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Study 13 - Listen to Him!

M ARK CHAPTER 9:2-29

Questions 1. How often do you deal with doubt when it comes to faith issues?

READ Mark 9:2-29

2. Just prior to this passage Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, some who are
standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God, come
with power.” How do his words connect with the transfiguration? So what was
the purpose of the transfiguration?
3. What do the details of the Transfiguration account reveal about Jesus? Why
does Mark tell us about the mountain? Jesus' clothes? Moses and Elijah? The
cloud? The voice from heaven? (see Deut 18:14 - 22)
4. How do we listen to Jesus today? What are some of the more important
things which you have learned from him recently?
5. To what did Jesus refer when he said "Elijah has come, and they have
done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him"? How
would under-standing this reveal to the disciples God’s purposes for Jesus and
themselves?
6. How does the account of the demon-possessed boy connect and flow from the
previous sections?
7. Why does Jesus speak so harshly to the disciples upon learning of their failure
to drive the demon from the young boy?
8. What does Jesus want from the man before he will heal his son? Why are his
words, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” sufficient to meet with a
response from Jesus?
9. What new lessons do we learn about faith from this account?
10. Following his stern words Jesus says to the disciples "This kind only come
out by prayer". What does he mean by this? What lessons are there for us
here and what are some concrete ways you can apply those lessons?

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LEADER'S NOTES M ARK 9:2-29

Main Points Here in Mark's gospel (8:31-10:52) "the primary purpose is to explain what it
means for Jesus to be the Messiah and what it requires to be identified with
him.". In the transfiguration, Jesus is identified as the Messiah who is leading a
second Exodus (a deliverance from slavery). This exodus will be accomplished
by his death. Because this is contrary to popular expectations there is special
need for God to add his approval of Jesus and to call the disciples to listen to him.
They must especially listen to him when he speaks of his destiny. From the
mountain top follows a descent into the valley of the shadow of death. First, in
speaking of the death of John the Baptist ("Elijah has come") there is a
reminder not only that Jesus will die, but that suffering for righteousness sake is
part and parcel of the Christian life. Second, in the account of the demon-
possessed boy we see how destructive are the forces of evil. Only the death of
Jesus can reverse their impact. We also see to what extent the disciples remain
under the power of evil as they continue to manifest unbelief.

Commentary on the 1. How often do you deal with doubt when it comes to faith issues?
Passage and Notes on
the Questions
Approach question.
2. Just prior to this passage Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, some who
are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God,
come with power.” How do his words connect with the transfiguration?
So what was the purpose of the transfiguration?
The connection between Jesus' words in 9:1 and the event recorded in 9:2-8 is
the connection between promise and fulfillment. The transfiguration was a
revelation of the Kingdom come with power. Since glory connotes power, the
divine glory seen in the transfigured Jesus means that on this occasion some of
those who heard the prediction in 9:1 now see God's rule as having come in
power even before the Son of Man's coming in the glory of his Father with the
holy angels. One of the indicators that Jesus' promise in 9:1 is a reference to the
transfiguration is that in each of the gospels which record those words (Matthew,
Mark, and Luke) the account of the transfiguration follows on it's heels.
Therefore, it's obvious that all the gospel writers saw a strong connection
between the two.
A second indicator that the relationship is one of promise and fulfillment is
Peter's reaction. Evidently, he believes that the Kingdom has come in power.
That is probably why he asks them whether or not he ought to set up shelters for
them where they could live permanently. They would then be able to exercise
their rule from the mountain. Peter's belief that the kingdom had come in finality
was mistaken. He had not yet been able to hear Jesus' prediction of his
sufferings and death. However, he did see the kingdom come in power.
As regards the purpose of the transfiguration, one ought to take note that the
event is oriented toward the disciples. It is for their benefit. He was transfigured

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"before them". Elijah and Moses appeared "before them" . The voice spoke for
their ears. The purpose of the transfiguration, at least in part, was to encourage
the disciples with the truth that though many might be ashamed of the Son of Man
(Mark 8:38), he has openly been revealed as the one who possesses the glory of
the Father. He is who he has claimed to be. In the transfiguration, the three
disciples were given a glimpse of what all people will see on the last day when the
Son of Man comes in glory. It reassures them that what Jesus said in Mark 8:38
was true. When things turn bad and Jesus faces death, they need not doubt that
he is the Messiah. Secondly, it encourages them to follow him unreservedly.
He had just told the disciple that his death would serve as the pattern for the life
of his followers. For those of us who follow him and are willing to face ridicule or
suffer or die for him, it is important to know that glory follows suffering. His
vindication and coming triumph provided assurance that they would share in his
glory if they held fast their commitment to him. Finally, it would encourage the
disciples to realize that what Jesus predicts come to pass. The transfiguration can
also encourage us in all these ways. (See question # 9 of Mark lesson 12)
3. What do the details of the Transfiguration account reveal about Jesus?
Why does Mark tell us about the mountain? Jesus' clothes? Moses and
Elijah? The cloud? The voice from heaven? (see Deut 18:14 - 22)
The transfiguration reveals Jesus in his divine glory. It is a supernatural event
reminiscent of OT revelations of God. The event occurs on a high mountain as
did the revelations of God which Moses and Elijah received (Ex. 24; 1 Kings 19).
It is noteworthy that the event is described as happening "six days after" Jesus
promise because Moses vision at Sinai also look place six days after it was
promised (Ex. 24:12-16). The fact his clothes became dazzling white is probably
meant to be an allusion to Dan. 7:9 which is a description of a vision of God in
which "His clothing was as white as snow." Neither Moses nor Elijah shine.
Jesus is singled out and revealed in his deity.
Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus representing the law and prophet's which
witness to Jesus. They are now superseded by him. The fulfillment of all things
has come. This is further identified by the words spoken from the cloud. In
Deuteronomy 18:15 Moses says "The Lord your God will raise up for you a
prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him."
Jesus is identified as that prophet. "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him"
says the voice from the cloud. The voice confirms Jesus’ unique status. This
was none other than the voice of God who often spoke from a cloud in the OT
(Ex.13:21, 19:16; 24:15-18).
The voice admonishes the disciples to listen because until now they had listened
poorly. While Jesus speaks clearly to them of his need to suffer and die, they are
unable to hear it. The voice is pointing to his prediction of death and resurrection
besides his summons to cross-taking. Because the disciples still do not
understand (are unwilling to do so) they are told not to tell anyone about what
they had seen. Not until after the death and resurrection takes place will they
finally begin to make sense of it all. The fundamental purpose of Jesus'

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transfiguration is to reveal the divine glory of Jesus. The Messiah is both God and
man.
4. How do we listen to Jesus today? What are some of the more
important things which you have learned from him recently?
The way we listen to Jesus is by reading the Scriptures as though they were
addressed to us. We must read the Bible in such a way as to allow scripture to
master us rather than putting the emphasis on our mastery of scripture. We must
seek to apply the Scriptures to the concrete details of our life and be ready to do
whatever they ask us to do. Our listening to Jesus in the Scriptures should extend
beyond the gospels to both the Old Testament and the remainder of the New
Testament. The Apostolic writings in particular explain Jesus' life and work.
Jesus commissioned them to speak on his behalf and their writings are every bit
as much his voice as the gospels.
5. To what did Jesus refer when he said "Elijah has come, and they have
done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him"? How
would understanding this reveal to the disciples God’s purposes for
Jesus and themselves?
In Malachi 4:5 we read, "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that
great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the
fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or
else I will come and strike the land with a curse." The expectation of the
Jews was that Elijah must return prior to the Last Day when the Messiah would
come and bring final judgment. The disciples believed this to be the case but
were confused by the fact that they had just seen Elijah but that he had gone
away without conducting his ministry. They therefore deduce that the teachers of
the Law must be wrong, since the Messiah, in the person of Jesus, is present with
them. If the teachers are not wrong, then their belief that Jesus was the Messiah
must be false. They ask Jesus about this.
Jesus confirms the interpretation of the teachers of the law Elijah must come
first. Before going on to tell them that Elijah has already come, Jesus asks a
question which serves to challenge their interpretation of what it means for Elijah
to restore all things. Because the Messiah, who comes after Elijah, must suffer
and be rejected, evidently Elijah's restorative work is something other than the
triumphant display which the disciples expected. If the Messiah must suffer
(Jesus is making reference to Isaiah 53:3) then perhaps Elijah will also suffer. By
asking this reflective question, Jesus seeks to cause the disciples to re-examine
Elijah's role. Only then does he go on to say that Elijah has come. Throughout
Mark's gospel hints have been made that John was the fulfilling the role of the
returning Elijah (Mark 1:2-8, see lesson I; Mark 6:14-29; see lesson VIII).
Here, Jesus makes the identification with greater clarity. Without identifying
John by name, he states in John, Elijah has come. John had done a work of
restoration. He led the people to renewal through repentance and forgiveness.
However, his work did not end in triumph but in suffering. The fact that he
suffered at the hands of Herod and Herodias (Mark 6:14-29) strengthened the
identity of John with Elijah, who in his own ministry was harassed by a wicked

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woman and a weak king (1 Kings 19:2,10). Elijah (John) suffered, just as the
Messiah would suffer.
With this conversation, the way is further prepared for the disciples to expect
Jesus' suffering and also their own suffering. To follow Jesus means that one
walks the way of the cross. Mark's readers would find encouragement in this
exchange between Jesus and his disciples. The persecution that they were
undergoing was to be expected. Jesus and John had suffered and so would they.
6. How does the account of the demon-possessed boy connect and flow
from the previous sections?
This entire segment of Mark's gospel takes one from a literal mountain top
experience to a conversation about suffering then to a place where unbelief is
rampant. It progresses from light to darkness. If Peter had initially believed that
the Kingdom had come in power (9:5), all of his illusions are destroyed. There
can be no mistaking that world is still full of darkness. It is quite possible that the
passage is following the pattern of the passage in Ex. 24 in which Moses
descends the mountain only to find the people engaged in activities of rebellion
and unbelief. If the six day reference was an allusion to Ex. 24, this passage is
likely an allusion to Ex. 24 also.
7. Why does Jesus speak so harshly to the disciples upon learning of
their failure to drive the demon from the young boy?
We are told that the disciples tried to cast the demon out of the boy but were
unable to do so. Evidently, the reason for this is that they did not pray (9:29).
What is implied is that they have stopped depending on Jesus. They failed
because they did not act in sincere faith. The disciples had been tempted to
believe that the gift they had received from Jesus (Mark 6:7) was in their control
and could be exercised at their disposal. This was a subtle form of unbelief, for it
encouraged them to trust in themselves rather than in God. It was ugly and Jesus
would not tolerate it. His rebuke implies that the disciples are in many ways no
better off than the teachers of the law. To refer to them as an "unbelieving
generation" means that they are indistinguishable from unregenerate men who
demand signs but are fundamentally untrue to God.
8. What does Jesus want from the man before he will heal his son? Why
are his words, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” sufficient to
meet with a response from Jesus?
Jesus wants an expression of genuine faith from the man. His statement, "if you
can", expresses unbelief. Perhaps the disciples inability to heal the boy has led
him to doubt whether Jesus himself can do anything to remedy the situation.
What Jesus conveys to the man is that if his son is to be healed, everything
depends upon his ability to believe, and not on Jesus' ability to act.
While Jesus' hands are not tied by the unbelief of people (he has sovereign
power and can do anything he wants), God is pleased to act in response to faith.
God's general requirement for him to act is that faith be present. His character is
such that when faith is not present he is not pleased and will not reveal himself in
power. Though the man confesses that his faith is somewhat wavering, he has

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real faith all the same. In fact, his admission that his faith is imperfect is a way of
confessing his sinfulness and demonstrates how realistic a picture he has of his
condition. Evidently, Jesus is pleased with the man's response.
9. What new lessons do we learn about faith from this account?
We do learn that unbelief is our natural condition. Apart from the work of God in
our life, we resist God and do not trust him. The teachers of the law, the
disciples, and the man himself all testify to this reality. Humanity as a whole is
mired in unbelief. A second thing we learn is that when one finds oneself unable
to believe we are to cry out to God for help. Third, we learn that faith need not
be perfect for God to respond. One popular teaching says that if you ask God for
healing and do not receive it, it is because your faith is imperfect. The man's cry,
"I believe. Help my unbelief." and Jesus' healing of his son is a direct
contradiction of this teaching.
God does not play a game of "cat and mouse" with us in regards to our faith.
He doesn't say, "You almost got it right. Try it again and then maybe I will
respond to you." God demands genuine faith but he knows our weakness and
treats us accordingly. This does not mean that we should not seek to strengthen
our faith. It pleases God for us to express confidence in him and be expectant of
his working in our lives and in our world. Growing in faith is part of our overall
Christian growth and it should be part of our hope that we grow in this virtue.
10. Following his stern words Jesus says to the disciples "This kind only
come out by prayer". What does he mean by this? What lessons are
there for us here and what are some concrete ways you can apply those
lessons?
See Question 7. Prayer is the chief means of declaring our dependence upon
God. Jesus says, “Apart from me you can do nothing." It is primarily in prayer
that we give our assent to this truth. We are called to live lives of radical reliance
on God. It is not good enough to have put your reliance on God in some past
situation. Moment by moment reliance on God is required from us if we are to
combat evil in the world and evil within ourselves.

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