Favorsky light. The mysterious light at the time of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ

From the pages of the first three Gospels written by Saint Matthew, Mark and Luke, one of the most important events that occurred during the earthly life of Jesus Christ appears before us . In memory of him, a holiday was celebrated, celebrated annually on August 19 and known as the Transfiguration of the Lord.

The Favorsky Light that shone on the apostles

The holy evangelists tell how one day Jesus Christ, taking with him three of his disciples Peter, John and his brother Jacob, rose with them to the top of Mount Tabor, which is in the Lower Galilee, nine kilometers from Nazareth. There, having created a prayer, He was transfigured before them. From the face of Jesus the divine light began to emanate, and the clothes became white as snow. The astonished apostles witnessed the appearance of two Old Testament prophets alongside 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, there was a cloud covering the top of the mountain, and from it came the voice of God-the-Father, who testified that Jesus Christ is his true Son, and commanded to obey him in everything. When the cloud cleared away, Jesus assumed his former form and, leaving the apex with the disciples, commanded them not to tell anyone about what had been seen.

Riddle of the Light of Favors

What is the meaning of the scene that took place on the top of Tabor, and why did Jesus need to show the apostles the divine light? The most common explanation is his desire to strengthen their faith on the eve of their martyrdom. As is known from the Gospel, the apostles were simple, semi-literate people, far from understanding complex philosophical doctrines, and it was possible to influence them only with clear and convincing words, backed up by a visual example.

This is certainly true, but still the issue should be considered much broader. For his deeper understanding, it is necessary to recall Jesus' words spoken by him shortly before he showed his disciples the miracle of the Transfiguration. Jesus predicted 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 you understand the expression "Kingdom of God" in the literal sense, because it did not reign on the earth, not only during the life of the apostles, but to this day. It is not surprising that many outstanding theologians have sought the answer to this question for centuries.

The Teaching of the Greek Archbishop

According to modern Orthodox theologians, among the other learned men of the past, Archbishop of Thessalonica, Grigori Palamas, who lived and worked in the first half of the 14th century, was closest to the truth. 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 (ie, created) world.

Gregory Palamas belonged to the followers of the religious movement, called hesychasm. He taught that an in-depth, or, as it is customary to say, "intelligent" prayer is capable of leading a person to direct communion with God, in which a corruptible person, even in his earthly life, can see if not God himself, then his manifestations, one of which was Favorsky shine.

Lifelong contemplation of the Kingdom of God

It was he who was seen by the apostles on the top of the mountain. The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, according to Gregory Palamas, showed the apostles an uncreated (not created) light that was a visual manifestation of his grace and energy. Of course, this light was revealed only to the extent that it allowed the students to become participants in his holiness without risking their lives.

In this context, the words of Jesus Christ become clear that some of his disciples - in this case Peter, John and Jacob - are destined to see the Kingdom of God in life. This is quite obvious, since the Tabor light, being uncreated, is, as it were, a visible manifestation of God, and consequently, of his Kingdom.

Connecting man with God

The holiday celebrated by the Orthodox Church in memory of this evangelical event is among the most significant. This is not surprising, because in what has happened once on Tabor, the whole purpose of human life is expressed in a concise and clear form. It is customary to formulate in one word - deification, that is, the union of a perishable and mortal man with God.

The possibility of this Christ clearly showed His disciples. It is known from the Gospel that the Lord appeared to the world in the flesh of a mortal man, having combined with our nature not in conjunction and not separately. While remaining God, he did not violate our human nature in anything, taking in all his features, except for the inclination to sin.

And it was this flesh, mortal, perishable and suffering, that was perceived by him, that was able to exude the Tabor light, which is a manifestation of divine energy. Therefore, she herself was united with God and gained immortality in the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the promise (promise) of Eternal life to us-mortal people mired in sins, but nonetheless being the creations of God, and therefore, his children.

What is necessary in order that all of us may see the light of Tabor, and the Holy Spirit fulfill with his grace, making forever partakers of God's Kingdom? The answer to this most important of life questions is contained in the books of the New Testament. All of them are rightly considered to be 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, which is able to connect a person with his dispenser.

Saints who shone with Divine light during their lifetime

The evidence that the Favorsky Light, that is, the visible manifestation of the Divine energy, is a completely objective reality, quite a lot in church history. In this regard, it is appropriate to recall the Russian Saint Job of Pochaev, who covered his whole earthly life with a whole century from 1551 to 1651. From the records of his contemporaries it is known that, glorifying God by the deed of asceticism, he constantly prayed in a stone cave, and numerous witnesses watched the flames emerging from it. What is this, if not the energy of God?

From the life of St. Sergius of Radonezh it is known, while serving the divine liturgy, those surrounding saw the light that came from him. When the moment of communion to the holy gifts came, the visible, but non-consuming fire entered his cup. By this divine fire the Monk also communed.

A similar example can be found in a later historical period. It is known that the beloved and revered saint, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov, was also involved in the light of Tabor. This is evidenced by the records of his long-term interlocutor and biographer, Simbirsk landowner Nikolai Aleksandrovich Motovilov. There is hardly an Orthodox man who did not hear about how the face of "Father Seraphimushka" was illuminated with insubstantial fire - as it is often called in the people.

Western interpretation of the Transfiguration of the Lord

But, in spite of all of the above, the doctrine of the Tabor light today is accepted only in the Eastern Church. Western Christianity adopted a different interpretation of the event that occurred at the top of the mountain, and described by the evangelists. In their opinion, the light that came from Jesus Christ was as created as the whole surrounding world.

He was not a visible embodiment of divine energy, that is, a particle of God himself, but was only one of his countless creations, his appointment was limited only to make a proper impression on the apostles and to confirm them in faith. This is exactly the point of view 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, as also discussed above. Strictly speaking, even this very notion - the union of man with God - is alien to most of the Western Christian trends, whereas 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 XIV century Athos, and then the whole Greek church became the arena of heated disputes over the nature of the Tabor light. As among the supporters of his uncreatedness and Divine essence were the leading and most authoritative theologians of the time, and among the opponents of this theory there were quite high-sounding names.

Just in this period the words of Gregory Palamas were heard. All his life he remained a dedicated adherent of the so-called intelligent prayer, so thoughtful and in-depth that its result is the inner communion of man with God. In addition, in fulfilling his pastoral ministry, he taught his flock to prayerful contemplation, whose goal is to comprehend the Creator through his creation-the surrounding world. His opinion became decisive in the theological dispute, and in 1351 at the Council of Constantinople the doctrine of the Tabor 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 for centuries his teaching did not find proper understanding, although the day of the memory of St. Gregory himself was celebrated regularly. In the walls of Russian seminaries, as well as spiritual 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.