Synoptics: Peter, James and John (Matt. xvii, 1; Mark ix, 2; Luke ix, 28). It is remarkable that Matthew, Mark and Luke, who did not witness the Transfiguration, are the only ones to report it; while John, who is declared to have witnessed it, knows nothing about it. Concerning this and other events which John is said to have witnessed, Greg says: "All the events said to have been witnessed by John alone are omitted by John alone. This fact seems fatal either to the reality of the events in question or to the genuineness of the Fourth Gospel." Regarding this subject Scott says: "By some singular fatality the writer of the fourth gospel seems incapable of describing any one incident in the life of Jesus as the Synoptics have described it.... It is hard to believe that we are reading narratives which profess to relate the life of the same person.... If then in these particulars, the Synoptic Gospels are correct, the Johannine version of the events is pure fiction; and if the latter be taken as the true account, no dependence whatever can be placed upon the former" (Life of Jesus, pp. 259-263). 202 Compare the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus with the account of Moses at Mount Sinai. Matthew. Exodus. "And after six days Jesus taketh "Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Peter, James, and John his Nadab and Abihu" (xxiv, 9). brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, "And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. "And was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun, "And the glory of the Lord abode and his raiment was white as the upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud light" (xvii, 1, 2). covered it six days; and the seventh day he called unto Moses "While he yet spake, behold, a out of the midst of the cloud. bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold a voice out of the "And the sight of the glory of the cloud," etc. (5). Lord was like devouring fire" (15-17). We have in each account a prophet and three companions; in each the persons mentioned go up into a mountain; in each there is a supernatural brightness; in each an overshadowing cloud; in each a celestial voice speaking out of the cloud; in each Moses is a prominent figure; in each a period of six days is mentioned. 203 What occurred immediately after the Transfiguration? Matthew: "His disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias is come already and they know him not.... Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist" (xvii, 10-13).