John Chrysostom, On Matthew

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he reveals this; so that they might no longer grieve, neither over their own death, nor over the death of the Master, and especially Peter who was in pain. And see what he does. Having discoursed about Gehenna and the kingdom; (for by saying, “He that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it;” and by saying, “He shall reward every man according to his works,” he declared both these things;) having spoken therefore of both, he shows the kingdom to their sight, but Gehenna no longer. Why indeed? Because if they had been of a grosser sort, this too would have been necessary; but since they were approved and well-judging, he leads them by the better things. But he shows this not for this reason only, but because this also was more fitting for himself. And yet he does not pass over that part either; but there are times when he almost brings the things of Gehenna before their eyes; as when he introduces the image of Lazarus, and mentions the one who demanded the hundred denarii, and the one clothed in filthy garments, and many others. And after six days he takes Peter and James and John. But another says after eight, not contradicting this one, but very much agreeing. For the one mentioned the very day on which he spoke, and that on which he led them up; but the other, only the days between these. But consider for me how Matthew philosophizes, not hiding those who were preferred to himself. And John does this in many places, recording the special praises of Peter with much truth. For the chorus of these saints was everywhere pure from envy and vainglory. Taking therefore the chief ones, He brings them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them, and his face shone as the sun, and his garments became white as the light. And there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with him. Why does he take these alone? Because 58.550 these were pre-eminent over the others. And Peter showed his pre-eminence by loving him exceedingly; John by being exceedingly loved; and James from the answer which he answered with his brother, saying, “We are able to drink the cup;” not from the answer only, but also from his deeds, both the others, and from those by which he fulfilled what he had said. For he was so vehement and burdensome to the Jews, that Herod thought to grant this as the greatest favor to the Jews, if he should do away with him. But why does he not lead them up immediately? So that the other disciples might suffer nothing human. For this reason he does not even say their names who were about to go up. For the others would have greatly desired to follow, being about to see a pattern of that glory, and they would have been grieved as having been overlooked. For even if he showed this in a more bodily way, nevertheless the matter held great desire. Why then does he even foretell it? So that they might become more ready for the vision, from what he had said before, and having been filled with a more vehement desire in the number of the days, they might thus be present with a sober and attentive mind. And for what reason does he bring Moses and Elijah into their midst? One could state many reasons; and first this one, that since the crowds were saying, some Elijah, others Jeremiah, others one of the ancient prophets, he brings the chief ones, so that they might see even from this the difference between the servants and the Master, and that Peter was rightly praised for confessing him to be the Son of God. And after that one, it is possible to state another. For since they were continually accusing him of transgressing the law, and considered him a blasphemer, as usurping a glory that did not belong to him, that of the Father, and were saying, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath;” and again, “For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God;” in order that it might be shown that both accusations were from envy, and that he is not liable for either of these, and that what was happening was neither a transgression of the law, nor a usurpation of glory not belonging to him to say he was equal to the Father, he brings into their midst those who shone in each of these respects.

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ἀποκαλύπτει ταύτην· ἵνα μήτε ἐπὶ τῷ οἰκείῳ θανάτῳ, μήτε ἐπὶ τῷ τοῦ ∆εσπότου λοιπὸν ἀλγῶσι, καὶ μάλιστα Πέτρος ὀδυνώμενος. Καὶ ὅρα τί ποιεῖ. Περὶ γεέννης καὶ βασιλείας διαλεχθείς· (τῷ τε γὰρ εἰπεῖν· Ὁ εὑρὼν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, ἀπολέσει αὐτήν· καὶ ὃς ἂν ἀπολέσῃ αὐτὴν ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ, εὑρήσει αὐτήν· καὶ τῷ εἰπεῖν, Ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν αὐτοῦ, ἀμφότερα ταῦτα ἐδήλωσε·) περὶ ἀμφοτέρων τοίνυν εἰπὼν, τὴν μὲν βασιλείαν τῇ ὄψει δείκνυσι, τὴν δὲ γέενναν οὐκέτι. Τί δήποτε; Ὅτι εἰ μὲν ἄλλοι τινὲς ἦσαν παχύτεροι, ἀναγκαῖον καὶ τοῦτο ἦν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ εὐδόκιμοι καὶ εὐγνώμονες, ἀπὸ τῶν χρηστοτέρων αὐτοὺς ἐνάγει. Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον δείκνυσι τοῦτο· ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ αὐτῷ τοῦτο μᾶλλον πρεπωδέστερον ἦν. Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνο παρατρέχει τὸ μέρος· ἀλλ' ἔστιν ὅπου σχεδὸν καὶ ὑπ' ὄψιν αὐτὰ φέρει τὰ πράγματα τῆς γεέννης· ὡς ὅταν τοῦ Λαζάρου τὴν εἰκόνα εἰσάγῃ, καὶ τοῦ τὰ ἑκατὸν δηνάρια ἀπαιτήσαντος μνημονεύῃ, καὶ τοῦ τὰ ῥυπαρὰ ἐνδεδυμένου ἱμάτια, καὶ ἑτέρων πλειόνων. Καὶ μεθ' ἡμέρας ἓξ παραλαμβάνει Πέτρον καὶ Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάννην. Ἕτερος δὲ μετὰ ὀκτώ φησιν, οὐκ ἐναντιούμενος τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα συνᾴδων. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν ἡμέραν καθ' ἣν ἐφθέγξατο, κἀκείνην καθ' ἣν ἀνήγαγεν, εἶπεν· ὁ δὲ τὰς μεταξὺ τούτων μόνον. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει πῶς ὁ Ματθαῖος φιλοσοφεῖ, οὐκ ἀποκρυπτόμενος τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ προτιμηθέντας. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ Ἰωάννης πολλαχοῦ ποιεῖ, τὰ ἐξαίρετα τοῦ Πέτρου ἐγκώμια μετὰ πολλῆς ἀναγράφων τῆς ἀληθείας. Βασκανίας γὰρ καὶ δόξης κενῆς πανταχοῦ καθαρὸς ἦν ὁ τῶν ἁγίων τούτων χορός. Λαβὼν τοίνυν τοὺς κορυφαίους, Ἀναφέρει εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν κατ' ἰδίαν, καὶ μετεμορφώθη ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔλαμψε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ γέγονε λευκὰ ὡς τὸ φῶς. Καὶ ὤφθησαν αὐτοῖς Μωϋσῆς καὶ Ἠλίας συλλαλοῦντες μετ' αὐτοῦ. ∆ιατί τούτους παραλαμβάνει μόνους; Ὅτι 58.550 οὗτοι τῶν ἄλλων ἦσαν ὑπερέχοντες. Καὶ ὁ μὲν Πέτρος ἐκ τοῦ σφόδρα φιλεῖν αὐτὸν ἐδήλου τὴν ὑπεροχήν· ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης ἐκ τοῦ σφόδρα φιλεῖσθαι· καὶ Ἰάκωβος δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀποκρίσεως ἧς ἀπεκρίνατο μετὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ λέγων· ∆υνάμεθα πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον· οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀποκρίσεως δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων, τῶν τε ἄλλων, καὶ ἀφ' ὧν ἐπλήρωσεν ἅπερ εἶπεν. Οὕτω γὰρ ἦν σφοδρὸς καὶ βαρὺς Ἰουδαίοις, ὡς καὶ τὸν Ἡρώδην ταύτην δωρεὰν μεγίστην νομίσαι χαρίσασθαι τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, εἰ ἐκεῖνον ἀνέλοι. ∆ιατί δὲ μὴ εὐθέως αὐτοὺς ἀνάγει; Ὥστε μηδὲν παθεῖν ἀνθρώπινον τοὺς λοιποὺς μαθητάς. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν λέγει τῶν ἀνιέναι μελλόντων. Καὶ γὰρ σφόδρα ἂν ἐπεθύμησαν οἱ λοιποὶ ἀκολουθῆσαι, ὑπόδειγμα μέλλοντες τῆς δόξης ἐκείνης ὁρᾷν, καὶ ἤλγησαν ἂν ὡς παροφθέντες. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ σωματικώτερον τοῦτο ἐδείκνυ, ἀλλ' ὅμως πολλὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τὸ πρᾶγμα εἶχε. Τί δήποτε οὖν καὶ προλέγει; Ἵνα εὐμαθέστεροι περὶ τὴν θεωρίαν γένωνται, ἀφ' ὧν προεῖπε, καὶ σφοδροτέρας ἐν τῷ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀριθμῷ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἐμπλησθέντες, οὕτω νηφούσῃ καὶ μεμεριμνημένῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ παραγένωνται. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν καὶ Μωϋσῆν καὶ Ἠλίαν εἰς μέσον ἄγει; Πολλὰς ἂν ἔχοι τις εἰπεῖν αἰτίας· καὶ πρώτην μὲν ταύτην, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ οἱ ὄχλοι ἔλεγον, οἱ μὲν Ἠλίαν, οἱ δὲ Ἱερεμίαν, οἱ δὲ ἕνα τῶν ἀρχαίων προφητῶν, τοὺς κορυφαίους ἄγει, ἵνα τὸ μέσον καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἴδωσι τῶν δούλων καὶ τοῦ ∆εσπότου, καὶ ὅτι καλῶς ἐπῃνέθη Πέτρος ὁμολογήσας αὐτὸν Υἱὸν Θεοῦ. Μετ' ἐκείνην δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν ἔστιν εἰπεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ συνεχῶς ἐνεκάλουν αὐτῷ τὸ παραβαίνειν τὸν νόμον, καὶ βλάσφημον αὐτὸν εἶναι ἐνόμιζον, ὡς σφετεριζόμενον δόξαν οὐ προσήκουσαν αὐτῷ τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ ἔλεγον· Οὗτος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι τὸ σάββατον οὐ τηρεῖ· καὶ πάλιν, Περὶ καλοῦ ἔργου οὐ λιθάζομέν σε, ἀλλὰ περὶ βλασφημίας, καὶ ὅτι ἄνθρωπος ὢν ποιεῖς σεαυτὸν Θεόν· ἵνα δειχθῇ ὅτι βασκανίας ἀμφότερα τὰ ἐγκλήματα, καὶ ἑκατέρων τούτων ἐστὶν ἀνεύθυνος, καὶ οὔτε νόμου παράβασις τὸ γινόμενον, οὔτε δόξης σφετερισμὸς τῆς μὴ προσηκούσης τὸ λέγειν ἑαυτὸν ἴσον τῷ Πατρὶ, τοὺς ἐν ἑκατέρῳ λάμψαντας τούτων εἰς μέσον ἄγει.