MARK

Mark Chapter 9

• Mark 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
• 2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
• 3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
• 4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
• 5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
• 6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.
• 7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
• 8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.
• 9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
• 10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

Verse 1 has puzzled some and have wondered if this meant that some of them that actually stood there would still be alive with Jesus returns. Some have used this verse to mean that the apostle John never dies.

In Dake study notes though, he says simply that this prophecy was fulfilled a few days later when Christ was transfigured as we read in the next few verses. The best thing is always to let the bible interpret itself. They saw in a vision the future kingdom when Christ was visualized before them the way He really is. Still at times I wonder if the true meaning is hidden until the latter days.

Why He chose Peter, James and John, we don't know but they actually witnessed the real Lord and savior in His glory. Maybe the other disciples would have fainted at such a sight. Who knows?

They did see Moses and Elijah. We know Elijah was taken to heaven without dying but we know that Moses died according to scripture. Here we see clearly that Moses' body is all that died. He has not been resurrected yet because Jesus Christ is the first fruits of all resurrections with a new body. Here we see the soul of Moses. Elijah went to heaven without dying so he was still in his natural body. Still Jesus said there would be some that were standing there that would see the kingdom of God with power, so this vision was awesome but it wasn't actually the kingdom coming with power at that time.

Just in passing, a thought crossed my mind that Elijah is an example of being raptured and Moses was an example of being resurrected after dying although neither would have received a new body yet because at this point, Jesus was not yet killed and resurrected. This is just my thoughts. I never limit God in any way and all things are possible. We do know that they saw Moses and Elijah. We can rejoice in that because they are not dead. One of them had his body die but that is all. 

The bible does not teach soul sleep. The soul and spirit do not die. That is the part that Jesus came to save. The soul is capable of going to heaven or hell. Jesus came to save souls from hell and give them eternal life. At His Second Coming, all those in Christ Jesus will receive a new body that cannot die again according to Paul's writing in 1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians.

We shall be changed. The soul is the part that feels. It can feel pain and is aware of its surroundings. I know we like to ignore this part and not think about it but there are actually many souls in hades, a place of torment now because they ignored God's plan to save them or lived wickedly while they were alive in body.

This is not to be taken lightly. If it were not necessary to be saved by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, if there had been another way, God would not have let His beloved Son die such a horrible death. There is no other way. Good works will not save us. We need to be born again by the Spirit of God.

I am not saying that John could not still be alive somewhere. It is traditionally thought that he was the only apostle that died a natural death. I haven't yet read any proof of that so it is possible that God could have taken him without death. We don't know for sure one way or another. Two before him, Enoch and Elijah was taken that way so it is possible.

Here we see sanguine Peter standing up feeling like he has to say something and yet not knowing what to say. He was ready to build houses of worship for all three.

I believe this is the purpose for this vision on the Mount; to show that Moses and Elijah are not the ones to worship but Jesus is. Jesus was God, the other two were not. Salvation comes not by keeping the old law given by Moses but a new living way through Jesus Christ.

Moses and Elijah did what they was supposed to do and Elijah still may have a work to do according to some bible scholars, but the plan of salvation and new covenant comes through Jesus Christ alone. Moses and Elijah looked to Jesus also. Jesus was not just a man. Jesus was the very Son of God and the way of salvation for the entire human race. There is no other way. We can't stress this enough.

There has been some who claim that if a man lived from birth to death without sinning and kept the whole law of Moses perfectly, then he could be saved. If that was possible, who has ever done that? Jesus Christ is the only one that has been able to do that. He kept the law perfectly without sin. He fulfilled the law and even paid the penalty for sinning against the law even though He did not sin against the law Himself. That is why His death can count for us. He actually paid the penalty for our sins.

That is why our faith in Him can bring about our salvation and eternal life. We accept the price He paid. We repent of sins and turn to Him and receive what He did on our behalf. How glorious, how wonderful, no wonder the angels rejoiced at His birth. They knew why He had come.

God spoke and told the disciples that "This was His beloved Son, hear Him".
When their eyes were opened, they saw Jesus only. Jesus is the Way of Salvation.

Again we see for some reason Jesus instructs them not to tell of this event until He is raised from the dead. They wondered at the words, raised from the dead. They could not quite grasp the meaning. Maybe they thought that is had some symbolic meaning instead of a literal meaning.

• Mark 9:11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?
• 12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
• 13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

There is much speculation as to the meaning of these verses. Let us just take the words of Jesus and believe them. John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah as a forerunner of Christ. I realize that before the coming of Jesus a second time there is a mention of two witnesses who precede Him in the book of revelation. Whether this is Elijah and Enoch, Elijah and John, or Enoch and John, we don't really know but we do know what Jesus said. He states that John the Baptist was the Elijah that was to come.

I will add here some of Dake's comments on this subject:
""Referring to John the Baptist coming in the spirit and power of Elijah to do before His first coming what Elijah will do before the second coming (Mt. 17:13; Lk. 1:17; Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1). "

According to Dake and others that I have read, Elijah himself will precede the second coming of the Lord.

There has been some men in the last days who have laid claim to being that Elijah. However, I don't think that any of them could have been Elijah because the rest of the scriptures were not fulfilled in Revelation that was to follow the coming of Elijah. If some that claimed to be Elijah was indeed Elijah, then the Lord would have been here by now. The men that made that claim has long since been dead.

• Mark 9:14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
• 15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
• 16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
• 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
• 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
• 19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
• 20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
• 21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
• 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
• 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
• 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
• 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
• 26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
• 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

Here we see a poor soul possess by a dumb spirit. He could not talk. This was not just a physical defect that caused him not to be able to talk but a demonic force within him. The demon caused the son to foam at the mouth and fall down to the ground. It also caused him to throw himself into water and fire.

The disciple could not seem to help the boy so he was brought to Jesus. Jesus seemed grieved because the disciples could not cast out the evil spirit. He marveled at their unbelief. He states over and over again, that all things are possible to him that believes. Unbelief is the biggest hindrance to prayer. Jesus casts out the devil and commands the devil not to enter any more into the boy.

When the disciples ask why they could not cast out the devil, they were told that this kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. This shows different types of demon spirits. Some stronger than others.

In Matthew Jesus says first that it was because of unbelief that they could not cast out the devil.

• Matthew 17:20 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
• 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
• 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Whether he means that the type of spirit the boy had could not come out without prayer and fasting or he means that the kind of faith that has that kind of power can not come except by prayer and fasting is something to consider here. Fasting and prayer does build faith because it sets us apart from the rest of the world and causes us to concentrate on God alone. The more we talk to God the more we believe in Him.

• Mark 9:28  And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 
• 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

We must not try to explain away faith in God. The word says that if we say to this mountain be removed, it shall be done. Yet, we don't believe that. We try to explain it away. Unbelief is the reason our prayers are not answered according to the word. We try to reason things out by saying, "Maybe it is not the Lord's will." That may sound good but we must stick to what Jesus himself said, "Because of your UNBELIEF." Yet in saying that perhaps that kind of faith only comes by prayer and fasting. Being totally committed to God. There is another scripture that says if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. So God's will does come into play when we pray.

• Mark 9:30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.
• 31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
• 32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Jesus warns and prepares His disciples time and again of what is to happen to Him in the future. He knew that they did not understand now but would remember these things in the future. If we are faithful to God, He will always prepare us for things to come.

• Mark 9:33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
• 34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
• 35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
• 36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,
• 37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

Jesus uses children as a lesson in faith and humility. In fact, in order to be saved one has to humble himself as a child. A child realizes his dependency on someone else to care for him or her. We need to realize that we can't save ourselves but need God's plan of salvation. He uses children to teach that we are not to exalt ourselves one above another but be humble as a little child. If we desire to be greater than others, we will be a servant.