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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 9:49 mean?

Explanation

Mark 9:49, "For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt," speaks both literally and metaphorically.

Literally, salt was used in biblical times as a preservative and seasoning, and it was also part of sacrificial rituals.

Fire often symbolizes purification, trials, and judgment.

Metaphorically, being "salted with fire" could refer to believers being tested and purified through trials and challenges in life.

The second part of the verse connects to the requirement in Levitical law that every offering to God be accompanied by salt.

Here, it suggests that a true sacrifice to God is accompanied by enduring faith, paralleling the fidelity and preservation associated with salt.

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Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, salt was highly valued, not only for its preserving qualities but also for its use in covenants as a symbol of loyalty and longevity.

In Jewish sacrificial rituals outlined in Leviticus, salt was included in sacrifices as a symbol of the eternal covenant between God and Israel.

Jesus likely used this concept familiar to his audience to convey a spiritual truth.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints interpret Mark 9:49 differently.

One view suggests that "salted with fire" refers to the refining and sanctifying effect of trials on a believer's faith.

Another perspective is that "salted with fire" is a reference to the final judgment, where the faithful are preserved through the fire of God's justice.

The idea of every sacrifice being salted could imply that all acts of devotion and service to God should be pure and enduring.

Practical Applications

Today, this verse can be seen as a reminder that followers of Christ are expected to endure trials and challenges with a faith that lasts, similar to how salt preserves and enhances flavor.

It's about being a consistent, faithful presence in the world, seasoning the lives of others positively through actions and words.

Cross-References

Leviticus 2:13: "And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt."
Matthew 5:13: "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."
1 Peter 1:6-7: "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text of this verse are "πᾶς" (pas) meaning "every," "ἁλίζω" (halizō) meaning "to salt," and "πυρί" (pyri) meaning "fire." The emphasis on "every one" and "every sacrifice" underscores the universality of this experience.

"Salted" is symbolic of preservation and purification, while "fire" implies trials or judgment.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient religions, salt played a role in rituals and covenants. For example, in ancient Near Eastern cultures, salt was used symbolically in treaties, signifying loyalty and persistence.

In contrast to some rituals that use fire as a destructive force, in this biblical context, fire is seen as a means of purification and the presence of God.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientifically, salt is known as an essential compound for life and has properties that inhibit the growth of bacteria, thus preserving food.

Fire, on the other hand, leads to chemical changes.

Interpreted spiritually, these scientific properties can be analogized to faith being a preserving agent and trials causing transformative changes in an individual's spiritual life.

Commentaries

There is a variety of expert commentary on Mark 9:49.

Some commentators like John Calvin understand the verse as a call to Christian endurance. Others like William Lane suggest that the verse has eschatological overtones, implying that everyone will pass through a trial by fire referring to divine judgment.

Moreover, some scholars like Ben Witherington III seek to harmonize the verse with the broader teaching of Jesus in Mark's Gospel, interpreting the "fire" as emblematic of the trials that are inherent to the Christian life.

Mark 9

Mark 9

What does Mark 9:49 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 9:49 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?