From the pages of the first three Gospels written by Saints Matthew, Mark and Luke, we are presented with one of the most important events that occurred during the earthly life of Jesus Christ. In memory of him, a holiday was established, celebrated annually on August 19 and known as the Transfiguration of the Lord.
Tabor light shining on the apostles
The holy evangelists tell how one day Jesus Christ, taking with him his three disciples Peter, John and his brother Jacob, went up with them to the top of Mount Tabor, which is located in the Lower Galilee, nine kilometers from Nazareth. There, having made a prayer, He was transformed before them. A divine light began to come from Jesus' face, and his robes turned white as snow. The astonished apostles witnessed how two Old Testament prophets appeared next to Jesus - Moses and Elijah, who talked with him about his exodus from the earthly world, the time of which was approaching.
Then, according to the testimony of the evangelists, a cloud appeared that covered the top of the mountain, and from it came the voice of God the Father, testifying that Jesus Christ was his true Son, and commanding him to obey him in everything. When the cloud dispersed, Jesus assumed his former appearance and, having left the summit with his disciples, ordered them not to tell anyone about what they had seen for the time being.
The riddle of Tabor light
What is the meaning of the scene that took place at the top of Tabor, and why did Jesus need to show the apostles divine light? The most common explanation is his desire to strengthen their faith on the eve of his godmothers. As is known from the Gospel, the apostles were simple, illiterate people, far from understanding complex philosophical doctrines, and it was possible to influence them only with clear and convincing words, supported by a visual example.
This is certainly true, but still the issue should be considered much broader. For a deeper understanding, it is necessary to recall the words of Jesus said to him shortly before he revealed to his disciples the miracle of the Transfiguration. Jesus foretold that some of those who follow him, even in this earthly life, will be able to see the kingdom of God.
These words may seem strange if we understand the expression “Kingdom of God” in the literal sense, because it has not reigned on the earth not only during the life of the apostles, but to this day. Not surprisingly, many eminent theologians have sought the answer to this question over the centuries.
Teaching of the Greek Archbishop
According to modern Orthodox theologians, among other scholars of the past, the closest to the truth was the Archbishop of Thessaloniki, Gregory Palamas, who lived and worked in the first half of the 14th century. In his opinion, the light that shone on Christ at the top of Tabor is nothing more than a visual expression of the action of divine energy in our created (that is, created) world.
Gregory Palamas belonged to the followers of the religious movement, called hesychasm. He taught that in-depth, or, as it is customary to say, “smart” prayer can lead a person to direct communion with God, in which a perishable person in his earthly life is able to see, if not God himself, then his manifestations, one of which was Tabor shine.
Intravital contemplation of the kingdom of God
It was he who was seen by the apostles at the top of the mountain. The transfiguration of Jesus Christ, according to Gregory Palamas, revealed to the apostles uncreated (not created) light, which was a visual manifestation of his grace and energy. This light was revealed, of course, only to the extent that allowed the students, without risking their lives, to become partakers of his holiness.
In this context, the words of Jesus Christ that some of his disciples — in this case, Peter, John, and Jacob — are destined to personally witness the Kingdom of God in their own hands become quite understandable. This is quite obvious, since the Tabor Light, being uncreated, is, as it were, a visible manifestation of God, and, consequently, his Kingdom.
The union of man with God
The holiday celebrated by the Orthodox Church in memory of this gospel event is one of the most significant. This is not surprising, because in what happened once on Tabor, the whole purpose of human life is expressed in a short and clear form. It is customary to formulate it in one word - deification, that is, the union of perishable and mortal man with God.
Christ clearly showed the possibility of this to His disciples. It is known from the Gospel that the Lord appeared to the world in the flesh of a mortal man, united with our nature neither in unity nor separately. Remaining God, he did not violate our human nature in any way, perceiving all its features, except the penchant for sin.
And it was this flesh that he perceived - mortal, perishable, and suffering - that was able to emit Tabor light, which is a manifestation of divine energy. Therefore, she herself was united with God and in the kingdom of heaven gained immortality. This is the promise (promise) of Eternal Life to us - mortal people, mired in sins, but nevertheless being God's creations, and therefore, his children.
What is necessary for the Tabor light to shine on all of us, and the Holy Spirit to fulfill with his grace, making forever partakers of the Kingdom of God? The answer to this crucial life question is contained in the books of the New Testament. All of them are rightfully considered inspired, that is, written by ordinary people, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In them, and especially in the four Gospels, the only way is indicated that can connect a person with his creator.
Saints who in life shone with the divine light
Evidence that the Tabor light, that is, the visible manifestation of Divine energy, is a completely objective reality, there is a lot of evidence in church history. In this regard, it is appropriate to recall the Russian saint Job Pochaevsky, who embraced his earthly life for a century from 1551 to 1651. From the records of contemporaries it is known that, glorifying God by the feat of hermitage, he constantly prayed in a stone cave, and numerous witnesses at the same time observed flames escaping from it. What is this but the energy of God?
From the life of St. Sergius of Radonezh, it is known that during the service of the Divine Liturgy, those around him saw the light emanating from him. When the moment of communion of the holy gifts came, a visible but non-burning fire entered his cup. With this divine fire the reverend communed.
A similar example can be found in a later historical period. It is known that everyone's beloved and revered saint - the Monk Seraphim of Sarov - was also involved in the Tabor light. This is evidenced by the records of his long-term interlocutor and biographer, the Simbirsk landowner Nikolai Alexandrovich Motovilov. There is hardly an Orthodox person who has not heard about how the face of “Father Seraphimushka” lit up with a tangible fire in prayer - that is what they often call him.
Western interpretation of the Transfiguration
But, despite all of the above, the doctrine of the Tabor light today is accepted only in the Eastern Church. In Western Christianity, a different interpretation of the event that occurred on the top of the mountain, and described by the evangelists, is adopted. In their opinion, the light emanating from Jesus Christ was as created as the whole world around.
He was not a visible embodiment of divine energy, that is, a particle of God himself, but was only one of his innumerable creations, his purpose was limited only to impress the apostles and establish them in the faith. This is exactly the point of view that was mentioned at the beginning of the article.
According to Western theologians, the Transfiguration of the Lord is also not an example of the deification of man, which was also discussed above. As a matter of fact, even this very concept - the union of man with God - is alien to most of the Western directions of Christianity, while in Orthodoxy it is fundamental.
Theological controversy
From the history of the church it is known that discussions on this issue began in the Middle Ages. In the fourteenth century, Athos, and then the entire Greek church, became the scene of heated debate over the nature of the Tabor light. Just as among the supporters of his uncreatedness and divine essence there were leading and most authoritative theologians of the time, so among the opponents of this theory there were quite high-profile names.
Just during this period, the words of Gregory Palamas were heard. Throughout his life, he remained a staunch supporter of the so-called clever prayer, so thoughtful and in-depth, that its result is the inner communion of man with God. In addition, performing his pastoral ministry, he taught his flock prayer contemplation, the purpose of which is to comprehend the Creator through his creation - the world around him. His opinion became decisive in a theological debate, and in 1351 at the Council of Constantinople the doctrine of the Tabor light was finally approved by the Greek Church.
The previous erroneous position of the Russian church
The Western Church still remains in the position of opponents of Gregory Palamas. I must admit that in Russia over the centuries, his teachings did not find proper understanding, although the day of memory of St. Gregory himself was regularly celebrated. Within the walls of Russian seminaries, as well as theological academies, there was no place for him before.
Only the best sons of the church, such as Job Pochaevsky, Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov and a number of other saints, in practice embodying the principles of Orthodoxy, became its spokesmen, but could not theoretically explain what was happening to them.