Jesus had gone with his disciples Peter, James, and John to
Mount Tabor. Christ's appearance was changed while they watched
into a glorious radiant figure. There appeared Elijah and Moses,
speaking with Jesus. The disciples were amazed and terribly
afraid. This event shows forth the divinity of Christ, so that
the disciples would understand after his Ascension that He was
truly the radiant splendor of the Father, and that his Passion
was voluntary (Mark 9:2-9). It also shows the possibility of our
own theosis. This event was the subject of some debates between
Gregory Palamas and Barlaam of Calabria. Barlaam believed that
the light shining from Jesus was created light, while Gregory
maintained the disciples were given grace to perceive the
uncreated light of God. This supported Gregory's larger argument
that although we cannot know God in His essence, we can know Him
in his energies, as He reveals Himself. In Greece the harvest
season traditionally began on the Transfiguration. Grapes, in
particular, were not