seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Mark 9:1 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.
11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”
14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.[a]”
30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.
33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. [44] [b] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. [46] [c] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where
49 Everyone will be salted with fire.
50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
a. Mark 9:29 Some manuscripts prayer and fasting
b. Mark 9:44 Some manuscripts include here the words of verse 48.
c. Mark 9:46 Some manuscripts include here the words of verse 48.
d. Mark 9:48 Isaiah 66:24
This is from the easy English site.
Jesus did not mean the time when he will come again. Some writers suggest that he did mean that. But that would mean that Jesus made a mistake. So it cannot be true. He did not return with power while his disciples were alive. But Jesus is probably describing his resurrection. Also, he is describing the time when the Holy Spirit would come at Pentecost and the spread of the gospel. Thirty (30) years after Jesus’ death on the cross, the message about the kingdom had spread everywhere where the Romans ruled. A small group of disciples had become the beginning of a world wide church. The kingdom did come with power in the lives of many people who were listening to Jesus. But perhaps Jesus was talking about what happens in verses 2-13. That is what some other Christians think.
It was difficult for Mark to describe how white the clothes of Jesus were. They were very, very white. So he could only think that they shone like gold or the light of the sun. Nobody who washed clothes could make them as bright.
Elijah was a great prophet. Moses had received the Law from God. Their appearance showed that Jesus made the promises of the Old Testament come true. He is greater than the prophets, and he explained the Law more completely. Mark does not say what they were talking about. Luke tells us that they were talking about Jesus’ death in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31).
Peter offered to build three shelters. That shows how confused and frightened he was. He had been asleep and he had just woken up. He was thinking of all three as if they were the same. But Jesus is different from Moses and Elijah. He is much more important. Perhaps Peter wanted to stay on the mountain, where there would not be any more work or pain. But it was a practical thought in their situation. It was dark and therefore cold. They might need shelter! Luke tells us that they did not come down from the mountain until the next morning.
Jesus explained that Elijah had come already. He did not mean that Elijah himself had come into the world again in John the Baptist. He meant that John the Baptist was a prophet like Elijah. He had the same bold courage as Elijah and he was as loyal to God. Queen Jezebel wanted to kill Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-2). Herodias wanted the death of John the Baptist (Mark 6:19). The man who had prepared the way for the Messiah had suffered. And he had died. Jesus was therefore telling them that the Messiah himself would suffer too. And he would die.
The scribes were probably taking the opportunity to laugh at Jesus because they were laughing at his disciples. Because the disciples had failed, they were perhaps trying to defend themselves against the scribes’ remarks.
The father replied to Jesus’ question. He said that the boy had been like this since he was a child. He had often fallen into a fire or into water because the evil spirit had tried to kill him. The father asked Jesus for his help, ‘if’ Jesus had the power to cure his son.
Jesus repeated the father’s words. He meant, ‘You should not say "if" I can. That shows that you do not believe in me. You do not believe that I have the power.’ He was suggesting that the father needed faith. With faith, everything becomes possible.
The father’s cry, ‘I do believe! Help me to overcome my doubts!’ describes what many Christians feel. They trust Jesus. But they are not sure that they trust him completely.
Jesus helped him to stand up. There is no record by Mark of the father’s joy or the crowd’s reaction. The important matter in the incident was what Jesus taught about faith.
The disciples wanted to know why they could not throw out the evil spirit. Jesus had given them authority to throw out evil spirits when he had sent them out in pairs. They may have forgotten that their success then was not because of their own power. The disciples should have prayed. But they had argued with each other instead. Jesus emphasised the need for prayer. The prayer of faith is necessary before anyone can defeat the power of evil things.
The period when Jesus was teaching publicly in Galilee was over. He wanted to avoid crowds so that he could train his disciples. ‘Hand over’ means that someone would make it possible for the authorities to arrest Jesus. The words ‘hand over’ might also mean that God would allow Jesus to die. That was the only means by which God could save people.
The disciples were too frightened to ask Jesus to explain. On a previous occasion, Jesus had told them that he would suffer. They had opposed the idea then and Jesus had blamed them. Perhaps they did not want to risk such a severe reply again. They might also have learned something worse, and perhaps they preferred not to know.
Most of the commentaries get really preachy about one thing or another but fall flat on other things. This is from biblehub.com.The period when Jesus was teaching publicly in Galilee was over. He wanted to avoid crowds so that he could train his disciples. ‘Hand over’ means that someone would make it possible for the authorities to arrest Jesus. The words ‘hand over’ might also mean that God would allow Jesus to die. That was the only means by which God could save people.
The disciples were too frightened to ask Jesus to explain. On a previous occasion, Jesus had told them that he would suffer. They had opposed the idea then and Jesus had blamed them. Perhaps they did not want to risk such a severe reply again (8:32-33). They might also have learned something worse, and perhaps they preferred not to know.
This verse, according to the best authorities, should begin simply, John said unto him - although in St. Luke (Luke 9:49) they stand, "And John answered and said" - Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name: and we forbade him, because he followed not us. The casting out of evil spirits was one of the foremost signs of apostleship; and what surprised St. John was that one who followed not Christ should have been able to work this miracle - a miracle in which, it will be remembered, the disciples had recently failed. It thus appears that our Lord's teaching had been so influential, that some, not reckoned amongst his disciples, had shown this proof of a strong and overpowering faith. We know that there were those in our Savior's time, of Jewish race, who cast out devils (Matthew 12:27). And Justin Martyr, in his 'Dialogue with Trypho the Jew,' states that while exorcism, as practiced by the Jews, often failed when it was attempted to be exercised "by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," was eminently successful when administered "by the name of the Son of God, who was born of a virgin and crucified under Pontius Pilate". That spirit has power over spirit in many mysterious ways is one of those truths which science has not yet been able to explain. To return, however, to the instance here alluded to by St. John, it should be observed that they who acted thus had faith in Christ; and that by thus acting with him and for him, though not amongst his recognized followers, they contributed towards his honor who, by means of these imperfect instruments, carried out the great purpose of his manifestation, namely," to destroy the works of the devil." Then further, the disciples forbade them not out of envy or hatred, but out of zeal for Christ, as though they were thus serving his cause and upholding his honor. But this was" a zeal, not according to knowledge." They had forbidden them, without having first taken counsel of their Master.
Jesus took three disciples..... what about the rest of them? Why didn't He take all the disciples? Peter and Andrew, and the Zebedee brothers were the first ones to be invited to join Jesus..... These men knew John the Baptist.... and they didn't like Rome..... they were looking for someone to lead Israel in driving Rome out of their territory. These ignorant humans were only using a tiny piece of the brain God gave them. They, as disciples, needed to know that there was something bigger than Rome going on here. Jesus had to show those three His Divine power...... I believe He brought those three along because it was a teaching moment. Jesus was the Son of God.... capable of meeting with Elijah and Moses..... long after they had left their human lives. I think the disciples simply did not understand the source of the power to heal that Jesus taught them to unleash. I think the disciples missed the point that they could only heal because the Son of God wanted to spread His Healing Ministry. Jesus only had a short time on earth. He was really only here to reverse the death sentence brought on in the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve. By training His disciples to heal and chase out demons.... Jesus was able to increase the number of Believers. The problem was.... the disciples got it wrong. They thought Jesus unlocked something inside them.... some human super power.... when He actually only unlocked their ability to use His power. They were too ignorant to see that.
Then there's the power of the Dad's faith..... I know that father brought his son to the disciples to be healed. No doubt the story had spread that a healing was taking place. It was impossible for that boy to ask for help himself. His dad had to do the asking.... and the believing for both of them.... I bet the scribes had a field day when the self centered ignorant disciples couldn't make the demon shove off. I bet the scribes had a lot of incredulous insults to hurl.... they had been waiting for the disciples to mess up... count on it. But Jesus came along.... and once the "belief" part was straightened out... Jesus made it work. Those ignorant disciples.... were they showing off? Is that why they couldn't do it? Nope it was because they got a big head and thought they were the source of the power..... IMHO.
Others, some who must have been in the crowd..... had harnessed the power of healing.... they were working right along. They were driving out demons and healing the sick.... while telling people about Jesus. The disciples, thinking they were an exclusive group, told them to stop. Jesus let His disciples know that anyone who wasn't against Him was for Him. Jesus wasn't going to be on earth for a long time.... He needed people to "get it" so His Ministry could take off. You know what... that reminds me of the different churches fighting over who is right.... IMHO.
Then Jesus told them to be careful what they were teaching. Driving someone out of the church [telling them to stop healing because they weren't part of the 12] is dangerous. If they teach exclusivity.... the mission will suffer. Jesus needed [and still desires] lots and lots of people to spread the Word. This was a movement not just a single event. People from the crowds were "getting it" and "spreading it" all around.
Just like David wasn't ready for Bathsheba's baby boy back in the Old Testament...... the world wasn't ready for a conquering hero..... yet.
