And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
And it came to pass, about an eight days after these sayings - meaning, after the first startling announcement of His approaching Sufferings and Death. Matthew and Mark say it was "after six days;" but they exclude the day on which "these sayings" were uttered and the Transfiguration day, while our Evangelist includes them. Now, since all the three Evangelists so definitely connect the Transfiguration with this announcement of His Death-so unexpected by the Twelve and so depressing-there can be no doubt that the primary intention of it was to manifest the glory of that Death in the view of Heaven, to irradiate the Redeemer's sufferings, to transfigure the Cross. It will appear, by and by, that the scene took place at night.
He took Peter and John and James - partners before in secular business, now selected, as a kind of sacred triumvirate, to be, sole witnesses, first, of the resurrection of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:37), next, of the Transfiguration, and finally, of the Agony in the garden (Mark 14:33),
And went up into at mountain - probably not mount Tabor, according to long tradition, with which the facts scarcely comport, but rather some mountain in the vicinity of the sea of Galilee,
To pray - for the period He had now reached was a critical and anxious one. But who can adequately express those "strong cryings and tears"? Methinks, as I steal by, His side, I hear from Him these plaintive cries, 'Lord, Who hath believed our report? I am come unto mine own, and mine own receive Me not; I am become a stranger unto my brethren, an alien to my mother's children: Consider mine enemies, because they are many, and they hate me with cruel hatred. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. Thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth: Show me a token for good: Father, glorify thy name.' These strong cryings and tears pierced the skies: they entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.