Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew Mark and Luke John Calvin
Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36
Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36
Matthew 17:1-8
Mark 9:2-8
Luke 9:28-36
1. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, and James, and John his brother, and leadeth them to a high mountain apart; 2. And was transfigured before them: and his face shone as the sun, and his garments became white as the light. 3. And, lo, there appeared to them 1081 Moses and Elijah talking with him. 4. And Peter answering said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. 5. While he was speaking, lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and, lo, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear him.
6. And having heard this, the disciples fell on their face, 1082 and were exceedingly afraid. 7. Then Jesus approaching touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
8. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man but Jesus only.
2. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them to a high mountain apart by themselves, and was transfigured before them. 3. And his garments became shining, exceedingly white as snow, so white as no fuller on earth could make them. 4. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. 5. And Peter answering said to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. 6. For he knew not what he said; for they were terrified. 7. And there came a cloud that overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son; hear him. 8. And suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no other person, but Jesus alone with them.
28. And it happened about eight days after these words, and he took Peter, and James, and John, and went up to a mountain to pray. 29. And while he was praying, 1081"Et voyci, ils veirent Moyse et Elie parlans avec luy;" — "and, lo, they saw Moses and Elijah talking with him."
1082"Ce qu'ayant ouy les disciples cheurent sur leur face en terre;" — "which the disciples having heard, fell on their face to the earth."
JOHN CALVIN
the appearance of his countenance was changed, and his raiment became white and dazzling. 1083 30. And, lo, two men talked with him; who were Moses and Elijah; 31. Who appeared in a majestic form, and spoke of the decease which he would accomplish at Jerusalem. 32. And Peter, and they that were with him, were overpowered with sleep; and when they awoke, they saw his glory, and the two men who were with him. 33. And it happened, while they were departing from him, 1084 Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: not knowing what he said. 34. And while he was speaking these words, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud. 35. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son; hear him. 36. And while the voice was uttered, Jesus was found alone.
Matthew 17:1. And after six days. We must first inquire for what purpose Christ clothed himself with heavenly glory for a short time, and why he did not admit more than three of his disciples to be spectators. Some think that he did so, in order to fortify them against the trial which they were soon to meet with, arising from his death. That does not appear to me to be a probable reason; for why should he have deprived the rest of the same remedy, or rather, why does he expressly forbid them to make known what they had seen till after his resurrection, but because the result of the vision would be later than his death? I have no doubt whatever that Christ intended to show that he was not dragged unwillingly to death, but that he came forward of his own accord, to offer to the Father the sacrifice of obedience. The disciples were not made aware of this till Christ rose; nor was it even necessary that, at the very moment of his death, they should perceive the divine power of Christ, so as to acknowledge it to be victorious on the cross; but the instruction which they now received was intended to be useful at a future period both to themselves and to us, that no man might take offense at the weakness of Christ, as if it were by force and necessity that he had suffered. 1085 It would manifestly have been quite as easy for Christ to protect his body from death as to clothe it with heavenly glory.
We are thus taught that he was subjected to death, because he wished it to be so; that he was crucified, because he offered himself. That same flesh, which was sacrificed on the cross and lay in the grave, might have been exempted from death and the grave; for it had already partaken of the heavenly glory. We are also taught that, so long as Christ remained in the world, bearing the form of a servant, and so long as his majesty was concealed under the weakness of the flesh, nothing had been taken from him, for it was of his own accord that he emptied himself, (Philippians
2:7;) but now his resurrection has drawn aside that veil by which his power had been concealed for a time.
Our Lord reckoned it enough to select three witnesses, because that is the number which the Law has laid down for proving any thing; 1083"Resplendissant comme un esclair;" — "dazzling like lightning." 1084"Et adveint quarid ceux-la furent departis d'avec luy;" — "and it happened when those men had departed from him."
1085"Comme si par force et contreinte il fust renu endurer la mort;" — "as if by force and constraint he had come to suffer death."