Mark 9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 9:9-13 – Elijah Has Come

Mark 9:9-13 – Elijah Has Come

|| Matthew 17:14-21;[1] Luke 9:34-42

MK9:9 Now as the descended the mountain Jesus ordered the disciples never to tell anyone[2] what they had seen until the Son of Humankind [Daniel 7:13] was raised up from the dead. MK9:10 So they kept this to themselves,[3] discussing with one another what this ‘rising up again from the dead’[4] meant. MK9:11 Then they asked Jesus: “Why do the Bible Copyists say that Elijah must come first?” MK9:12 Now Jesus answered them:[5] “For a certainty Elijah must come first [Malachi 4:1] and will restore everything. [Malachi 4:5, 6] How is it written regarding the Son of Humankind [Daniel 7:13] suffering many things [Psalm 22:6; Isaiah 53:3] and then being rejected? [Isaiah 53:3; Psalm 118:22] MK9:13 But, I tell you: Elijah has already come![6] And they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it was written.”

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[1] Matthew 17:14-21: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew.

[2] Never to tell anyone: Something like Paul’s own experience. [2 Corinthians 12:4] Peter writes of the experience at 2 Peter 1:16-19.

[3] So they kept this to themselves: This silence on where they went with the Nazarene could have caused the following argument of who was the greatest.

[4] Rising up again from the dead: The subject of the resurrection of Messiah in the Hebrew Bible is obscure and it is only until after Pentecost that Psalm 16:10 is used as the main proof of such. It is likely Isaiah 53:10, 12 also could be used.

[5] Jesus answered them: In his answer, Jesus alludes to several verses from the Hebrew Bible, though these probably escaped the disciples at the time, as it would most Christians today.

[6] Elijah has already come: Jesus’ own inspired interpretation of Malachi applies it to John the Baptist.

 

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Preceding

Mark 9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 9:1-8 – The Transfiguration

Matthew 17:14-21 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Faith the Size of a Mustard Seed

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Additional reading

1. When you believe Jesus is God, do you think he died?
2. When you believe Jesus is God: who do you think is the mediator? #2 Firstborn from the dead our advocate
3. The resurrected Lord

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Related

1. Aug 6, 2021: Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord (B)
2. Coming Down the Mountain
3. A Glimpse of Glory