After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there for a few days. This is, by and large, a transitional verse, moving Jesus from the setting of his first “sign” in Cana to the stage for his first major public encounter in...

When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. Just one more note on this pivotal scene of the Transfiguration:...