FRAMEWORKS:
Mark's Gospel Chapter 9
v.1
Continuation
v.2-8
The Transfiguration
v.9-13
Discussion about Elijah Coming
v.14-29
Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit
v.30-34
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time
v.35-37
On being a servant and open
v.38-41
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us
v.42-50
Causes of Stumbling
v.1
Continuation
v.1
(finishing the previous conversation) And
he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing
here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of
God has come with power.”
v.2-8
The Transfiguration
v.2
(Jesus is transfigured) After
six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led
them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was
transfigured before them.
v.3
(i.e. he became ultra-bright) His
clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the
world could bleach them.
v.4
(Moses & Elijah appeared with him)
And there appeared before them Elijah
and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
v.5,6
(Peter suggests shelters) Peter
said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let
us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for
Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
v.7 (the
Father speaks) Then a cloud
appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This
is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
v.8
(then it ends) Suddenly,
when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except
Jesus.
v.9-13
Discussion about Elijah Coming
v.9 (Jesus
forbids sharing this) As they
were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell
anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen
from the dead.
v.10
(the disciples question this) They
kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the
dead” meant.
v.11
(they ask about Elijah coming) And
they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah
must come first?”
v.12
(Jesus confirms it is true) Jesus
replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores
all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must
suffer much and be rejected?
v.13
(he speaks about John the Baptist) But
I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything
they wished, just as it is written about him.”
v.14-29
Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit
v.14
(on return they are greeted by an arguing crowd)
When they came to the other disciples,
they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law
arguing with them.
v.15
(the crowd run to greet him) As
soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder
and ran to greet him.
v.16
(he asks them the cause of the argument) “What
are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
v.17,18
(a father tells of the disciples being unable to
deliver his possessed son) A
man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who
is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.
Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams
at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your
disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
v.19
(Jesus chides his disciples) “You
unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long
shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring
the boy to me.”
v.20
(the demon convulses the boy) So
they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw
the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around,
foaming at the mouth.
v.21,22
(Jesus asks for further details) Jesus
asked the boy's father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him
into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take
pity on us and help us.”
v.23
(Jesus challenges his faith) “‘If
you can'?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for
one who believes.”
v.24 (the
father asks for help to believe) Immediately
the boy's father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my
unbelief!”
v.25
(Jesus commands the spirit to leave) When
Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked
the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he
said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him
again.”
v.26
(the spirit leaves, the boy looks dead) The
spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy
looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He's dead.”
v.27
(Jesus raises the boy up) But
Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he
stood up.
v.28
(the disciples ask about their inability) After
Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why
couldn't we drive it out?”
v.29
(Jesus suggests powerful prayer) He
replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
v.30-34
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time
v.30,31
(Jesus seeks anonymity while teaching his disciples)
They left that place and passed through
Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were,
because he was teaching his disciples.
v.31
(he speaks of his coming death) He
said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered
into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three
days he will rise.”
v.32
(they struggle to believe him) But
they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to
ask him about it.
v.33 (on
arrival in Capernaum he asks about their arguing along the way)
They came to Capernaum. When
he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you
arguing about on the road?”
v.34
(they stay quiet feeling bad about arguing who was
the greatest) But they kept quiet because
on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
v.35-37
On being a servant and open
v.35
(Jesus teaches about servant humility) Sitting
down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants
to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
v.36
(he uses a child as an example) He
took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child
in his arms, he said to them,
v.37
(welcoming a child = welcoming Jesus) “Whoever
welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me;
and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent
me.”
v.38-41
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us
v.38
(John speaks of someone else delivering demons)
“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone
driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because
he was not one of us.”
v.39-41
(Jesus says it is OK. Anyone doing good in his name
is fine) “Do not stop
him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name
can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever
is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives
you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah
will certainly not lose their reward.
v.42-50
Causes of Stumbling
v.42
(warning against undermining the simple faith of
children) “If anyone causes
one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it
would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around
their neck and they were thrown into the sea.
v.43-47
(a challenge to remove anything from your life that
might pull you down) If your
hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for
you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where
the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut
it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have
two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes
you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter
the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown
into hell,
v.48
(the destructive nature of hell) where
“‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not
quenched.' [Isa
66:24]
v.49
(the purifying work of God) Everyone
will be salted with fire.
v.50
(be purified) “Salt
is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty
again? Have salt among yourselves and be at peace with
each other.”
Continue
to Chapter 10