JESUS IS TRANSFIGURED BEFORE PETER, JAMES AND JOHN AND REVEALS HIS GLORY (9:1-8). Having revealed to His disciples His coming glory, based on His coming suffering, Jesus will now completely open half-opened blind eyes so that they may see fully. It is one thing to be told of the glory that is comin... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some here of those who stand by who will in no way taste of death until they see the Kingly Rule of God has come with power.” ' The introductory ‘and He said to them' separates this saying off from the earlier ones, and the presence of Scribes (Ma... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became glistering, extremely white, in such a way that no launderer on earth can whiten them.' A remarkable transformation of Jesus is described in terms which show that it was really indescribable. It was a vision of the glory of heaven and of... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And after six days Jesus takes with him Peter, and James and John, and brings them apart into a high mountain by themselves.' ‘After six days.' Matthew follows Mark in this, and Luke has ‘about eight days after' (his source probably included the day when Jesus spoke Mark 9:1 and the day of the Tra... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.' The disciples may have remembered how Elijah and Moses had both previously gone up into a mountain to talk with God at special times when they were in God's service on earth. Now it was Jesus Who had gone up into the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Peter answers and says to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here (or ‘it is good that we are here'). And let us make three booths, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to answer for they were filled with a dread sense of awe (were dreadfully afraid).' If... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there came a cloud overshadowing them, and there came a voice from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him.” The appearance of Moses and Elijah was followed by an overshadowing cloud which was testimony to the fact that God too had come to join the company (Exodus 19:9). It was once m... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And suddenly looking round about they saw no one any more except Jesus only with themselves.' Then suddenly the cloud lifted and it was all over. All was back to normal. There were just themselves with Jesus only. And they now knew that with Jesus here Moses and Elijah were superfluous. But they h... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And as they were coming down from the mountain he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, except when the Son of Man should have risen again from the dead.' Jesus now reminds them as they are coming down from the mountain of His coming death and resurrection and He char... [ Continue Reading ]
RESULTING COMMENTS - WHAT OF THE RETURN OF ELIJAH? (9:9-13). What they had seen had stirred their thinking and they now asked Jesus on the way down from the mountain about the anticipated coming of Elijah. That is what they had been taught from childhood on the authority of the Scribes. Why then ha... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they kept the saying, questioning among themselves what the rising again from the dead should mean.' So they kept what they had seen to themselves, and when alone discussed what exactly Jesus had meant when He spoke of rising again from the dead, and what it could possibly mean. But they no do... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they asked him saying, “The scribes say that Elijah must first come?” The question may suggest that they were disappointed by the fact that Elijah had come and yet had not remained and revealed himself to the world. It was commonly taught that his coming must precede that of the Messiah. Why t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said to them, ‘Elijah it is true comes first, and restores all things, and how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be set at nought (‘treated with contempt')? But I say to you that Elijah is come, and they have also done to him whatever they willed, even as... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when they came to the disciples they saw a great crowd about them, and scribes questioning with them.' The fact that scribes were there suggests that this took place somewhere in Northern Galilee, from where they would ‘pass through Galilee' (Mark 9:30) to Capernaum. The Scribes would have limi... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CASTING OUT OF THE DEAF AND DUMB SPIRIT (9:14-29). This incident provides a fitting climax to this section of the Gospel. It is the final example of Jesus acting to cast out evil spirits. That was a work in which He was involved from the beginning (Mark 1:23) and had become a permanent aspect of... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And immediately all the crowd when they saw him were greatly amazed, and running to him greeted him.' It is quite likely that the disciples had told the crowd that Jesus had gone up into the mountain and would be there for some time, as had Moses when he went into a mountain to meet with God. So t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he asked them, “What did you question with them?' From Mark 9:14 we would see this as meaning that He asked the Scribes who had come with the crowd what they had been challenging His disciples about. However the fact that one of the crowd answers might suggest a question directed at the crowds... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And one of the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought to you my son, who has a dumb spirit, and wherever it takes him it dashes him down and he groans and grinds his teeth and is thoroughly exhausted, and I spoke to your disciples that they should cast it out, and they could not.” A voice in the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he answers them, “Oh unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you, how long shall I put up with you. Bring him to me.” ' Jesus goes immediately to the root of the whole problem, unbelief, man's lack in his attitude towards God. The ‘unbelieving' here especially has in mind the disciple... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they brought him to him. And when he saw him immediately the spirit tore him grievously, and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming.' They went to fetch the boy who was being kept apart, probably under guard. And as soon as he saw Jesus (Luke brings out that it was while the boy was approa... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he asked his father, “How long is it since this has come to him?” And he said, “From a child. And it has often thrown him both into fires and into waters to destroy him. But if you can do anything have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus asked the history of the possession. This could help Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus said to him, “If you can? All things are possible to him who believes.” '. The probable text is ‘to 'ei dune' making the ‘if you can' a noun equivalent. Jesus was saying, “you have said ‘if you can'. But to him who believes (what I can do) all things are possible.' The strength of the ar... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe. You help my unbelief.” The man's response was immediate and significant. He recognised that he was dependent on Jesus. And he accepted that his own faith was weak. But he was desperate. And he was beginning to believe that Jesus c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, “You dumb and deaf spirit, I (emphatic) command you, come out of him and do not enter him any more”.' The man's loud cry seemingly stimulated the crowd who had been hanging back, and they sensed th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And having cried out, and convulsed him greatly, it came out, and the child became as a dead person, insomuch that the great majority (or even ‘all') said, “He is dead”.' The dumb spirit was so affected that it found voice. Its dumbness and deafness had been part of its defence against intrusion.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up. And he arose.' Whatever the boy's condition it did not matter, for Jesus was there. ‘He took him by the hand.' Compare Mark 1:31; Mark 5:41. ‘And raised him up, and he arose.' Compare Mark 5:41. What He began He finished. And because Jesus was ther... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he had come into the house his disciples asked him privately, saying, “We could not cast it out.” And he said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer.” It was always going to happen that the disciples would want to know why they had failed, and they were clearly very... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they went out from there and passed through Galilee, and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is delivered up into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed after three days he will rise again.” ' Jesus se... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THIRD PREDICTION OF HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION (9:30-32). This is basically the third prediction that Jesus makes about His coming death and resurrection, compare Mark 8:31; Mark 9:9; Mark 9:11. From this point on He will be going forward to His death.... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS ARRIVES BACK IN CAPERNAUM AFTER PREDICTING WHAT IS TO HAPPEN TO HIM (9:30-33A). We now come to the close of the section outlining Jesus' Galilean ministry as recorded by Mark (Mark 4:35 to Mark 9:33 a). Having left the region round about Capernaum in Mark 4:35, and after having had many experi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But they did not understand the saying and were afraid to ask him.' They did not understand because they did not want to. They were afraid to ask Him because they did not want what He was saying to be confirmed. How much easier it would have been for them in the end if they had been willing to bel... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TEST OF WHAT MEN AND WOMEN ARE IS DETERMINED BY WHAT THEY DO IN HIS NAME (9:33-50). Jesus now gives a number of illustrations of what it means to act in His Name as the Messiah. He gives three examples of those who are ‘for us' and one example of those who are ‘against us'. In all cases it has... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS REVEALS THE THINGS THAT ARE PLEASING AND DISPLEASING TO GOD (9:33-10:45). In this next subsection Jesus reveals the things that are pleasing and displeasing to God. Seeking greatness displeases Him (Mark 9:33; Mark 10:35), while seeking to do things for Jesus' sake pleases Him (Mark 9:36; Mark... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS BEGINS HIS FINAL JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM ON THE ROAD TO THE CROSS AND SPENDS MUCH TIME IN TEACHING HIS DISCIPLES AND DISPUTING WITH HIS ENEMIES IN READINESS FOR THAT EVENT, FOR HE IS GIVING HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY (9:33-12:44). Having returned to Capernaum Jesus now has His face set towards... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LESSON OF TRUE GREATNESS (9:33-37). We are suddenly introduced here to a sad situation that Jesus had tried to guard against, but which was probably inevitable. The disciples were beginning to get too high an opinion of themselves. They were beginning to think in terms of their own greatness. Af... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing in the way?” But they did not answer for they had disputed with one another who was the greatest.' Having arrived back in Capernaum they no doubt went to Peter's house. They little realised that this... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he sat down and called the twelve, and he says to them, “If any man would be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” ' The words of the few clearly disturbed Him. He recognised that there were strong feelings among them about their own greatness, and that this probably applied to al... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he took a little child and set him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms he said to them, “Whoever shall receive one of such little children in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” ' Some argue that the connection between this verse an... [ Continue Reading ]
‘John said to him, “Teacher, we saw one casting out devils in your name, and we forbade him because he did not follow us.' We are reminded here that the disciples did not just rigidly always remain with Jesus. They were given errands to fulfil and they at times went out preaching (we would probably... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JEWISH EXORCIST WHO ACTED IN HIS NAME (9:38-41). Talk about greatness and of those who do things ‘in the name of Jesus' seems to have stirred John's mind to consider something that had happened in the past that may well have been on his conscience, and he took this opportunity to seek to justif... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him. For there is no man who will do a work of power in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me. For he who is not against us is for us.” ' Jesus recognised immediately that the man's success was sufficient proof that the man's heart was right and that God wa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GIVING OF A CUP OF COLD WATER IN HIS NAME (9:41). “For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink ‘because you are Messiah's', truly I tell you he will assuredly not lose his reward.” This follows on from Mark 9:40 being an example of one who was ‘for us' as shown by his action. The mention... [ Continue Reading ]
“And whoever shall cause one of these little ones (or ‘low ones') who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he was thrown into the sea.” This may well have continued on from the previous words. Jesus was in Peter's home and had sat d... [ Continue Reading ]
A WARNING AGAINST CAUSING THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM TO STUMBLE (9:42-50). Having spoken of what acting in His Name regularly involved, Jesus now gives a warning to those who act against His Name. Not all these sayings may necessarily have been delivered at this point in time (see Mark 9:49), but Mar... [ Continue Reading ]
“And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is good for you to enter into life maimed rather than having two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is good for you to enter into life lame rather than having two feet to... [ Continue Reading ]
“For everyone shall be salted with fire.” There are a number of questions to be asked about this small, rather enigmatic, phrase. Firstly as to whether this is to be seen as continuing the thoughts which have preceded it, secondly as to what is meant by being ‘salted', thirdly as to who are involve... [ Continue Reading ]
“Salt is good. But if the salt has lost its saltness with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another.” Jesus then replies to the possible objection which could be raised that salt is good. The connection between this verse and the last is ‘salted' and ‘salt'.... [ Continue Reading ]