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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 9:6 mean?

Explanation

The verse Mark 9:6 comes from a scene in the New Testament of the Bible known as the Transfiguration of Jesus. This event is depicted in the Synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

It describes the transformation of Jesus into a radiant figure, holy and exuding divine presence, on a high mountain. The apostles Peter, James and John accompany Jesus, witnessing the episode where Jesus converses with Elijah and Moses, two major Old Testament prophets.

The key figure in this verse is the apostle Peter, who, amidst the overwhelming experience, suggests building three tabernacles (or shelters) for Jesus, Elijah, and Moses.

Peter's reaction is seemingly one of reverence and a desire to honor the holy figures, yet the verse notes that his suggestion is due to not knowing what else to say, because of their intense fear.

The phrase "for they were sore afraid" reveals the dread and awe that the apostles felt in the face of such a supernatural experience.

This verse reflects a moment when divine revelation confronts human understanding, leaving even the closest disciples of Jesus at a loss for words and actions.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Mark is believed to be one of the earliest accounts of the life of Jesus, written around 70 AD.

The Transfiguration event, found in Mark 9:2-10, occurs shortly after Jesus predicts his death and resurrection, and it serves to affirm His divine sonship and authority, reinforcing it in the minds of the key apostles.

During this period, Jewish tradition held great respect for the figures of Elijah and Moses, representing the Prophets and the Law respectively. The presence of these two figures alongside Jesus reinforced the idea that Jesus was the promised Messiah who fulfills the Law and the Prophets.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse and the broader event of the Transfiguration can be interpreted in various ways:

Christological Insight: The Transfiguration provides a glimpse of Christ's divine glory to the apostles, affirming his divine nature along with his human one.
Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus' conversation with Moses and Elijah signifies the continuation and fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies in his mission.
Eschatological Significance: Some theologians see the Transfiguration as a prefigurement of the Second Coming of Christ, where His glory will be fully revealed.

Practical Applications

Mark 9:6 can be applied in daily life by reminding individuals to:

Acknowledge the limits of human understanding in face of the divine or spiritual experiences. 2.

Approach the divine with reverence and humility, accepting that fear and awe are natural responses to God's majesty. 3.

Find comfort in knowing that even the closest disciples of Jesus had moments of uncertainty and fear, demonstrating that faith can coexist with human emotions.

Cross-References

Matthew 17:4: "Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias."
Exodus 33:20: "And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live."
Daniel 10:9: "Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek text of Mark 9:6 include:

"Wist" (ἠΐδει - ēidei): This verb is from "οἶδα" (oida) meaning to know, be aware of or understand.

In the aorist tense, as used here, it indicates a lack of awareness or understanding at a specific moment. 2. "Sore afraid" (ἔκφοβοι - ekphoboi): This compound word comes from "ἐκ" (ek), meaning "out of," and "φόβος" (phobos), meaning "fear" or "terror." Thus, it strongly emphasizes a state of being extremely frightened or terrified.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparatively, the Transfiguration has parallels with other religious traditions where divine or enlightened figures manifest in glorious forms, such as the Hindu concept of "Darshan," where seeing a deity or a holy person is both visually and spiritually significant.

Ancient myths are replete with stories of gods revealing themselves to mortals, often leaving them awestruck or frightened.

Scientific Perspectives

While the Transfiguration is a supernatural event, scientific perspectives would likely examine the psychological aspects of such experiences. Phenomena such as hallucinations or altered states of consciousness might be presented as explanations for visions of this nature.

However, these scientific perspectives do not engage with the theological significance of the event.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators offer varying insights on Mark 9:6:

John Calvin: He saw Peter's reaction as impulsive and misguided, aimed at preserving the glorious moment, but ultimately inappropriate given the context of Jesus' mission.
Matthew Henry: Henry emphasizes the fear of the disciples and suggests that the disorientation caused by their fear led to Peter's confused suggestion.
William Barclay: He notes that Peter's response was a natural human reaction to try and do something, anything, when confronted with the profound and incomprehensible.

Mark 9

Mark 9

What does Mark 9:6 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 9:6 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?