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Mark 9

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.

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.

And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

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.

For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

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.

And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?

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.

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.

And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.

And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.

And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?

And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

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.

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.

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.

And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

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.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

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.

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.

But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.

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.

But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

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.

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,

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.

And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

For he that is not against us is on our part.

For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

What does Mark 9:3 mean?

Explanation

The verse Mark 9:3 describes a miraculous event witnessed by three of Jesus' disciples, Peter, James, and John, where Jesus' clothing becomes dazzlingly white, "exceeding white as snow." This event, commonly referred to as the Transfiguration, signifies the revealing of Christ's divine glory to His closest followers.

The description emphasizes the supernatural nature of Jesus' transformation, indicating that the whiteness of his garments was beyond what any cleaner (or "fuller") on earth could achieve.

This transformation is symbolic, highlighting Jesus' purity, holiness, and the manifestation of His heavenly majesty.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

The event of the Transfiguration took place during the time of Jesus' ministry, specifically while He was teaching in Galilee and predicting His death and resurrection.

The location is traditionally identified as Mount Tabor.

The gospel of Mark is generally dated to around 60-70 AD and was written in a Jewish-Christian context, with the audience experiencing persecution and seeking reassurance of Jesus' divinity.

Theological Insights

Different theological standpoints interpret this verse uniquely:

Christological Interpretation: Emphasizes the divine nature of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, showing His glory.
Eschatological Interpretation: Some see the appearance of Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration (as reported in the other verses around Mark 9:3) as representing the Law and the Prophets, with Jesus completing and fulfilling both.
Mystical Interpretation: The verse and event indicate a moment of spiritual revelation, a mystical experience shared by the disciples that affirms the heavenly kingdom.

Practical Applications

The verse can inspire faith in the divinity of Jesus and serve as a call to seek transformative experiences through spirituality.

It may encourage believers to strive for purity and to recognize the possibility of experiencing God's glory in their lives.

It also serves as a reminder that true transformation often exceeds human capabilities and requires divine intervention.

Cross-References

Matthew 17:2 - "And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light."
Luke 9:29 - "And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering."
Revelation 1:14 - "His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire."

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text of Mark 9:3 are important for understanding its meaning:

"Shining" (Greek "stilbōn"): to gleam or flash like lightning, suggesting a radiant intensity.
"White" (Greek "leukos"): bright, light-colored, indicating purity or cleanliness.
"Fuller" (Greek "gnapheus"): a launderer or cleaner, one who fulls cloth, making it whiter and cleaner.

The term suggests that Jesus' transformation is beyond natural processes.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient mythologies and religions, deities often display a change in appearance to exhibit their divinity.

Similar to the story of the Transfiguration, stories in Greek mythology, for instance, have gods like Zeus revealing their glory to mortals.

In religious contexts, white garments are frequently symbols of purity or divine presence, seen in various traditions including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern science understands "whiteness" as the presence of all visible light frequencies combined. The description of Jesus' raiment becoming extremely white could signify an intense light phenomenon.

While science offers explanations of optical phenomena, the supernatural aspect of the event as described in this verse defies scientific explanation and remains a matter of faith.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians have various interpretations of Mark 9:3, but many agree that the Transfiguration serves to affirm Jesus' divine nature.

Matthew Henry's Commentary suggests this moment represents the glory that Christ's human nature would be endowed with after His resurrection.

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary focuses on the practical impossibility of such whiteness, reinforcing the supernatural character of the event.

Most commentaries concur that the white garments symbolize purity and the divine essence of Jesus.

Mark 9

Mark 9

What does Mark 9:3 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 9:3 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?