Mark 9: 1-29, Transfiguration and (Un)belief

Jesus has just described a future event, in which he arrives with the angels of God.

Mark 9:1, Kingdom of God comes with power SOON!
And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

This verse almost seems to be an afterthought.  Is it a continuation of the discussion in chapter 8?  Or is it a prelude to what will follow six days later (below)?

Mark 9: 2-8, Transfiguration
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.  His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.  And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

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." (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

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

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

What a strange event!!  This event is often called The Transfiguration since Jesus seems transformed into a dazzling being too bright to be looked at.  But what must it have really looked like? Is Jesus's appearance just beyond ordinary visual perception.  How do the two guests appear? How does our writer know they are Elijah and Moses?  (This was presumably passed on to him by Peter, but how did Peter know?)  

One natural interpretation of verse 1 is that it is a prelude to the Transfiguration, in which Jesus is seen, albeit temporarily, in divine power.

Peter, nervously, offers to get to work and build a shelter.  Good ole Peter.

Mark 9: 9-13, Elijah has come
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. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant. And they asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

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

Jesus seems to be referring to John the Baptist as the precursor to the Messiah called "Elijah".

Jesus's tone has changed.  He is now telling his disciples about the crucifixion.  From here on we are headed for the cross.

Mark 9: 14-19, Disciples cannot heal possessed boy
When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

"What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.

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

"O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."

Mark identifies the problem as the work of an evil (or "unclean") spirit.  Others had said this describes epileptic fits.  Regardless, Jesus is displeased with the disciples' lack of faith here.

Mark 9: 20-24, 'Overcome my unbelief'
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.

Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" 

"From childhood," he answered. "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."

"`If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

I am so much like the father – “I believe, but help me in my unbelief!”  Notice the response of Jesus to this "unbelief" -- he moves on and meets the father's need.

Mark 9: 25-29, Healing and rebuke

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

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

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."

Jesus acts quickly, before the crowd arrives.  What does it mean that "this kind can come out only by prayer"?  What type of prayer?

Next time: In the rest of this chapter Mark records several more events on the road to the cross.