Saint Peter: Let us build three Tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah

The Ethiopic name of the holiday, ‘Debre Tabor’, which translates to Mount Tabor, pertains to the mountain on which our Lord manifested His divinity and the glory of His kingdom. The event of the Transfiguration is recorded in three of the four Gospels: Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-8, and Luke 9:28-36.

Six days after our Lord asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” on their way to Caesarea, He left nine of His disciples at the foot of the mountain and took the remaining three—Peter, John, and James—to the top of the mountain. While they were atop, our Lord was transfigured. His face shone like the sun; His garment became as white as snow. At that moment, He revealed His divinity and the glory of His kingdom. Moses and Elijah were heard speaking to Him. 

Saint Peter then said, “It is good for us to be here; if it is Your will, let us build three tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” As he was speaking this, a bright cloud covered them and a voice was heard from the cloud, “This is My be-loved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” Peter and the others fell on their faces out of fear. Lord Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, do not be afraid.” They opened their eyes. As they were coming down the mountain, Lord Jesus commanded them to not tell what they have seen to anyone until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.

The reason why He left the nine disciples at the foot of the mountain while he took the other three to the top, it is because among the nine was the one (Judah) who did not deserve to see His glory; should He have left him alone, Judah would have used that as an excuse to betray Jesus.

In the Old Testament, the presence of light and cloud often signified the Divine presence (Ex.24:15-17). The bright radiance and shining of the face is also a characteristic of those closest to God. Such was the case of Moses who spoke to God face to face. (Ex.34:29-35)  

Likewise, on Mt. Tabor the cloud signified the Divine presence. Despite the fact that there are different mountains in Israel, Christ chose Tabor to be the place where He revealed His divine glory to fulfill St David’s prophesy about the mount saying, “Tabor and Heron shall rejoice in thy name.” (Psalms 89:12) According to the Church’s teachings, Tabor also represents God’s kingdom.  

Why did Jesus choose Moses and Elijah?

If one may ask why He chose Moses and Elijah, it was to fulfill His promise to Moses and a wish that Elijah had. Moses and Elijah represent the two principal components of the Old Testament: the Law and the Prophets. Moses had got favor before God and spoke to God 570 times as mentioned in the Bible. Accordingly, Moses yearned to see God’s face and once asked Him to reveal Himself to him. But God told Moses that this will happen later, and the promise was fulfilled during the Transfiguration. (EX.33:18-23)  

Elijah is considered the greatest of the prophets, and some even went to the extent of mistaking him for Our Lord Jesus Christ when they saw the miracles He performed. So our Lord brought Elijah to Mount tabor to ascertain that he is just a prophet, not Christ.   In spite of their desire to see His glory, when He finally revealed Himself to them, Moses chose to go back to his grave and Elijah to his chariot as they could not stand before His glory.

Symbolism of Moses and Elijah in the transfiguration

As the ten foolish and wise virgins (Matt. 25:1), symbolized all the wise and foolish human beings, the Lord gave us His Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah, as a symbol of the transfiguration which the Lord will grant to all human beings in eternity.

Elijah represents the virgins (of either sex), and Moses represents the married. Rather Moses married more than once. He married Zipporah the daughter of the priest of Midian (Ex.2:19-22). He also married an Ethiopian woman (Num. 12:1), who was a symbol of the acceptance of the Gentiles.

 Moses represented those who were dead. And Elijah represented the living who have not yet died. Elijah represents those who have lived a life of ascetics in the wilderness, as he was himself on the mountain of Carmel; and Moses represents those who have lived in the world with their families in a social life. One of them represents the life of monks, and the other represents the ministry and the guidance of crowds.

The feast of Debre Tabor is the source of a special trend of celebration in the traditional schools of the Ethiopian Church known as Abinet Schools. The feast is known in those schools as the ‘Feast of Disciples` as three of the apostles were honored to witness the Transfiguration.

At least two weeks prior to the feast,  those students who follow their studies in the countryside go house to house begging for grain and other ingredients for baking bread and brewing homemade beer. They then invite believers and church fathers in their localities and celebrate the feast joyously. Therefore, it is crucial that we shall hand down to generations this colorful religious holiday and tradition which are still practiced in our church schools.

                   To Him is the Glory forever!

Source:

• –1986:177- 178.  These Truths We Hold the Holy Orthodox Church Her Life and Teachings. Compiled and edited by a monk of St. Tikhon’s monastery.

• Pope Shenouda III, 1998. The Transfiguration and some meditations upon the feast of the Transfiguration.  

•  ኅሩይ ኤርምያስ 1995 E.C. መዝገበ ታሪክ፤ ክፍል 2፣ ገጽ 145. (Hiruy Ermias 1995 E.C. Mezgebe Tarik,part 2, ,pp.145).