Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 17:5-9

"While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And 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. And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, save Jesus only. And as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen from the dead." — Matthew 17:5-9 (ASV)

St. Jerome: While they were thinking only of an earthly tabernacle of branches or tents, they were overshadowed by the covering of a bright cloud. While he was still speaking, a bright cloud came and overshadowed them.

St. John Chrysostom: When the Lord threatens, He shows a dark cloud, as on Sinaiⁱ; but here, where He did not seek to terrify but to teach, a bright cloud appeared.

Origen of Alexandria: The bright cloud overshadowing the saints is the Power of the Father, or perhaps the Holy Spirit. I might also venture to call the Savior that bright cloud which overshadows the Gospel, the Law, and the Prophets, as those who can behold His light in all these three understand.

St. Jerome: Because Peter had asked unwisely, he did not deserve an answer. Instead, the Father answers for the Son, so that the Lord's word might be fulfilled: He who sent me bears witness of me.

St. John Chrysostom: Neither Moses nor Elijah speaks; instead, the Father, who is greater than all, sends a voice from the cloud so that the disciples would believe this voice was from God. For God has ordinarily shown Himself in a cloud, as it is written, Clouds and darkness are round about Him; and this is what is meant by, Behold, a voice out of the cloud.

St. Jerome: The voice of the Father is heard from heaven, giving testimony to the Son, teaching Peter the truth, correcting his error, and through Peter, teaching the other disciples as well. This is why He continues, This is my beloved Son. Make the tabernacle for Him; obey Him. This is the Son, while they are only servants. And like you, they also ought to prepare a tabernacle for the Lord in the innermost parts of their hearts.

St. John Chrysostom: Therefore, do not be afraid, Peter. For if God is mighty, it is clear that the Son is also mighty. Therefore, if He is loved, you should not be afraid, for no one forsakes Him whom He loves; nor do you love Him as much as the Father does. He does not love Him merely because He begot Him, but because He is of one will with Himself, as it follows, In whom I am well pleased. This means He is the one in whom the Father rests and whom He accepts, for the Son carefully performs all things of the Father, and His will is one with the Father's. So if it is His will to be crucified, do not speak against it.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: This is the Son, this is the Beloved, this is the Accepted One. He is the one who is to be heard, as the voice from the cloud signifies, saying, Hear ye Him. For He is a fitting teacher of how to do the things He has done, having given the weight of His own example to the loss of the world, the joy of the cross, the death of the body, and after that, the glory of the heavenly kingdom.

Remigius of Auxerre: He says, therefore, Hear Him, as if to say, "Let the shadow of the Law and the types of the Prophets pass away, and you must follow the one shining light of the Gospel." Or, He says, Hear ye Him, to show that it was He whom Moses had foretold: The Lord your God shall raise up a Prophet unto you of your brethren like unto me, Him shall ye hear (Deuteronomy 18:18).

Thus, the Lord had witnesses on all sides: the voice of the Father from heaven, Elijah from Paradise, Moses from Hades, and the Apostles from among humanity. This was so that at the name of Jesus every thing should bow the knee—of things in heaven, things on earth, and things beneath.

Origen of Alexandria: The voice from the cloud speaks either to Moses and Elijah, who desired to see the Son of God and to hear Him, or it is for the instruction of the Apostles.

Glossa Ordinaria: It should be observed that the mystery of the second regeneration—that is, the one that will occur in the resurrection when the flesh is raised again—corresponds well with the mystery of the first regeneration in baptism, when the soul is raised again. For in the baptism of Christ, the working of the whole Trinity is shown: the Son was there incarnate, the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove, and the Father was made known by the voice. Likewise, in the transfiguration, which is the sacrament of the second regeneration, the whole Trinity appeared: the Father in the voice, the Son in the man, and the Holy Spirit in the cloud.¹

The question is raised as to how the Holy Spirit was shown there in the dove and here in the cloud. It is because His manner is to mark His gifts with specific outward forms. The gift of baptism is innocence, which is signified by the bird of purity. But since in the resurrection He is to give splendor and refreshment, the cloud therefore signifies both the refreshment and the brightness of the rising bodies.

It follows, And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and feared greatly.

St. Jerome: Their reason for terror is threefold: because they knew they had done wrong; because the bright cloud had covered them; or because they had heard the voice of God the Father speaking. For human frailty cannot endure to look upon such great glory, and so it falls to the earth, trembling in both soul and body. And the higher anyone has aimed, the lower his fall will be if he is ignorant of his own limits.

Remigius of Auxerre: The fact that the holy Apostles fell on their faces was a proof of their sanctity, for the saints are always described as falling on their faces, while the wicked are described as falling backward.ⁱ

St. John Chrysostom: But when such a voice came from heaven before, at Christ's baptism, none of the multitude present suffered anything of this kind. How is it, then, that the disciples on the mountain fell prostrate? It is because, in truth, their anxiety was great, the height and loneliness of the place were significant, and the transfiguration itself was attended with terrors—the clear light and the spreading cloud. All these things worked together to terrify them.

St. Jerome: And since they were lying down and could not raise themselves, He approaches and touches them gently, so that by His touch their fear might be banished and their weakened limbs might regain strength. And Jesus came and touched them. He then added His word to His touch, saying to them, Arise, and do not be afraid. He first banishes their fear so that He may afterward impart teaching.

It follows, And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. This was done for a good reason. For if Moses and Elijah had remained with the Lord, it might have seemed uncertain to whom, in particular, the Father's witness was given. They see Jesus standing alone after the cloud was removed and Moses and Elijah had disappeared, because after the shadow of the Law and the Prophets has departed, both are found in the Gospel.

It follows, And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, ‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.’ He commanded this because He would not be preached among the people yet, lest the marvel of the event seem incredible, and lest the cross, following such great glory, should cause offense.

Remigius of Auxerre: Or, it was because if His majesty were published among the people, they might hinder the plan of His passion by resisting the chief priests, and thus the redemption of the human race would be impeded.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: He commanded silence regarding what they had seen for this reason: so that when they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they would then become witnesses of these spiritual deeds.

1. ap. Anselm