Jesus said to them, “I’m telling you, some people standing here will not experience death until seeing God’s kingdom arrive with power.”
Six days later, Jesus took just Peter, James and John, to a tall mountain. He transformed before them. His clothes became a shining white, like no cleaner can whiten. Elijah and Moses appeared, and they talked with Jesus.
Peter said to Jesus, “Teacher, it is good we are here. We’ll make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
Peter did not know what to say because they were frightened. A cloud came, covering them, and a voice came from the cloud that said, “This is my loved son. Listen to him.”
Suddenly, they looked, and there was no one anymore with them but Jesus.
They descended the mountain, and Jesus ordered them to not retell about things they saw until the Son of Man had awoken from being dead. They kept the message to themselves, talking about what waking from the dead meant.
They asked Jesus, “Why are the law experts saying that Elijah must come first?”
Jesus replied, “Elijah does come first, restoring everything. It is written about the Son of Man suffering a lot and disregarded. But I say that Elijah also came and they did to him whatever they wanted, just like it was written about him.”
Returning to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them and the law experts debating with them. As soon as the crowd saw Jesus, they excitedly ran to greet him.
Jesus asked them, “What are you debating?”
Someone from the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought my son to you who has a muting spirit. When it takes hold of him, it throws him, and he froths, grinds teeth and becomes paralysed. I asked your disciples to expel it, but they couldn’t.”
Jesus replied, “Oh, unbelieving people. How long will I be here? Until when will I endure you? Bring him to me.”
The boy was brought to Jesus, and when he saw him, the spirit convulsed him. Falling on the ground, the boy rolled and frothed.
Jesus asked the boy’s father how long since this started happening to him. The father answered, “Since he was a child, it often threw him into fire and water to kill him. But if you can do anything, care for us. Help us!”
Jesus replied, “If I can? Everything is possible for the believer.”
The father yelled out, “I believe! Help my unbelief!”
Jesus then saw a crowd running together. He told off the unclean demon, saying, “Mute and deaf spirit, I order you, leave him and never enter him again.”
The spirit left yelling and convulsing the boy. The boy looked to be dead, so the crowd said, “He’s dead.”
Jesus took his hand and lifted him up, and the boy stood.
Jesus went into the house and his disciples asked him, “Why couldn’t we expel the spirit?”
He answered, “This type can leave by nothing except prayer.”
They left from there, going through Galilee, but he didn’t want people to know, because Jesus was teaching his disciples, telling them, “The Son of Man is being handed over to man’s control, and they will kill him. He’ll awake three days after he is killed.”
The disciples didn’t understand the message and were afraid to ask.
They arrived at Capernaum. In the house, Jesus asked the disciples, “What were you talking about on the journey?”
They were quiet because they had been discussing together about who was better.
Jesus sat, gathered the twelve and told them, “If anyone wants to be first, they are last out of everyone and everyone’s servant.”
Jesus brought a child and stood him in the middle of them, then cradled him and said, “Whoever accepts one child like this in my name accepts me, and whoever accepts me is not accepting me but my sender.”
John replied, “Teacher, we’ve seen someone sending out demons in your name and we stopped him because he was not following us.”
Jesus said, “Don’t stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name can then abuse me. Because whoever is not against us is for us. Whoever gives you a cup of water in my name, because you are Christ’s, I’m telling you he’ll never lose his reward. Whoever trips up one of these children who believe in me, it’s better for them if a millstone is wrapped around his neck and he’s thrown into the sea.
If your hand trips you up, cut it off. It’s better you enter into life deformed than having two hands, going into hell and the eternal fire. If your foot trips you up, cut it off. It’s better you enter into life crippled than having two feet and thrown into hell. If your eye trips you up, take it out. It’s better you enter God’s kingdom one-eyed than have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worms don’t die and the fire does not go out.
Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes not salty, how can you make it salty? Have salt in yourselves and peace with each other.
Mark Chapter 9 Summary
Jesus provides important teachings and performs miraculous acts. He predicts that some present would see God’s kingdom arrive in power. Taking Peter, James, and John to a mountain, Jesus is ‘transfigured’, or transformed. His clothes shining brightly, and Elijah and Moses appear, talking with him. Peter, overwhelmed, suggests building tents for them. A heavenly voice confirms Jesus as God’s beloved son. The disciples are told not to share this vision until Jesus has risen from the dead. They discuss the role of Elijah, with Jesus confirming his importance but emphasising the Son of Man’s forthcoming suffering. Later, a desperate father seeks Jesus’s help for his demon-possessed son, whom the disciples couldn’t heal. Jesus successfully removes the demon, highlighting the power of faith and prayer. He tells of his betrayal and death but also the resurrection after three days. In Capernaum, Jesus teaches about true greatness, using a child as an example. He emphasises inclusive acceptance, warns against causing believers to sin, and highlights the significance of sacrifice and maintaining one’s spiritual ‘saltiness’.
Mark Chapter 9 Bible Study Questions and Answers
- What significance did the appearance of Moses and Elijah have during Jesus’s transfiguration?
Answer: Their appearance symbolised the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah), both bearing witness to Jesus as the fulfilment of God’s plan. - How does Jesus emphasise the importance of faith when healing the demon-possessed boy?
Answer: Jesus stresses that “everything is possible for the believer”, highlighting the power of faith. - Why does Jesus use a child to illustrate the concept of true greatness?
Answer: A child, innocent and humble, represents the humility and purity of heart that believers should have. True greatness in God’s kingdom is not about status but a humble heart and service. - What lesson does Jesus teach by warning against causing believers to sin?
Answer: Jesus discusses the important responsibility believers have towards each other. Causing another to stumble is a serious act, and personal sacrifices may be needed to avoid leading others astray. - What does Jesus mean when he talks about maintaining one’s ‘saltiness’?
Answer: Saltiness represents the preserving and flavourful nature of a believer’s faith and good deeds in the world. Losing it means losing one’s spiritual effectiveness.
Mark Chapter 9 Explained
Mark Chapter 9 presents a series of events that emphasise Jesus’s divine nature, the importance of faith, and the essence of discipleship. The chapter begins with the Transfiguration, an event that not only reaffirms Jesus’s divine status but also bridges the Old Testament (represented by Moses and Elijah) with Jesus’s New Testament mission.
The healing of the demon-possessed boy contrasts the disciples’ lack of power against Jesus’s power. Their inability to heal underscores the gap between association with Jesus and harnessing the power of true faith. Jesus’s response to the boy’s father, “If I can?”, highlights that the real question isn’t about Jesus’s ability but the individual’s faith.
Moreover, Jesus’s repeated predictions of his death and resurrection serve two purposes. Firstly, they prepare his disciples for the traumatic events ahead. Secondly, they emphasise that Jesus’s mission isn’t just about miracles and teachings; it’s centred on the ultimate sacrifice for humanity’s salvation.
Jesus’s teachings on discipleship, using a child as a metaphor, underscore that greatness in God’s kingdom differs greatly from worldly perceptions. It’s about humility, servitude, and innocent faith. Furthermore, the warnings about causing others to sin are warnings about the important responsibilities believers have towards each other.
Lastly, the discussion on ‘saltiness’ serves as a metaphor for the believers’ role in the world. Just as salt preserves and flavours, believers are called to be a preserving force against moral decay and add spiritual flavour to the world. Losing this ‘saltiness’ means losing one’s ability as a disciple.
Overall, Mark Chapter 9 provides teachings on faith, sacrifice, and discipleship, urging believers to embody the core values Jesus emphasises.
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Continue exploring Mark 9
If you’d like to read Mark 9 in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try Mark 9 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try Mark 9 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try Mark 9 in the Contemporary English Version.
If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
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For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version
If you’d like to explore Mark in more depth, here are two commentaries I would recommend:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: Mark
Mark (The Story of God Bible Commentary)
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of Mark (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)
Not My Life 