John Damascene
The homilia
in transfigurationem salvatoris nostril Jesus Christi (BHG 1979; CPG
3:8057; PTS 29:436-459) of St John Damascene (c. 675 – c. 749), is
predictably comprehensive in its treatment of the Taborian theophany, touching
upon such themes as the Transfiguration as the reply to the question posed by
Christ as Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30; and Luke 9:18-21);
the reason for Christ’s reference to some (τινες) and not all the disciples (Matt. 16:28; Mark 9:1; and Luke 9:27), thereby
contradicting the belief in the immortality of St John (the Ephesian Legend),
and indicting Judas’ unworthiness; the choice of Peter, James and John; the significance
of the six and eight days; the connection between Hermon and Tabor; the
significance of the appearance of Moses and Elias; Moses finally enters the
Promised Land; Peter’s words; the Cloud as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit;
the Trinitarian character of Tabor; the significance of the fathers words; and
why the disciples were charged to tell no one of the Transfiguration before the
Resurrection (Matt. 17:8-9; Mark 9:8-9; and Luke 9:36). (Christopher Veniamin, The
Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature from Irenaeus of Lyons
to Gregory Palamas [Dalton, Pa. Mount Tabor Publishing, 2022], 230, emphasis in bold added)
