In this section, Mark recorded Jesus' first clear prediction of His passion (8:31), the disciples' reaction to it (8:32-33), and several lessons on discipleship (8:34-9:29).
8:31 Jesus' clear revelation of His coming suffering, death, and resurrection resulted from Peter's confession of faith. The disciples were now ready to receive what would have been completely incomprehensible if they still viewed Jesus as only a political Messiah.
Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man, a biblical messianic title (Dan. 7:13-14; cf. Mark 2:10, 28). This was by far the favorite term that Jesus used to describe Himself in the Gospels. It appears 81 times. In its Old Testament usage this title presented Messiah as coming in glory but also suffering and dying. This title was not as popular as "Messiah"so when Jesus used it people unfamiliar with the Old Testament often did not know what He meant.
Here Jesus revealed that the Son of Man must (Gr. dei) suffer. The popular idea was that Messiah would establish His kingdom without suffering and dying.
"The necessity arises, first, from the hostility of men; secondly, from the spiritual nature of his work, which made it impossible for him to oppose force to force; and thirdly from the providential purpose of God, who made the death of Jesus the central thing in redemption [Isa. 52:13-53:12]."207
The three groups that would reject Jesus constituted the Sanhedrin. The elders were its lay members. They were men of wealth and were the leaders of aristocratic families. The chief priests were the ranking priests and were mostly Sadducees. They occupied a hereditary office and supervised the temple and the sacrificial system. The chief priests included Annas, Caiaphas, and the leaders of the 24 divisions of the priesthood. The scribes or teachers of the law were the approved interpreters of the law, and they were mostly Pharisees. They were the theologians and lawyers of Judaism who were experts in Israel's laws. Together these three groups formed a united front as opponents of Jesus.
Jesus also announced His resurrection "after three days."Mark's readers would have understood this phrase as synonymous with "on the third day"(cf. Matt. 16:21; Luke 9:22).
"Verse 31 is particularly important because it is the only explanation in Mark's Gospel of the messianic secret.' Jesus did not want his messiahship to be disclosed because it involved suffering, rejection, and death. Popular expectations of messiahship would have hindered, if not prevented, the accomplishment of his divinely ordained (dei, must') messianic mission."208
8:32 Until now, Jesus had only hinted at His sufferings (cf. 2:20; 4:33-34; 7:14-15, 17-23). The disciples were unprepared for this clear revelation that Messiah would suffer, die, and rise again. Peter understood it but refused to accept it. He could not reconcile this view of Messiah with the popular one. The word Mark chose to describe Peter's rebuke is a strong one (Gr. epitimao). It is the same one he used to describe Jesus silencing demons (cf. 1:25; 3:12). Peter reacted with "an air of conscious superiority."209
8:33 Jesus spoke His rebuke for the other disciples as well as for Peter. This indicates that Peter was speaking for them. Jesus called Peter Satan because He recognized Satan as the ultimate source of Peter's suggestion (cf. Matt. 4:10). Peter's words had opposed God's will in favor of the popular messianic idea.
Jesus now proceeded to explain to His disciples that suffering would not only be His destiny but theirs too.
8:34 Jesus addressed the crowds as well as the disciples because the requirements are the same for anyone who contemplates discipleship. Some in the crowd were thinking about becoming Jesus' disciples but had not yet made up their minds.
"He stated two requirements which, like repent and believe (cf. 1:15), are bound together."210
One negative requirement is self-denial, replacing one's own preferences and plans with God's priorities and program.211The other positive requirement is following Jesus faithfully and publicly even though that would mean shame, suffering, and perhaps physical death (cf. 1:17-18; 2:14; 10:21, 52).
Four explanatory clarifications follow, each introduced by "for"(Gr. gar, vv. 35-38) plus an encouragement (v. 38). They are appropriate warnings for present disciples and those considering discipleship. For believers they apply to the loss of reward and for unbelievers to the loss of eternal life, salvation. Both types of people were in Jesus' audience when He said this.
8:35 Jesus used the word "life"(Gr. psyche) in two ways in this verse.212In its first occurrence in each clause, "life"refers to one's physical life. In the second part of each clause "it"means the essential person that continues to exist beyond the grave. Likewise "lose"has two meanings. In the first clause it means the loss of reward for believers or the loss of salvation for unbelievers. In the second clause it means loss of physical life.
Jesus meant that if a person wants to retain control of his or her life now, he or she will suffer the loss of something more valuable in the future. Conversely if a person will relinquish control of his or her life to follow God's will faithfully, he or she will gain something of greater ultimate worth.213
"The calm assertion, for my sake,' reflects Christ's consciousness of His unique supremacy which justly claims the absolute allegiance of His disciples. And the gospel's, added only in Mark (cf. 10:29), points to the message which he accepts and propagates at the cost of himself. The two form two sides of one great reality. Christ is known to us only through the gospel, and our adherence to the gospel means our loyalty to Him."214
8:36-37 The psychein these verses means the essential person. It is foolish to preserve one's comforts now because by doing so one sacrifices something of much greater value that God would give him or her. The "whole world"comprehends earthly possessions, position, pleasure, and power--all that the world can provide. Verse 37 stresses the irrevocable nature of the choice.
8:38 "Whoever"means unbelievers or believers (cf. v. 34). For unbelievers living when the Son of Man returns to set up His kingdom, Jesus' being ashamed before the Father will result in their loss of salvation. For believers living then, it will mean their loss of reward. This is the first explicit reference in Mark to Jesus' return in glory. Being ashamed of Jesus, rejecting His claims, has serious consequences.
". . . this conflict between Jesus and the disciples on the way to Jerusalem exemplifies the clash between the values of the disciples and those of Jesus."215
9:1 This verse is the positive truth whereas 8:38 expresses the negative. It concludes Jesus' solemn warnings in this pericope on an encouraging note. Some standing in that mixed audience would not experience death before they saw a preview of the kingdom that the Son of Man would establish after He came in glory (8:38; cf. 2 Pet. 1:16-19). Those individuals were Peter, James, and John (vv. 2-8).
This pericope should warn unbelievers and believers alike. It is also an encouragement to become a disciple of Jesus and to follow Him faithfully. The choice involves eternal loss or gain. This section would have been a special encouragement for Mark's original readers who faced the choice of undergoing persecutions and trials or abandoning their life of discipleship. Suffering and temporary loss would be Jesus' portion, and that would also be the destiny of His disciples. However, His faithful followers would eventually experience glory and blessing as He would.
This event not only fulfilled Jesus' prediction in verse 1, but it also confirmed what Peter had confessed in 8:29. Despite Jesus' coming death (8:31-32) it assured His disciples of eventual glory (8:38). Jesus had just finished addressing a wide audience (8:34). Now He spoke to a very narrow one (v. 2).
9:2-4 Mark's account is almost identical to Matthew's here. He added that Jesus' garments became whiter than any human launderer could make them. This reflects an eyewitness's testimony if nothing else. Perhaps the reference to six days followed by revelation should recall Exodus 24:15-16. Moses was on Mt. Sinai for six days and then God revealed Himself on the seventh. This is the most precise date in Mark's Gospel before the passion story. It also connects this fulfillment with Jesus' prediction in verse 1. Mark placed Elijah in the prominent position (v. 4) probably because he was to be Messiah's forerunner (Mal. 3:1; 4:5).
9:5-6 Mark explained Peter's blunder, in verse 5, more fully than Luke did, in verse 6. Matthew did not give a reason for Peter's words. Again Peter opposed Jesus' sufferings and death, though he was not fully aware of what he was doing (cf. 8:32). He evidently believed that Jesus was going to set up His kingdom immediately.
9:7-8 The heavenly voice assured the disciples that even though the Jews would reject Jesus and the Romans would execute Him, He was still pleasing to the Father (cf. 1:11).216It also helped these disciples understand Jesus' superiority over the greatest of God's former servants (cf. Deut. 18:15; Ps. 2:7; Isa. 42:1). They disappeared, but Jesus remained indicating the end of their ministries in contrast to Jesus' continuing ministry. Listening to Jesus in the fullest sense means obeying Him.
This revelation should encourage every disciple of Jesus. The Son of Man's humiliation will give way to His glorification. He will certainly return to earth and establish the kingdom that the biblical prophets predicted. The faithful disciple can anticipate a glorious future with Him as surely as the beloved Son could look forward to that kingdom (cf. 8:35).
The appearance of Elijah on the mountain led to a discussion of his role as Messiah's forerunner. This conversation developed as the disciples followed Jesus down the mountain.
9:9 Jesus again commanded secrecy (cf. 1:34, 43-44; 3:11-12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:30).217If the multitudes heard about this demonstration of His glory, it would only fuel the fires of popular messianism that created pressure for Jesus to depart from God's will. This is the last command to maintain secrecy in this Gospel. It is also the only one with a time limit. The people the disciples would tell the transfiguration story to would only understand it after Jesus arose from the dead. With His resurrection behind them, they could appreciate the fact that He would return in glory to establish the messianic kingdom.
9:10 The Old Testament taught a resurrection of the dead (Dan. 12:2; cf. John 11:24), but the disciples could not harmonize that revelation with Jesus' statement that He would rise three days after He died (8:31). The whole idea of Messiah dying was incomprehensible to them.
9:11 Rather than asking for clarification about the resurrection issue the disciples raised questions about the larger problem of Messiah dying. If Jesus was the Messiah and He would die, what did the scribes' teaching about Elijah being the forerunner of Messiah mean (Mal. 3:1-4; 4:5-6)? They taught that he would turn the hearts of the people back to God, but Elijah had not appeared and most of the people had not repented.
9:12 Jesus affirmed the scribes' interpretation of the prophecy about Elijah. He went on to explain that that interpretation did not invalidate what He had just predicted about His own sufferings and shameful rejection (Ps. 22; Isa. 52:13-53:12).
9:13 The disciples thought Elijah still had to come, but Jesus explained that he had come. His enemies had done to him what the Old Testament recorded. Jesus was speaking of John the Baptist (Matt. 17:13). The Old Testament passage to which Jesus referred was 1 Kings 19:1-3 and 10. There Ahab, and especially Jezebel, swore to kill Elijah. They "wished"to execute him. This is exactly what "King"Herod Antipas, and especially Herodias, really did to John the Baptist.218
"In this case Scripture had foretold the future not by prophecy but by a type. The fate intended for Elijah (I Kings xix. 2, 10) had overtaken John."219
Evidently Mark did not mention John the Baptist as the fulfillment of this prophecy, as Matthew did, because his identity is obvious to the careful reader. The fulfillment was not complete, however, because someone will come in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare the way before Messiah's second coming (Mal. 4:5; cf. Rev. 11).
This discussion clarified for the disciples and for Mark's readers how Jesus' messiahship harmonized with Old Testament prophecy that seems to contradict it. Disciples of Jesus must have no doubts about His being the Son of Man, especially since they can anticipate testing through suffering for their faith. The importance of strong faith comes through in the next incident that Mark recorded.
This is the last exorcism that Mark recorded. His narration of this story includes more detail than either Matthew's or Luke's. The disciples' lack of glory in this story contrasts with Jesus' glory in the Transfiguration.
9:14-15 Mark did not explain the reason for the crowd's great amazement (Gr. exethambethesan) at seeing Jesus. Since Jesus had forbidden Peter, James, and John from speaking about the Transfiguration it is unlikely that some glorious afterglow caused the crowd's reaction. Probably the nine disciples' failure to cast out the demon followed by Jesus' personal appearance produced their extreme response.
9:16-18 Perhaps Mark alone recorded Jesus' question to stress His humanity. The result of the demons' activity again shows their destructive purpose (cf. 5:1-5). Jesus had given His disciples power to cast out demons (3:15), and they had done so successfully earlier (6:13). This boy showed the symptoms of epilepsy because of the demons' affliction.
9:19 The unbelieving generation included the father and the crowd. The nine disciples could not exorcize the demon because of their weak faith (cf. v. 29). Jesus' first rhetorical question expressed frustration that His presence with them had not resulted in greater faith. His second question reveals the heavy load that their unbelief placed on Him.
9:20-22 Mark's unique record of Jesus' question shows His compassion. Demons had afflicted the boy for several years. Evidently the failure of the nine disciples weakened the father's confidence in Jesus to help his son.
9:23-24 The father thought the crucial question was whether Jesus could heal the boy. Jesus explained that it was really whether the father believed that Jesus could heal him. This pinpointed the father's understanding of who Jesus was. The issue was not how strongly the father believed Jesus would heal his son. This is an important distinction. Modern "faith healers"usually stress the amount of trust that the person coming for help has rather than the object of that trust. Later Jesus revealed that the disciples' failure to heal the boy resulted from lack of trust in Him too (v. 29).
"One who has faith will set no limits to the power of God."220
"But the faith that has such mighty results will submit to the will of God in making its petitions. Faith-prompted prayer asks in harmony with the will of God [cf. John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-24; 1 John 5:11-15]."221
The father voiced his confidence in Jesus, imperfect as it was, and asked Jesus to strengthen his faith.
"He declares that he believesand yet acknowledges himself to have unbelief. These two statements may appear to contradict each other but there is none of us that does not experience both of them in himself."222
He was an unbelieving believer, namely a believer whose faith was weak.
9:25-27 Jesus acted quickly to avoid greater publicity.
". . . the accumulation of the vocabulary of death and resurrection in verses 26-27, and the parallelism with the narrative of the raising of Jairus' daughter [5:39-42], suggest that Mark wished to allude to a death and resurrection. The dethroning of Satan is always a reversal of death and an affirmation of life."223
9:28-29 Evidently the nine disciples were ineffective because they believed that the power to cast out demons that Jesus had given them was now inherent in themselves. It was not. It was still God's power, and it came directly from Him. Therefore they needed to acknowledge their dependence on Him for power to be successful. Jesus' prayer life reflected even Hisdependence on the Father. Some cases require more spiritual power than others, and some demons are stronger than others (Matt. 12:45). Probably later copyists added "and fasting"because fasting often accompanied earnest prayer in the early church, as it did in earlier Judaism.
This incident taught the disciples that they needed to serve God in constant conscious dependence on Him that expresses itself in prayer. Prayer is a discipline that reminds disciples of and expresses their dependence on God. It also reinforced their belief in Jesus as the Messiah who can defeat Satan and so is worthy of glory, as the Transfiguration witnessed.
