Day 37 – Thursday, February 20, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Mark 9

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

The Transfiguration

Matt. 16:28–17:3; Luke 9:27–36

1 And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”² Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. ³ His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. ⁴ And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. ⁵ Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—⁶ because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.⁷ And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” ⁸ Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.⁹ Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.¹¹ And they asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”¹² Then He answered and told them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? ¹³ But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 9:1–13.

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus has just spoken of the need for true disciples to take up their cross and follow Him. Now He makes a promise of some of the disciples living until the revelation of the kingdom of God with power.
• There are speculations as to exactly what that statement meant. Some would suggest that this meant before the second coming of the Lord, but that does not track with the timeline we know to have developed. Most believe that this refers to the kingdom of God showing up on earth as witnessed in the great miracles Jesus performed. Others say that this is somehow connected to the transfiguration that is about to happen, and the appearance of Moses and Elijah show that immortality is given to those who believe in Christ. Either way, they see a tangible example of the eternal life provided for those who believe.
• The transfiguration truly establishes Jesus’ deity and His mission on earth. The narrative is very similar to that of the parallel passage in Matthew 16 & 17.

Demon-Possessed Son is Delivered

Matt. 17:14–21; Luke 9:37–42

¹⁴ And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. ¹⁵ Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. ¹⁶ And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”¹⁷ Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. ¹⁸ And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”¹⁹ He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” ²⁰ Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.²¹ So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”And he said, “From childhood. ²² And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”²³ Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”²⁴ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”²⁵ When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” ²⁶ Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.²⁸ And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”²⁹ So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 9:14–29.

Points to Ponder:

• After leaving the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus encounters a man with a mute spirit. The disciples could not cast out this demon.
• The boy would often be thrown down, foam at the mouth, and gnash his teeth in a rigid state. This resembles an epileptic seizure.
• When Jesus went to the boy, he fell before Jesus. Jesus asked how long this had been happening and the father told him from his childhood. He had often fallen into a fire or into water, as the spirit sought to kill him.
• Jesus told the man that if he believed, all things would be possible. The father replied, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” What a statement of the human psyche. Faith is present, but unbelief lurks nearby, hoping to snatch faith away. He wanted so badly to believe, and asked Jesus for the strength to do so.
• When the people came running to see what was happening, Jesus rebuked the spirit and commanded it to come out and never plague the boy again. The boy convulsed and appeared to die.
• Jesus lifted Him up and he stood. The disciples later asked why they could not cast out the demon. Jesus taught them that some spirits only go out by prayer and fasting.
• Matthew’s account does not have details about Jesus conversation with the father, and only Mark includes the fasting component at the end of the story. Different observations, different details, still consistent.

Jesus Foretells His Death

Matt. 17:22, 23; Luke 9:43–45

³⁰ Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. ³¹ For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.” ³² But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 9:30–32.

Points to Ponder:

• Matthew 17 includes this interaction as well. They left the area near the Mountain of Transfiguration and passed through Galilee.
• They tried to avoid the crowds for this moment. Jesus revealed to the disciples that He was being betrayed into the hands of His enemies to be killed, and that He would rise again on the third day.
• They did not ask questions, but were puzzled as to what Jesus meant.

Attitude of Servanthood

Matt. 18:1–5; Luke 9:46–50

³³ Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” ³⁴ But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. ³⁵ And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶ Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”³⁸ Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”³⁹ But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. ⁴⁰ For he who is not against us is on our side. ⁴¹ For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 9:33–41.

Points to Ponder:

• This passage is contained in Matthew 18 as well. When the group arrived in Capernaum, Jesus asked them what they argued about on the trip home. He knew, but wanted them to bring it up. However, He told them what they were thinking when they remained silent, and then taught them about greatness.
• This parallel to Matthew 18 sees Jesus telling the disciples that those who would be first will be last, and the servant of all. Service precedes promotion.
• He then used a child as an example of the right attitude. He then said that anyone who receives a child (representing someone with no defense and no guile) is accepting Christ as well. He is the defender of the defenseless.
• The disciples then reported that someone not in their group was casting out demons, and that they told this person to stop.
• Jesus pointed out that anyone with that type of faith could not be against Christ. Leave them alone.
• He finally instructs them to accept those who seek to help the kingdom.

Warning About Hell

Matt. 18:6–9

⁴² “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—⁴⁴ where‘Their worm does not dieAnd the fire is not quenched.’⁴⁵ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—⁴⁶ where‘Their worm does not dieAnd the fire is not quenched.’⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire—⁴⁸ where‘Their worm does not dieAnd the fire is not quenched.’

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 9:42–48.

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus moves further into a discussion of children. He states that those who harm children, especially spiritually, will be better off dead. Jesus would not tolerate those who lead others astray.
• He then uses a device called Oriental Hyperbole to illustrate the dangers of sin. He tells them that if their hand or foot causes them to sin, cut it off. If their eye causes them to sin, to pluck it out.
• This is not a literal suggestion, but it a very vivid warning to not sin.
• Sin leads to death and death is spent in hell, where there is no escape.

Tasteless Salt is Worthless

⁴⁹ “For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. ⁵⁰ Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 9:49–50.

Points to Ponder:

• There is a loose parallel in Matthew 4, the sermon on the mount, where salt and light are discussed.
• Jesus alludes to salt here as a seasoning for each Christian. Without the saltiness, or permeating influence, of God in one’s life, they are useless.
• Be salty, and be at peace with one another.
• Lord, help us to reject sin and embrace our role in the Kingdom!

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page.