Mark 9 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Mark 9:2-8

2 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. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

5 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.’ 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’

8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

A. Find Out:

1. Who did Jesus take with him? v.2
2. What appeared to happen to Jesus? v.3
3. Who appeared with Jesus? v.4
4. What did Peter want to do? v.5
5. What then happened? v.7
6. Who was there when they looked? v.8

B. Think:

1. How did Jesus clearly know something was going to happen?
2. How would you describe Moses and Elijah to someone who had never heard of them?
3. Why do you think Peter spoke as he did?

C. Comment:

Jesus takes only his three leading disciples with him up onto a high mountain away from everyone else. He obviously has a clear purpose in doing this and up on the mountain he suddenly appears transformed as if dressed in dazzling light and beside him appear these two men from past history. Luke’s Gospel tells us they spoke about Jesus’ end in Jerusalem, these two prophets from the past; Moses the Lawgiver who delivered Israel out of Egypt, and Elijah the prophet of power who called the nation back to God and overcame the false prophets of the idol worshipping society. These two have the privilege of arranging with Jesus what will happen soon.

Peter is both terrified and yet thrilled by who he sees, and without thought suggests setting up shelters for them. Shelters are, of course, a sign of permanence. Peter wants to hold onto this time, but God has other plans. He steps in and tells them His Son is far more important and that they should listen to Him. Jesus himself is far more important than any particular spiritual experience we may have had. This is the primary lesson every Christian has to learn.

D. Application?

1. Ask God to help you keep Jesus as the most important person in your life?
2. Thank and praise Jesus today for all that makes Him unique.

Passage: Mark 9:9-15

9 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. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what ‘rising from the dead’ meant.

11 And they asked him, ‘Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?’

12 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? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.’

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

A. Find Out:    

1. When did Jesus say the others could talk of what they had seen? v.9
2. How did they respond to this? v.10
3. What did Jesus say was written about himself? v.12b
4. What did he say about Elijah coming? v.13
5. What were the rest of the disciples doing? v.14
6. How did the people receive Jesus? v.15

B. Think:

1. How do these three disciples cope with Jesus talk about rising from the dead?
2. Why do you think that is?
3. How could verse 13 have been true?

C. Comment:

Coming down from this mountain top experience, Jesus warns the others to say nothing of what has happened until after his resurrection. The three disciples are confused and cannot cope with the thought of being raised from the dead. Despite the fact that Jesus has previously told them about his death and subsequent resurrection, they still cannot take in the reality of it, and start to ask about apparently unfulfilled prophecy in respect of the coming of Elijah.

They have heard that Elijah the prophet has to come before the Messiah (see Malachi 4:5) and he doesn’t seem to have appeared so far, except in this brief episode on top of the mountain. Jesus declares that Elijah, the forerunner, has already come (Matthew 11:14 tells us that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist being the fulfilment of that prophecy) and that in his preaching and baptising has restored many to God in preparation to receive Jesus.

Finally they return to the argumentative teachers of the law and the demanding crowds. All great experiences have to have an end and we have to live in the real world. The contrast is difficult to take!

D. Application?

1. Do we have hearts that are open to receive new things?
2. Do we realise that Jesus is with us wherever we are in the down-to- earth world of the every day?

Passage: Mark 9:16-29

16 ‘What are you arguing with them about?’ he asked.

17 A man in the crowd answered, ‘Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 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.’

19 ‘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.’

20 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.

21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, ‘How long has he been like this?’

‘From childhood,’ he answered. 22 ‘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.’

23 ‘“If you can”?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for one who believes.’

24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’

25 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.’

26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, ‘He’s dead.’ 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’

29 He replied, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer.’

A. Find Out:

1. What was wrong with the man’s son? v.17
2. What was the problem with the disciples? v.18b
3. What was Jesus’ verdict on it all? v.19a
4. What did Jesus say was necessary? v.23
5. What did the man acknowledge? v.24
6. How does this sort of faith come? v.29

B. Think:

1. Why do you think the man had originally had confidence in the disciples?
2. Why did they appear powerless in this situation?
3. What does this teach us about these sorts of situation?

C. Comment:

Previously Jesus had sent the disciples out to heal and to cast out demons. There they had had no problems. Now, they are presented with a demon who does not seem to respond to them. A particular difficulty like this reveals the faith level we are at. For the disciples it was fairly low. Jesus seeks to find the cause of the difficulty.

The key to this particular problem seems to be the length of time this demon had been in residence. This particular evil spirit had been in occupation of this boy since he was very small (this says something about the family he came from!) and in a sense had a long established right of occupation that made him particularly difficult to dislodge.

Prayer, according to Jesus, was the answer here. That may be because when we pray consistently and persistently, we draw closer to the Lord and are more open to hear what He might say about how to deal with it. Jesus, of course, has just come from a mountain top encounter with His Father. Belief is also essential as well, and this comes as we receive God’s word, as we read Scripture and as we listen to Him in prayer

D. Application?

1. Do we need to confess unbelief and ask the Lord to help our belief?
2. Do we have such a relationship with the Lord in prayer that we receive His  directions?

Passage: Mark 9:30-37

30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. 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.’ 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?’ 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.’

36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 ‘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.’

A. Find Out:

1. Why didn’t Jesus want the people with him? v.30,31
2. How did the disciples respond to what he said? v.32
3. What were they later arguing about? v.34
4. What did Jesus say “the first” must be? v.35
5. Who did Jesus use as an illustration? v.36
6. What did he say about them? v.37

B. Think:

1. What was Jesus first teaching his disciples about?
2. What were the disciples more concerned about?
3. How did Jesus’ second teaching in this passage confront that?

C. Comment:

We see, first of all, Jesus trying to avoid other people so that he can have a time alone with the disciples. From now on they are making their way slowly towards Jerusalem and Jesus is explaining to them again what must happen there. He has already spoken to them about this but still they seem unable to take it in. It is perhaps hard for us to comprehend just how difficult it was for them to take in what Jesus was saying, so let’s consider that first of all.

They had been witnessing the most amazing day to day ministry that had ever been seen on earth. To hear Jesus speak about this ending and himself being put to death and rising from the dead was almost impossible for them to take in the light of this ministry. Perhaps in the half understanding of this, they started talking about who was the greatest among them, perhaps because they were considering who should carry on being leader if Jesus did really die!

Jesus, being aware of this, brings some corrective teaching: to be leader you must be a servant! To be a servant means you must be willing to welcome the lowest member of society, and when you do that it will be like welcoming Jesus himself and His Father as well.

D. Application?

1. Do we select in receiving Jesus’ teaching, or open to ALL He says?
2. Are we willing to be servants to all around us?

Passage: Mark 9:38-50

38 ‘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.’

39 ‘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, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 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.

42 ‘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 round their neck and they were thrown into the sea. 43 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. 45 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. 47 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, 48 where

‘“the worms that eat them do not die,
    and the fire is not quenched.”

49 Everyone will be salted with fire.

50 ‘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.’

A. Find Out:

1. Why did the disciples object to the exorcist? v.38
2. Why did Jesus say not to stop him? v.39,40
3. What should happen to one who causes sin? v.42
4. What 3 parts of the body can cause you to sin? v.43-45
5. Where is Jesus warning against? v.43-45
6. What does he say we should have in us? v.50

B. Think:

1. What, in the first part, was the motivation of the disciples?
2. What, in the second part, is Jesus warning against?
3. What was Jesus’ desire for them?

C. Comment:

After being corrected for arguing about who among them was the greatest, the disciples then show further their divisive spirit, by telling Jesus about how they stopped others working who were not with Him. He points out that such people should be encouraged because they are for Him in reality. In fact, anyone who does something because of or for Him will be blessed.

From there Jesus warns them against either putting stumbling blocks in the way of young believers, or of sinning themselves. In a threefold warning he declares they would do better to lose part of themselves rather than sin and end up in hell (which appears to be shown here as an ongoing condition). From describing hell as fire, he says we all need purifying with fire and then moves to speak of salt.

We all need purifying, and on the other hand we all, as Christians, are to be as salt in the world. Without it there is no future for us, but within us it should purify us from grumbling and divisiveness and leave us in a place of peace, to purify the world. We need the purifying effect in us, and we need to be a purifying effect.

D. Application?

1. Are we divisive in the way we view other Christians (? my brand of “church”?)
2. Am I a divider like the disciples were at this point, or is “salt” at work in me?