which the outspread wings of Angels, as reverently they hide their faces, conceal from
earth's, and even heaven's vision. But otherwise, in the most solemn turning -points of
this history, Jesus could not be alone, and yet was alone with those three chosen ones,
most receptive of Him, and most representative of the Church. It was so in the house of
Jairus, on the Mount of Transfiguration, and in the Garden of Gethsema ne.
2. This is implied not only in the disciples being heavy with sleep, but in the morning
scene (St. Luke ix. 37) which followed.
As St. Luke alone informs us, it was 'to pray' that Jesus took them apart up into that
mountain. 'To pray,' no doubt in connection with 'those sayings;' since their reception
required quite as much the direct teaching of the Heavenly Father, as had the previous
confession of Peter, of which it was, indeed, the complement, the other aspect, the twin
height. And the Transfigura tion, with its attendant glorified Ministry and Voice from
heaven, was God's answer to that prayer.
What has already been stated, has convinced us that it could not have been to one of
the highest peaks of Hermon, as most modern writers suppose, that Jes us led His
companions. There are three such peaks: those north and south, of about equal height
(9,400 feet above the sea, and nearly 11,000 above the Jordan valley), are only 500
paces distant from each other, while the third, to the west (about 100 feet lower), is
separated from the others by a narrow valley. Now, to climb the top of Hermon is, even
from the nearest point, an Alpine ascent, trying and fatiguing, which would occupy a
whole day (six hours in the ascent and four in the descent), and require provisions of
food and water; while, from the keenness of the air, it would be impossible to spend the
night on the top.3 To all this there is no allusion in the text, nor slightest hint of either
difficulties or preparations, such as otherwise would have been required. Indeed, a
contrary impression is left on the mind.
3. Canon Tristram writes: 'We were before long painfully affected by the rarity of the
atmosphere.' In general, our description is derived from Canon Tristram ('Land of Israel'),
Captain Conder ('Tent -Work in Palestine'), and Bädeker-Socin's Palästina, p. 354.
'Up into an high mountain apart,' 'to pray.' The Sabbath-sun had set, and a delicious
cool hung in the summer air, as Jesus an the three commenced their ascent. From all
parts of the land, far as Jerusalem or Tyre, the one great object in view must always
have been snow-clad Hermon. And now it stood out before them - as, to the memory of
the traveller in the West, Monte Rosa or Mont Blanc 4 - in all the wondrous glory of a
sunset: first rose-colored, then deepening red, next 'the death-like pallor, and the
darkness relieved by the snow, in quick succession.'5 From high up there, as one
describes it,6 'a deep ruby flush came over all the scene, and warm purple shadows
crept slowly on. The sea of Galilee was lit up with a delicate greenish-yellow hue,
between its dim walls of hill. The flush died out in a few minutes, and a pale, steel-
coloured shade succeeded. . . . A long pyramidal shadow slid down to the eastern foot
of Hermon, and crept across the great plain; Damascus was swallowed up by it; and
finally the pointed end of the shadow stood out distinctly against the sky - a dusky cone
of dull colour against the flush of the afterglow. It was the shadow of the mountain itself,