Matthew 17:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What caused their astonishment upon hearing these words? Previously, a voice had been heard at the Jordan, witnessed by the people, yet no one had experienced anything similar; and once again, during the thunder, they claimed that no one had encountered such a phenomenon. Why did they humble themselves on the mountain? The reasons included the solitude and elevation of the location, the deep silence, the terrifying beauty of the transfiguration, the remarkable light, and the expansive cloud—all of these elements filled them with great fear. They were surrounded by wonders from every direction, leading them to fall down in fear and reverence.

Yet it stands solitary, so that you do not believe the voice spoke of Moses and Elijah rather than of Him, for He is the Son.

It is clear that as they ascended, they beheld Jesus by Himself; this was intended so that the voice of the Father would not seem ambiguous to them if Moses and Elijah had remained with the Lord, to whom He had bestowed the most profound testimony. Therefore, once the cloud vanished, they found Jesus standing alone, with Moses and Elijah no longer present. After the veil of the law and the prophets, which had previously enveloped the apostles, was lifted, the light of the Alpha and Omega, or the true light, was unveiled in the gospel.

To prevent any misunderstanding that the voice could pertain to Moses or Elijah, it is important to note that the Lord stands solitary. As their eyes were opened, they observed ONLY JESUS by Himself. The wondrous revelation has concluded.

Following this, the gospel writers recount the conclusion of the vision. While Peter continued to speak, a radiant cloud enveloped them, and they heard a voice from the cloud saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear Him. In the Old Testament, the cloud represented the presence of God (Exodus 19:18; Exodus 24:18; 1 Kings 8:10-12). The voice the disciples heard from the cloud was the same as that which they had heard during the Lord's baptism, with the added directive, Listen to Him; this served to remind the disciples of Moses’ prophecy (Deut. 18:15), which was fulfilled through Jesus.

Jesus approached the disciples, touched them, and instructed, "Get up and do not fear." They rose to their feet. The cloud faded away, and the extraordinary vision concluded: Jesus appeared to them just as they had always known Him, in His familiar form and attire.

The disciples fell to the ground, shielding their faces in the grass. Once they emerged from the awe induced by the fearsome voice and the radiant light, they lifted their eyes and surveyed their surroundings—everything had come to an end. The brilliant cloud had vanished, and there were no longer any radiant faces or brilliant white garments; only Jesus remained with them, while the stars gently cast their light upon the mountain's slopes. Initially, they hesitated to stand or even to rise, but Jesus, their Lord, just as they had witnessed Him in prayer before, approached them, touched them, and said, “Arise, do not be afraid!"

Jesus instructed them not to disclose the event, emphasizing His transfiguration as a profound confirmation for His most reliable disciples of His true identity as the Messiah acknowledged by Peter. The Mosaic Law mandated that the testimony of two or three witnesses was needed to substantiate any claim (Deuteronomy 17:6). In this instance, three witnesses were present, and the truth illustrated by the miraculous transfiguration, which demonstrated the divinity of Jesus Christ, was indisputable even by legal standards. Subsequently, one of these witnesses, the Apostle Peter, reflected on this extraordinary occurrence, affirming it as irrefutable evidence of Christ's divine nature (2 Pet. 1:16-18).

Upon hearing the voice of the heavenly Father, the apostles fell down in fear and dread. However, Jesus Christ approached them, touched them, and reassured them by saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." When they opened their eyes and looked around, they saw only the Lord Jesus Christ, leaving no doubt that the divine voice was calling him.