 17:1), and Luke says that it was eight days later. Matthew speaks only about intermediate days, but Luke does not only speak about intermediate days, but he means both the day on which these words were spoken and the one on which the transfiguration took place. – Jesus took with Him only three: Peter, as loving, John, as beloved, and James, as burning with zeal for Him, or as able to hide the event, keep it in silence and not tell anyone. To pray, Jesus ascends the mountain: therefore, we must pray in solitude, with ascent, without bowing to anything earthly. – His appearance became different, not, however, as if He Himself became different, in essence, for He remained the same as He was; but the appearance of His face appeared much brighter than before. A similar thing happened with His clothes: for only the appearance of it shone with lightning; the substance of the clothing did not change, only the appearance. When He prayed, Moses and Elijah stood before Him to show that He was not opposed to the law and the prophets. Otherwise, if He were (the enemy), then Moses, who gave the law, and Elijah, the most zealous of the prophets, would not have allowed themselves to serve Him (like bodyguards), or even to be with Him. - They spoke about the exodus that He had to accomplish in Jerusalem, that is, about His death. While Christ was in prayer, Peter was burdened with sleep: because he was weak and, serving sleep, he paid tribute to human nature. When Peter woke up, he saw the glory (of Christ) and two men. Finding such a stay here pleasant, due to the light and contemplation of the prophets, Peter says: “It is good for us to be here”! He thought that now the end (of the world) and the kingdom of Jesus had come; but he did not know what he was saying: for then the end had not yet occurred, the day of the kingdom and enjoyment of the blessings that the saints would possess had not yet arrived. Peter said this (“it is good for us to be here”!) together also because he feared that Christ would be crucified. He heard from Christ that He must be killed and rise on the third day; That’s why he said this, expressing himself as if like this: “let’s not leave the mountain, let’s stay here to avoid the cross and suffering; if the Jews come against us, then we have Elijah as an assistant, who brought down fire from heaven and destroyed the leaders of the fifty; We have Moses, who smote so many and such nations.” He said this without knowing what he was saying, because he thought that the cross was evil and, moreover, painful; and therefore, wanting to avoid him, he said this. Meanwhile, the Lord longed to be crucified: since the salvation of people could not have been accomplished otherwise. “Then, as Peter also said: “let’s make three canopies.” The Lord suddenly creates a canopy not made by hands and enters it with the prophets to show that He is no less than the Father. For just as in the Old Testament the Lord appeared in a cloud, and Moses entered it, and thus received the law (Ex. 19:9; 20:20, 21): so now the cloud has embraced Christ, and the cloud is not dark (for the shadow of the law and the darkness of ignorance has passed), but a bright cloud. The truth has come, and the grace of the Lord has shone, and therefore now there is nothing dark. And a voice came out of the cloud, just as in the Old Testament the voice of God was heard from the cloud. - Jesus remained alone, so that no one would think that the words: This is My beloved Son were spoken about Moses or about Elijah. However, this, perhaps, also indicates that the law and the prophets were only visible for a certain time, as here, Moses and Elijah were visible, and then, when their time passed, only Jesus remained. For now the gospel reigns, while (much) legal things have passed away. “The apostles remained silent and did not say anything about what they saw. Before the cross, one should not have said anything decent to God about Jesus. And truly, what opinion would those who heard this and then saw Him crucified have about Him? Would they not consider Him a deceiver and a dreamer? That is why the apostles do not preach about any miraculous and God-worthy deed of Jesus before the cross. Consider that the vision of God follows after six days, that is, after the creation of the world in six days. Therefore, if you do not step beyond the boundaries of the world and ascend to the mountain, you will not see the light - neither the face of Jesus, I mean His Divinity, nor clothing, that is, flesh. You will then see only Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus, since the law and the prophets and Jesus say the same thing and agree with each other. When you find a person who clearly represents the thought of Scripture, then understand that he clearly sees the face of Jesus, and if, in addition, this person explains the very expressions of thought, then he sees the very white vestments of Jesus, since the expression of thought is its clothing. Like Peter, do not say: it is good for us to be here, for success is always necessary, and there is no need to stop at one level of virtue and contemplation, but it is necessary to move on to others. Amen 241. See “The Blagovkstnik, or the interpretation of Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Bulgaria, on the Holy Gospel.” Kazan. Part III, ed. 1869, countries. 126–29; Wed part 1, published. 2nd, 1875, countries. 235. You might be interested in: