Jerome’s Interpretation of the Transfiguration in the Light of Some Recent Patristic Discoveries (Origen, Fortunatianus, Chromatius)

Abstract

This paper synthesizes and analyses Jerome's interpretation of Christ' Transfiguration event, described in the synoptic gospels (Matt 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36), to which he paid special attention in his works Tractatus in Marci evangelium (CPL 592) and Commentarium in Matthaeum (CPL 590). The second part of the study is dedicated to comparing Jerome's interpretation with three recently discovered Patristic works: Origen's Homiliae in Psalmos, Commentarium in evangelia of Fortunatian of Aquileia, and the works of Chromace of Aquileia and Victorinus of Poetovio. Based on this confrontation, it is possible to understand better Jerome's interpretation and the development of the Patristic exegesis of this critical episode in the life of Jesus in general.

A Decade of Research on Origen’s Homilies on the Psalms (Codex Monacensis Graecus 314)

“…It has now become possible, thanks to the discovery of the Munich codex, to perform a comparison between some of Origen's homilies on the Psalms and the corresponding homilies by Jerome. The conclusion, in brief terms, is that, while Jerome does show some dependence on Origen, he also uses a fair bit of originality in commenting the Psalms (Bogataj, 2021;Orlandi, 2018).…”