Mattityahu 17:2

2 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was transfigured before them, and Moshiach’s face shone like the shemesh (sun), and his garments became brilliant like the ohr.

Mattityahu 17:2 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 17:2

And was transfigured before them
Peter, James, and John, before whom he was metamorphosed, or changed into another form; for not the substance of his body was changed, nor even the shape of it altered, only it received a more glorious form; that whereas before he appeared in the form of a servant, and looked mean and despicable, now he appeared in the form and majesty of God; or there was a divine glory; which from his deity showed itself in a visible manner through his flesh:

and his face did shine as the sun
it had still the same appearance of an human face, but had such a dazzling glory upon it, as equalled the sun shining in its full strength:

and his raiment was white as the light:
he did not put off his clothes, nor were the nature and substance, and fashion of them changed; but such rays of glory darted through his flesh, and through his clothes, as made them as bright and shining, as the light of the sun at noon day. Mark says, they became "exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can white them". The Vulgate Latin reads, "as snow", here; and so do the Ethiopic version, and Munster's Hebrew Gospel. Snow has a peculiar whiteness in it, and is therefore made use of, to express the glittering brightness of Christ's raiment; and the fuller is mentioned, who by the Jews ^F1 is called (obwk) , and means one that whitens wool, or raiment, and such an one is here designed: not that any fuller makes garments of another colour white; for though this may be done, it is not the work of fullers, but dyers: but fullers, whatever colour garments are of, if sullied and spotted, can restore them to their native colour; and if white, can bring them to their former whiteness: now Christ's garments were as white, yea, whiter, than any such men could possibly make garments, that were white at first: what colour Christ's garments were of before, is not certain; now they appeared white, to the greatest degree of whiteness. Dr. Hammond ^F2 has a conjecture, that in the phrase "on earth", reference is had to the earth fullers make use of in cleaning, and which is called "fullers' earth"; and that the words are to be rendered, "as no fuller, by or with earth can white them"; but if this will not bear, the sense is, that there is no fuller, nor ever was, or ever will be upon earth, that can make raiment so white as Christ's was.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Maimon. in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 10. sect. 10,
F2 In Mark ix. 3.

Mattityahu 17:2 In-Context

1 7 And after shisha yamim (six days), Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach took Kefa, Yaakov and Yochanan his brother; he brings them up to a high mountain in yechidus.

2 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was transfigured before them, and Moshiach’s face shone like the shemesh (sun), and his garments became brilliant like the ohr.

3 And hinei! There appeared before them Moshe Rabbenu and Eliyahu HaNavi conferring with Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.

4 And Kefa said in reply to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Adoni, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will make shalosh sukkot here: one for you, and one for Moshe Rabbenu, and one for Eliyahu HaNavi.

5 While he was speaking, hinei! A brightly shining anan (cloud) overshadowed them, and hinei! A bat kol (a voice from heaven) out of the anan was saying, This is My Ben ahuvi (beloved Son) with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him.