The transfiguration.

Matthew 17.1-13 = Mark 9.2-13 = Luke 9.28-36  (John 12.28-30).

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Notes and quotes.

§ I note the following agreements of Matthew and Luke against Mark:

1. Matthew 17.2 has το προσωπον αυτου (his face); Luke 9.29 has το ειδος του προσωπου αυτου (the image of his face). Mark 9.2 has no parallel.
2. Matthew 17.3 and Luke 9.30 both have ιδου (behold) where Mark 9.4 does not.
3. Matthew 17.3 and Luke 9.30 both have Μωυσης και Ηλιας (Moses and Elijah) where Mark 9.4 has Ηλιας συν Μωυσει (Elijah with Moses).
4. Matthew 17.3 has μετ αυτου (with him); Luke 9.30 has αυτω (to him). Mark 9.4 has τω Ιησου (to Jesus).
5. Matthew 17.4 and Luke 9.33 each have ειπεν (said); Mark 9.5 has λεγει (says).
6. Matthew 17.6 and Luke 9.34 both have εφοβηθησαν (they were afraid). Mark 9.6 has εκφοβοι γαρ εγενοντο (for they became afraid).
7. Matthew 17.5 has ετι αυτου λαλουντος (while he was still talking); Luke 9.34 has ταυτα δε αυτου λεγοντος (and while he was saying these things). Mark 9.7 has no parallel.
8. Matthew 17.5 has the aorist indicative επεσκιασεν (overshadowed); Luke 9.34 has the imperfect indicative επεσκιαζεν (overshadowed or was overshadowing). Mark 9.7 has the aorist participle επισκιαζουσα (having overshadowed).
9. Matthew 17.5 and Luke 9.35 each have λεγουσα (having said or saying) where Mark 9.7 has no parallel.

§ Isaiah 42.1a (Masoretic and LXX):

הן עבדי אתמך־בו בחירי רצתה נפשי׃

Behold, my servant, whom I uphold,
My elect, in whom my soul delights.

Ιακωβ ο παις μου· αντιλημψομαι αυτου.
Ισραηλ ο εκλεκτος μου· προσεδεξατο αυτον η ψυχη μου.

Jacob is my child; I have taken hold of him.
Israel is my elect one; my soul has welcomed him.

§ Synopsis of the divine words at the baptism and at the transfiguration:

§ 2 Peter 1.16-18:

Ου γαρ σεσοφισμενοις μυθοις εξακολουθησαντες εγνωρισαμεν υμιν την του κυριου ημων Ιησου Χριστου δυναμιν και παρουσιαν, αλλ εποπται γενηθεντες της εκεινου μεγαλειοτητος. λαβων γαρ παρα θεου πατρος τιμην και δοξαν φωνης ενεχθεισης αυτω τοιασδε υπο της μεγαλοπρεπους δοξης· Ο υιος μου ο αγαπητος μου ουτος εστιν, εις ον εγω ευδοκησα. και ταυτην την φωνην ημεις ηκουσαμεν εξ ουρανου ενεχθεισαν συν αυτω οντες εν τω αγιω ορει.

For we did not follow sophisticated myths when we made known to you the power and advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, but rather we became eyewitnesses of his majesty. For, when he had received honor and glory from God the father, such a voice as this was borne to him by the majestic glory: My beloved son this is, in whom I am well pleased. And we ourselves heard this voice borne from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

§ Pseudo-Clement, Homily 3.53 (part of a Petrine speech giving various sayings of Christ):

Αλλα και εξ ουρανων μαρτυς φωνη ηκουσθη, λεγουσα· Ουτος εστιν μου ο υιος ο αγαπητος, εις ον ευδοκησα· τουτου ακουετε.

But also from heaven was heard a testifying voice, saying: This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased; listen to him.

§ Apocalypse of Peter, Ethiopic version, according to M. R. James (translation slightly modified from the version on Early Christian Writings):

And my Lord Jesus Christ our king said unto me: Let us go unto the holy mountain. And his disciples went with him, praying. And behold, there were two men there, and we could not look upon their faces, for a light came from them, shining more than the sun, and their raiment also was shining, and cannot be described, and nothing is sufficient to be compared unto them in this world. And the sweetness of them [...] that no mouth is able to utter¹ the beauty of their appearance, for their aspect was astonishing and wonderful. And the other, great, I say,² shines in his aspect above crystal. Like the flower of roses is the appearance of the color of his aspect and of his body [...] his head. And upon his³ shoulders and on their foreheads was a crown of nard woven of fair flowers. As the rainbow in the water,⁴ so was their hair. And such was the comeliness of their countenance, adorned with all manner of ornament. And when we saw them on a sudden, we marvelled. And I drew near unto the Lord (God) Jesus Christ and said unto him: O my Lord, who are these? And he said unto me: They are Moses and Elijah. And I said unto him: Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and the rest of the righteous fathers? And he showed us a great garden, open, full of fair trees and blessed fruits, and of the odor of perfumes. The fragrance thereof was pleasant and came even unto us. And thereof [...] I saw much fruit. And my Lord and God Jesus Christ said unto me: Have you seen the companies of the fathers?

¹ Or the mouth has not sweetness to express....
² Probably and, in a word, I cannot describe it.
³ Or their.
⁴ Probably in the time of rain. From the LXX of Ezekiel 1.28.

As is their rest, such also is the honor and the glory of them that are persecuted for the sake of my righteousness. And I rejoiced and believed and understood that which is written in the book of my Lord Jesus Christ. And I said unto him: O my Lord, will you that I make here three tabernacles, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah? And he said unto me in wrath: Satan makes war against you, and has veiled your understanding; and the good things of this world prevail against you. Your eyes therefore must be opened and your ears unstopped that a tabernacle, not made with the hands of men, which my heavenly father has made for me and for the elect. And we beheld it and were full of gladness.

And behold, suddenly there came a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased; my commandments. And then came a great and exceeding white cloud over our heads and bore away our Lord and Moses and Elijah. And I trembled and was afraid; and we looked up and the heaven opened and we beheld men in the flesh, and they came and greeted our Lord and Moses and Elijah and went into another heaven. And the word of the scripture was fulfilled: This is the generation that seeks him and seeks the face of the God of Jacob. And there was great fear and commotion in heaven, and the angels pressed one upon another that the word of the scripture might be fulfilled which says: Open the gates, you princes.

Thereafter was the heaven shut which had been open.

And we prayed and went down from the mountain, glorifying God, who has written the names of the righteous in heaven in the book of life.

§ Justin Martyr, Dialogue 49.5:

Διο και ο ημετερος Χριστος ειρηκει επι γης τοτε τοις λεγουσι προ του Χριστου Ηλιαν δειν ελθειν· Ηλιας μεν ελευσεται και αποκαταστησει παντα· λεγω δε υμιν οτι Ηλιας ηδη ηλθε, και ουκ επεγνωσαν αυτον, αλλ εποιησαν αυτω οσα ηθελησαν. και γεγραπται οτι, Τοτε συνηκαν οι μαθηται οτι περι Ιωαννου του βαπτιστου ειπεν αυτοις.

On this account also our Christ said [when he was] on the earth to those who were then affirming that Elijah must come before the Christ: Elijah shall come and restore all things; but I say to you that Elijah came already, and they did not know him, but rather did to him as many things as they wanted. And it is written: Then the disciples understood that he said [these things] to them about John the baptist.