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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 9:4 mean?

Explanation

[Mark 9:4] refers to a pivotal event in the New Testament known as the Transfiguration of Jesus.

In this event, Jesus takes three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John, up to a high mountain.

There, the appearance of Jesus is transformed or 'transfigured' - his face shines like the sun and his clothes become dazzling white.

Appearing alongside him are Elijah (Elias) and Moses, two of the most significant figures in Jewish history.

Elijah was a revered prophet known for his miracles and ascension to heaven without death, and Moses was the lawgiver who led the Israelites out of Egypt and received the Ten Commandments from God.

In the verse, they are "talking with Jesus" which suggests a divine meeting and a conversation that symbolically unites the Law (Moses), the Prophets (Elijah), and the Gospel (Jesus).

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Historical Context

This verse is set in the context of first-century Judaism under Roman occupation.

Jewish expectation for a Messiah was intertwined with the hope of liberation from Roman rule and spiritual renewal.

The appearance of Moses and Elijah with Jesus during the Transfiguration would have been highly significant to Jewish Christians of that time.

Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets, two foundational components of Jewish scripture, and their conversation with Jesus helped to affirm his role as the Messiah who fulfills both the Law and the prophecies.

Theological Insights

The Transfiguration is rich in theological symbolism.

From a Christian perspective, Jesus is portrayed as the fulfillment of the Old Testament , the law given by Moses and the prophecies spoken by Elijah. The presence of these figures together suggests that Jesus is the awaited Messiah that both the Law and the Prophets pointed towards.

Different Christian traditions interpret this passage with slight variations.

For example, the Roman Catholic Church sees this event as a confirmation of Jesus' divinity, while Eastern Orthodox Christianity emphasizes the future Kingdom of God being revealed.

Protestant interpretations often focus on this event as an encouragement for the disciples , and an affirmation of Jesus' mission.

Practical Applications

The Transfiguration can inspire individuals to seek transformation in their own lives, aspiring to a spiritual "mountaintop" experience of understanding and clarity about Jesus' role in their personal faith journey.

The framework of Law and Prophets can remind Christians to balance their spiritual lives by both adhering to the ethical guidelines of the faith and being attuned to the ongoing activity of God as revealed through the narrative of Jesus.

Cross-References

Matthew 17:3: "And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him."
Luke 9:30-31: "And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem."
2 Peter 1:16-18: Where Peter refers to the event of the Transfiguration and confirms the Majesty of Jesus Christ.

Language Study

Elias: This is the New Testament Greek form of Elijah, meaning "Yahweh is God".
Moses: His name in Hebrew is Moshe, which is possibly derived from the Egyptian "son" or "born of", but in Biblical terms, it is associated with the Hebrew word "to draw out", referring to his birth story and role as a leader.
Talking: The Greek word used here is "συλλαλέω" (sullaleō), which means to converse or talk together, denoting a close and direct communication.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Moses and Elijah's appearance with Jesus at the Transfiguration can be compared to other ancient myths where significant figures appear alongside gods or heroes, indicating their importance and blessing.

In Greco-Roman mythology, gods often appear to heroes.

In Eastern religions, spiritual figures are sometimes said to convene in divine assemblies.

Scientific Perspectives

The event described in Mark 9:4 is of a miraculous nature and does not have a direct scientific explanation as it involves supernatural occurrences.

However, the descriptions of bright light and transformation could be discussed metaphorically in relation to the concept of enlightenment and significant psychological shifts in understanding.

Commentaries

Experts and Bible commentators have various interpretations of this verse.

Some suggest that Moses and Elijah represent the living and the dead being gathered together in Christ.

Others focus on the eschatological (end times) significance of Elijah's return as foretold in Malachi 4:5.

Still others consider this moment as a glimpse of Jesus’ divine glory and a testament to the disciples to strengthen their faith for the challenges to come.

Each commentator brings to this verse a layer of analysis that reflects their particular theological tradition and exegetical methodology.

Mark 9

Mark 9

What does Mark 9:4 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 9:4 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?