Gospel of Mark/Chapter 9:1-29/Commentary

The Gospel of Mark Chapter 9:1-29 9:1 “And He was saying to them, ‘Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power” On the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2), the Kingdom of God (church) did come with power. The power is associated with the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 47).

1. The resurrection, ascension, and establishment of the Church were the beginning of Jesus’ reign as King (Acts 2:29-30). This reign will end after Jesus comes again and judges mankind (1 Corinthians 15:24f). The apostles would see the beginning of this reign and all mankind will experience the end of it.

2. The apostles truly did see the kingdom of God come with power. They saw Jesus ascend to the right hand of the Father (Acts 1:6-11). They experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1). They witnessed the beginning of the Church despite the opposition of the Jewish authorities (Acts 4:24-33). They saw the church grow by leaps and bounds and expand among the Gentiles (Acts 10-11). They participated personally in the vigorous, rapid, world-wide expansion of the church. Some of the 1

apostles even lived to see the collapse of Jerusalem, the temple, the priesthood and the sacrifices, and the triumph of the gospel as it was spread in every part of the Roman Empire.

The Transfiguration 9:2 “And six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them” Some have argued that there is a contradiction here, because Luke says “eight days” (9:28). Yet Luke actually says, “some eight days”. Luke merely counted the first and last days, whereas Matthew and Mark counted only the ones intervening.

This even occurred during the final year of Jesus’ ministry. The last date mentioned before this was the Passover at which He fed the 5000 (John 6:4). The transfiguration probably took place at the end of the summer or in the early fall.

“To grasp the significance of the Transfiguration, we must remember what had preceded it (the good confession (Matthew 16:16-23), and stress on the faithfulness needed to follow the Christ (16:24-28). This means that Jesus gave the disciples about a week’s time to ponder deeply the shocking prediction of His tragic rejection and death. That must have been a week of disappointment and discouragement, confusion and turmoil, a week of soul-wrenching torment. Now He would remove their despondency by balancing His earthly humiliation with His heavenly glory” (Fowler p. 584).

9:2 “Peter and James and John”: These three were also privy to other occasions, such as the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:37), and only they were invited to share the Lord’s sufferings in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37). As to why Jesus selected these three and not the others: 1. God is not respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), and Jesus may have felt that these three were most qualified to make the best use of the Transfiguration. 2. Whereas eventually all the apostles would behold His glory (Acts 1:9-11), it was needful at this time for at least some to have unquestioned proof of His triumphant glory.

9:2 “A high mountain”: This mountain must have been about a week’s journey from Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:13-28). Some feel that Mount Hermon, located just 15 miles to the north would be the best choice. It rises to over 9232 2

feet, visible to much of Palestine, and easily qualifies as a high mountain. Further, if the Transfiguration took place in August or September, Jesus and the disciples could have made it all the way to the top. J.W. McGarvey enjoyed 71-degree weather at the peak, even with masses of unmelted snow in June (Lands of the Bible, p. 548). Others believe that the Transfiguration took place on Jebel Jermuk, which is located in Galilee. It is located 25 miles from Caesarea Philippi and is 3834 feet high.

9:2-3 “And He was transfigured before them; and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them”: “Although His features retained their recognizably human form, everything else about Him took on a blinding light, blazing with sun-like glory” (Fowler p. 589). This is what the apostles later described as “We have beheld His glory” (John 1:14); “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16ff). This is something of that majestic glory with the Father that Jesus once again desired (John 17:5). This must also be similar to what Saul saw on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3; 22:6,9,11).

This also must be a glimpse of the type of glory that awaits every faithful Christian, for the Bible makes it clear that our mortal body will be transformed into a body with heavenly splendor (Philippians 3:21; 1 John 3:1-2; 1 Corinthians 15:43). For this brief, splendid moment the three disciples behold “the glory of God in the face of Jesus’ (2 Corinthians 4:6). If the Transfiguration reminded the Jewish reader of the shining face of Moses after his conversations with God on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34:29ff), then how much more the brilliance of the person of our Lord was such that every part of His entire being was radiant. A greater than Moses is here.

9:4 “And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus”: “This is the second encouragement of Jesus. At last He is able to converse with men who really understand and share His aims” (Fowler p. 590).

Why Moses and Elijah and not some other pair, like Abraham and Daniel? It would appear that Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the prophets, and that Jesus is bringing a new covenant, superior to both. It could also be that Jesus is here pictured at the fulfillment of both the Law and the prophets (Luke 24:44). There are some other similarities between Moses, Elijah, and Jesus: A. All three talked with God on a Mountain (Ex. 19:16-19; 1 Kings 19:93

12). B. All three were glorified in some way (Exodus 34:29-35; 2 Kings 2:11f). C. All three had magnificent ends. Moses was buried by God Himself, Elijah was taken by a chariot of fire into heaven, and Jesus would be resurrected and then ascend into heaven. D. All three virtually stood alone against opposition, even from God’s own people during their time on earth.

Another lesson from the appearance of Moses and Elijah is that death, or removal from the earth, is not the final end of one’s place in God’s plan. The disciples should have been reminded that death doesn’t bring man to an end, nor does it necessarily terminate his mission and service to God. God still had missions for Moses and Elijah after they were dead. Heavenly “rest” does not equal boredom or inactivity.

9:4 “Were talking with Jesus”: Among other things, Luke says that they discussed His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31).

Whereas Peter and the apostles had rejected and rebuked Jesus for saying He was going to die in Jerusalem, here Moses and Elijah unhesitatingly discuss His death as in perfect harmony with everything the Law and prophets had taught. This was not only a lesson for the disciples, rather, this was a great encouragement to Jesus Himself, for Moses and Elijah had been delivered from their earthly sufferings, and Jesus was shortly be delivered from His. In addition, “His accomplishment of their salvation would undoubtedly have been on their minds and cause for their gratitude” (Fowler p. 592). Remember, the eternal salvation for Moses and Elijah also depended upon Jesus dying on the cross (Hebrews 9:15).

9:5 “And Peter answered and said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah’”: Both Mark and Luke note that Peter didn’t know what he was saying at this point. Peter also spoke as Moses and Elijah were beginning to leave (Luke 9:33). Apparently, Peter wanted to prolong this experience. He could not let them depart without an effort to detain them, though the best inducement that he could offer was to build three booths, or arbors, made of tree branches for their accommodation. “Even one booth would be too many, if it meant to stay forever on the mount and ignore the world in need” (Fowler p. 595). Seeing that Peter had never seen Moses and Elijah, it could appear that Peter knew who they were because he had been listening to the conversation that Jesus was having with them.

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9:6 “For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified”: Peter impulsively speaks, not fully understanding what he was saying. All three disciples were terrified at the moment, and yet, we need to give Peter credit, he did want to prolong the experience, he wanted to be close to spiritual realities.

9:7 “Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!’”: The Father immediately begins to correct Peter’s misunderstanding. “Clouds often roll against the sides of Mt. Hermon, but the brightness of this cloud and the fear which it produced suggests that it was the Shechinah, or cloud of glory, which was the symbol of God’s peculiar presence (Exodus 13:21,22; 14:9,18; 24:16; 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10)” (McGarvey p. 420). “This cloud radiated the characteristically celestial brilliance with which Jesus was invested” (Fowler p. 597).

9:7 “This is My beloved Son”: This is the Son that I dearly love. “Listen to Him”: Obey Him. “’Listen’ must be given its full sense of obedience. The only true listening known in the Bible is obedient listening (James 1:22-24)” (Gaebelein p.

700). The Father here identifies Jesus as His own Son. In contrast, Moses and Elijah are but servants in God’s house-hold (Hebrews 3:1-5). This event reinforces Peter’s confession in 16:16. Yes, Jesus is more than a prophet, He is God’s Son. Then the Father says, “listen to Him!” In effect, the Father is saying that Jesus is right on course. Jesus is not only who He claims to be, but also He is completely accurate about everything that He says. The Father here identifies the purposes and program of Jesus as His own. “The mission of Jesus, however unworldly, impractical, and seemingly unreasonable, however contradictory to human plans and aims, is well-pleasing to God!” (Fowler p. 598). Here, the disciples are being told that Jesus’ coming death is not an evidence of Divine displeasure or that God had forsaken Him, rather, His suffering and death are part of the Divine plan.

“This order to listen to Jesus intends to be a deliberate and solemn endorsement of all that Jesus had taught, especially concerning His own humiliation and obedience unto death (Matthew 16:21-28). They had been anxious to hear more of what Moses and Elijah had to say; they were commanded to concentrate their attention on Jesus and to yield implicit obedience to Him” (Fowler p. 599).

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Here is one more endorsement of Jesus that He is God’s final spokesman (Hebrews 1:1-2). Listen to Jesus! His words take precedence over the Law and the prophets. Listen to Jesus! We are under the New Covenant, not the Old. 9:8 “And all at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone”: The disciples were so awed by this voice that the instinctive reaction was to hurl themselves on their knees with their forehead touching the ground (Matthew 17:6-8). Jesus then touched them, and reassured them that everything was all right. The disciples had remained in this prostrate position from the moment God spoke to the moment Jesus touched them. As they lifted up their eye, and looked around (Mark 9:8), they saw no one except Jesus. This is really the final reality, the only deliverer is Jesus (John 14:6). Jesus must be allowed to take precedence over everyone and everything else in life (Luke 14:26ff).

9:9 “And as they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to relate t anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man should rise from the dead”: Here the disciples are given an immediate test to “listen to Him”. This very order tests their readiness to listen to Him. “Can they begin obeying instantly? How the other Apostles would have pumped them with questions. The three will obey the Lord faithfully on this point (Mark 9:10). Here is one of those places where conventional human wisdom would have said, “But people must hear about this”. Yet faith will trust that God knows best (Isaiah 55:8-9).

“Silence would also tend to keep them from boasting about the privileged intimacy with glory to which they had been admitted, lest they be too elated by the abundance of revelations (2 Corinthians 12:7). Pride would be a serious problem for these disciples as for the others (Matthew 20:20-28)” (Fowler p. 604).

Mark often mentions that Jesus commanded people to remain silent about what they had seen (1:34; 43-44; 3:11-12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:30).

9:10 “And they seized upon that statement, discussing with one another, what rising from the dead might mean”: They do obey Jesus, they only talk among themselves about a specific statement, “rising from the dead”. At this point they just can’t take the expression literally—they think it must mean something else.

Apparently, the disciples did not think they could freely talk to Jesus about this statement, and instead ask another question.

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9:11 “And they asked Him, saying, ‘Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’”: “They were puzzled by the disappearance of Elijah. They looked upon him as having come to fulfill the prophecy of Malachi (4:5-6), but they marveled that, having come, he should so soon withdraw, and that they should be forbidden to tell that they had seen him” (McGarvey p. 421).

It appears that the scribes may have been arguing that Jesus isn’t the Messiah, seeing that Elijah hasn’t arrived as of yet. The common Jewish view of the time was that Elijah himself would come and morally reform the world, eliminating man’s rebellion against God. The disciples may have been confused by Jesus’ statements and this view, for what purpose would the death of the Messiah serve in a utopian society where rebellion had already been removed? The disciples may have been confused by the order to remain silent. Why not speak openly about Elijah’s appearance? After all, our testimony to having seen him is evidence that he has come and that Jesus is the Christ! Simply seeing Elijah may have triggered this question, which the disciples may have wanted to ask for some time.

9:12-13 “And He said to them, ‘Elijah does first come and restore all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He should suffer many things and be treated with contempt. But I say to you, that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him” 9:12 “Elijah does first come”: The scribes were right about a couple of things.

First, Elijah was coming, and his purpose was restoration, that is restoring the repentant to God. The expression “all things” does not mean that all would be restored, rather, that everything that needed to be restored would be addressed in the preaching of John the Baptist (see Luke chapter 3). Since Jesus here uses the future tense “is coming” and “will restore” this has lead some people to think that Elijah will appear again before the second coming of our Lord, but the words are to be interpreted in connection with the rest of the passage. Why does Jesus use the future tense here if the coming of John the Baptist completely fulfilled Malachi 4:5-6. Fowler notes that Jesus is simply quoting the scribes, their free quotation from Malachi’s book and time, then yet future, is correct. However, what the scribes failed to realize was that the future for Malachi’s predication had already arrived, “but I say to you, that Elijah already came”. Hence Jesus is saying,

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“When the scribes teach that Elijah must come first, they are right, the problem is that they missed him!”

9:13 “They did to him whatever they wished”: “Moral reformation does not mean universal destruction of human freedom to reject God’s will or messengers.

God has no intention of making people to be good who do not want to (a mistake that the scribes made and so do Calvinists and Premillennialists). Even the prophecy of Malachi did not promise unqualified success (Malachi 4:5-6)” (Fowler p. 609). Therefore, seeing that the scribes rejected Elijah (John the Baptist), they should not be shocked by Jesus’ rejection. The rejection of John the Baptist should have prepared the disciples for Jesus’ rejection and death.

At this point in the conversation, Matthew records that the disciples understood that Jesus was speaking of John the Baptist (17:13).

Healing the Demon-Possessed Boy 9:14 “And when they came back to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them”: “These scribes had caught the apostles in one, and perhaps the only case where they had failed to cure, and they were making full use of this advantageous opportunity to discredit Christ and His apostles before the people by asking sneering and sarcastic questions” (McGarvey p. 422).

9:15 “And immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed, and began running up to greet Him”: “Why was the multitude amazed? Most commentators answer that it was because the face of Jesus shone with remaining traces of the transfiguration glory, as did that of Moses (Exodus 24:29), but this can hardly have been so, for it would have been at variance with the secrecy which Jesus enjoined as to His transfiguration…Undoubtedly the amazement show themselves to be poor students to human nature. The multitude had been listening to, and no doubt enjoying the questions of, the scribes. The unexpected appearance of Jesus therefore impressed them with that sudden sense of having been detected in wrong-doing which invariably leads to amazement” (McGarvey p. 423).

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9:16 “And He asked them, ‘What are you discussing with them?’”: “The presence of the teachers of the law so far north in Palestine indicates their concern in monitoring the teaching and preaching of Jesus” (Gaebelein p. 702).

9:17 “And one of the crowd answered Him, ‘Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and stiffens out. And I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it’” According to Mark’s account, the child had a “dumb spirit”, that is an evil spirit that caused not only epilepsy, but also deafness and the inability to speak. The apostles understood that epilepsy could be nothing more than a physical disorder (Matthew 4:24), but this is a case where these physical and mental problems were the result of demon possession. “Beware of that undiscriminating pseudoscholarly talk that affirms that during this time it seems to have been common to attribute various types of physical difficulties to demon possession. It should be obvious because of this that the term demon in the various Gospel narratives may mean a number of different things, mainly bound up with what were otherwise inexplicable human problems” (Fowler pp. 620-621). To argue that the apostles attributed “demon possession” to everything they did not understand, is to argue that the Holy Spirit did not inspire them.

Luke adds, “It scarcely leaves him” (9:38). “Suggests the continual unrest in which the demon kept his victim that the demon never really relinquished his possession of him” (McGarvey p. 423).

9:18 “Your disciples”: That would be the disciples minus, Peter, James and John.

9:19 “And He answered them and said, ‘O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!’” Apparently, this rebuke was addressed to everyone present. “The perverse faithlessness and infidelity of the scribes had operated upon the multitude, and the doubts of the multitude had in turn influenced the apostles, and thus, with the blind leading the blind, all had fallen into the ditch of impotent disbelief. The disbelief of the people was a constant grief to Jesus, but it must have been 9

especially so in this case, for it fostered and perpetuated this scene of weakness, mean-spiritedness, misery, and suffering which stood out in such sharp contrast with the peace, blessedness, and glory from which He had just come” (McGarvey p. 424).

9:19 “Unbelieving”: Matthew adds that Jesus called this generation “perverted” as well (17:17). A lack of faith will twist and corrupt any generation.

9:19 “How long shall I be with you”: “To rescue from the abortive attempts of your faithfulness and to teach you until you understand?” (Fowler p. 625). This isn’t self-pity on the part of Jesus, but rather, a biting and challenging protest against faithlessness of His contemporaries. “He had put up with this nonsense for almost three years now, and He longs for it all to be over. Not intolerable conditions, but intolerable unbelief” (Fowler p. 625). “How long shall I put up with you”: Indicating the weariness that Jesus felt in the presence of unbelief.

Jesus never gives up, yet He is not impressed with the spiritual denseness of the people. “Bring him to Me!”: Be impressed with the confidence and authority found in Jesus. This prompt and decisive action is a direct challenge to all unbelievers present.

9:20 “And they brought the boy to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth”: The demon isn’t going to come out without a fight. In this section we see the true nature of evil. The devil and his underlings don’t have any compassion or sympathy for man. It’s as if this demon wants to get in one last lick. Something to think about: If we disobey God we will end up in eternity with these demons (Matthew 25:41).

9:21 “And He asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood’”: This small detail shows Jesus’ sympathetic concern.

“By causing the long-standing nature of the case and the malignity of it to be fully revealed, Jesus emphasized the power of the cure” (McGarvey p. 424).

9:22 “And it has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him”: Mark has the father saying that this demon is trying to destroy his 10

son (9:22). “Certainly the father means that the unexpected effects of the demonically induced convulsions required that the boy be constantly watched lest such terrible accidents endanger his life” (Fowler p. 621). Apparently, this boy had often been in danger of burning himself, falling into the campfire, or drowning.

For drowning is just as real for a non-swimmer as for one whose body is out of control.

9:22 “But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”: Imagine the audacity of saying to Jesus Christ, “If you can”! No wonder Jesus said, “If you can!” “What do you mean by saying to Me, ‘If you can?’ All the might of the living God is at the disposal of the person who trusts Him!” “If Jesus marveled at the faith of a Gentile which trusted the fullness of His divine power, He also marveled at the disbelief of this Jew which thus coolly and presumptuously questions the sufficiency of that power” (McGarvey pp. 424-425). Be impressed that Jesus still expected this man to believe in the face of the disciple’s failure and the seemingly unanswerable attacks of the scribes. Is this our problem at times?

Do we pray, “If You can do anything”? We might not say those words, but is that what we are really thinking? Compare with James 1:6-8.

9:23 “And Jesus said to him, ‘If You can! All things are possible to him who believes’”: “This passage is no justification for the assumption on the part of some who would take this as an unqualified promise for indiscriminate application, implying that God will automatically bend the universe to suit the fancies of the sincere” (Fowler p. 627). Compare with 1 John 5:14. True “faith” is based on hearing what God has said. “The backing of God is not promised for some screwy idea we cook up and attempt ‘on faith’, because Jesus had not obligated God to deliver anything according to our whims” (p. 627).

9:24 “Immediately the boy’s father cried out and began saying, ‘I do believe; help my unbelief’”: What a great example of humlity. Jesus forced this man to make a decision. So many people want to sit on the fence or be a skeptic. But Jesus doesn’t allow any middle ground, one either believes or not. What a model of repentance! “What insight to call his little faith ‘unbelief’” (Fowler p. 627).

Here we see a tremendous contrast with the scribes. They didn’t want to believe in Jesus, no matter how much evidence He presented. But this man wanted to 11

believe. Do we earnestly desire such faith, or, are we looking for reasons to remain skeptical? He has an overwhelming longing to be all that it is possible for him to be, and this is the kind of faith that Jesus longs to find. This father realized that the faith that he had was imperfect, it was mixed with doubt—he is completely honest!

9:25 “And when Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering”: There had been a crowd during this whole discussion (Mark 9:14), but it appears that even more people were coming to see what was going on.

9:25 “He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again’”: “You deaf and dumb spirit”, means, “the demon that caused the boy to be deaf and dumb”.

Jesus did not address the disease, but the demon. Jesus further expressed His own personal authority, “I command you”. He gave a specific order, “Come out of him and do not enter him again”. We know of demons that return to former victims (Matthew 12:43-45). Fowler notes that the demons, which inhabited the man (named Legion) in Matthew 8:28ff were afraid and cowering. But this demon appears to be defiant, and might just try to enter this young man again.

9:26 “And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, ‘He is dead!’”: Clearly, this demon was not coming out without a struggle. “The malicious effrontery and obstinacy displayed by this demon stands in marked contrast to the cowed, supplicating spirit shown by the Gergesene legion” (McGarvey p. 425). This situation created a momentary tense moment, which gave Jesus the opportunity of lifting up the boy, perfectly and instantly cured. This last step will leave the audience completely breathless and staring in wonder. “He is dead”: Again, the crowd is dead wrong! One more statement of unbelief.

9:27 “But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up”: Matthew adds that the boy was cured at once (17:18).

9:28 “And when He had come into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’”: The failure of the disciples was 12

not because of any insufficiency of power in Jesus. Remember, Jesus had given them power to cast out demons and they had been successful (Matthew 10:1).

Give credit to the disciples, they swallowed their pride and came to Jesus for the answer. Neither were they envious of Jesus and resented the fact that He had made them look bad.

9:29 “And He said to them, ‘This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer’”: First, it appears that the disciples had been arguing more with the scribes than depending and trusting in God’s power. It appears that they might have been more influenced on this occasion by the unbelieving scribes and the unbelieving father, than trusting in God’s power. McGarvey notes, “Prayer was the means of increasing faith. Demons, like spirits in the flesh, have different degrees of will force, some being easier to subdue than others, and this one, being particularly willful and obstinate, required more faith to expel it” (p. 426). It may have been that the disciples had grown self-reliant, supposing that busyness and activity could substitute for humility, prayer, and worship of God. Had they forgotten that the real source of their power was not themselves, but God? Where they shocked when the demon did not go out at the first try? At this point did they immediately give up, instead of praying to God? The disciples did have a good question. Seeing that Jesus had given them authority over demons (6:7), why had they failed? “Apparently they had taken for granted the power given them or had come to believe that it was inherent in themselves. So they no longer depended prayerfully on God for it, and their failure showed their lack of prayer” (Gaebelein p. 704).

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