Chapter 9
9 1 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.”
This points to the redeeming work of Christ. It could also point to the destruction of Jerusalem.
The Transfiguration
2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, …
The inner circle
…and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; …
In the Bible important things happen on mountains. It is where God is encountered and covenants are made.
…and he was transfigured before them, 3 and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
This is an echo and an elevation of Moses on Mount Sinai.
4 And there appeared to them Eli′jah with Moses; …
Representative of the Law and the Prophets.
There is also the idea that both are body and soul since Elijah was assumed, and Moses died and then assumed.
…and they were talking to Jesus.
In the other Gospels we find out that they were talking about his departure (exhodus) and suffering.
5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli′jah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid.
Peter wanted to continue the mountaintop experience.
It was probably around the Feast of Booths too.
7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son;[b] listen to him.”
This is a theophany. The Trinity is present. The Spirit is represented by the glory cloud, the Father speaks in a voice and the Son is Jesus.
8 And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only.
It’s time to go down the mountain.
The Coming of Elijah
9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead.
Jesus continues trying to keep things on the down low.
10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.
Despite everything they had seen, they still had no clue.
11 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Eli′jah must come?”
The Jews understood that before the Messiah came, Elijah would come back (he was assumed into heaven).
12 And he said to them, “Eli′jah does come first to restore all things; and how is it written of the Son of man, that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Eli′jah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”
Jesus is referring to John the Baptist.
The Healing of a Boy with a Spirit
14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd about them, and scribes arguing with them.
In the meantime, people had been picking fights.
15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you discussing with them?” 17 And one of the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; 18 and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”
Jesus’ disciples had been unable to heal this boy.
19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”
Jesus rebukes them.
20 And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus[d] asked his father, “How long has he had this?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.”
This had been a long-lasting condition.
23 And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible to him who believes.”
Jesus calls the father to faith.
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
This is the cry of every believer to have God increase our faith.
25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.”26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
Jesus does what His disciples could not.
28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.”
Here we see a very strong link between prayer, fasting and healing.
Jesus Again Foretells His Death and Resurrection
30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him.
This is the second prediction. Each prediction increases in detail.
Who Is the Greatest?
33 And they came to Caper′na-um; …
Jesus’ base of operations.
…and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest.
This is a repeated pattern in this Gospel. The Twelve seek for their own glory.
35 And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
Jesus turns their notions of greatness on its head.
36 And he took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
Jesus gives an example using a child. This will be repeated once more in the next chapter.
Another Exorcist
38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.”
Why did the disciples do this? Were they afraid that this man was taking glory away from them?
39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. 40 For he that is not against us is for us.
Jesus saw this man as united with them in the fight against evil.
41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.
A great promise.
Temptations to Sin
42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
Jesus gives a serious warning against anyone who would lead others astry.
43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.
Jesus explains that it is better to suffer loss in this life than retain evil in your life and suffer punishment.
45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.
He now goes from hand to foot.
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
…and now eyes. Morally we can apply this to any kind of evil/sin in our lives.
49 For every one will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its saltness, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
Jesus calls them to radical holiness.