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Mark 9 Bible study: Listen to him
On the mountain the voice said, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him" (9:7). Below, a father cried, "I believe. Help my unbelief!" (9:24). And in 9:41 Mark gives the word "Christ" from Jesus himself for the first time: whoever gives you a cup of water "because you are Christ’s" will "in no way lose his reward".
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“Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, “I believe. Help my unbelief!””
Try it · Did you catch it?
“In Mark 9:32, the disciples were afraid to ask Jesus.”
Is that in Mark 9, or not? Make your call.
What's really going on
He "was changed into another form"
"After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves, and he was changed into another form in front of them" (9:2) (tap changed). "His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them" (9:3). "Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus" (9:4). Peter answered Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" (9:5) (tap tents), and Mark gives the reason: "For he didn’t know what to say, for they were very afraid" (9:6). Then "A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”" (9:7) (tap overshadowing, beloved, Listen). Chapter 1 set this voice beside the one at the Jordan (1:11); what is new here is "Listen to him" (9:7). Then "Suddenly looking around, they saw no one with them any more, except Jesus only" (9:8). Mark doesn't name the mountain, and these notes name none. Mark doesn't say what Elijah and Moses talked about with Jesus; the go-deeper below sets Luke's telling beside Mark's.
Where the Old Testament leads here
Every sacrifice seasoned with salt
Leviticus 2:13leads toMark 9:49-50
"With all your offerings you shall offer salt" (2:13). Jesus said, "For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another" (Mark 9:49-50). Jesus doesn't name Leviticus, and Mark doesn't explain what being "salted with fire" means. His words about every sacrifice and salt stand close to this verse; reading them together is an interpretation.
Honest questions
Questions people ask about Mark 9
- Jesus said that "there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see God’s Kingdom come with power" (9:1). What did he mean?
- In 9:12-13 Jesus speaks twice of what is written: "How is it written about the Son of Man" (9:12) and "even as it is written about him" (9:13). Where?
- "Why couldn’t we cast it out?" (9:28). What does Jesus answer?
- Coming down the mountain, why did he tell them to tell no one "until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead" (9:9)?
That was a taste
The rest of Mark 9 is waiting in Favor
- "I believe. Help my unbelief!"
- Who was the greatest
- Three Gospels on the mountain
- 15 questions as you read
- 12 more Greek words
- A short check at the end
- Your notes, saved as you go
Favor reads the Bible in order, so you'll reach Mark 9 with everything before it in view. First week free, then $10 a month per person.
The Greek word behind it
μεταμορφόωmetamorphoosay met-am-or-FO-o
Thayer: "to change into another form". Strong's: "to transform (literally or figuratively, "metamorphose")". "and he was changed into another form in front of them" (9:2): the WEB's was changed into another form is this one verb. The New Testament has it four times (counted in RP2018): here; in Matthew's telling, "He was changed before them" (Matthew 17:2); and twice in Paul's letters, where the WEB has transformed (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Luke tells the same moment in other words: "the appearance of his face was altered" (Luke 9:29).
For your group
Mark 9 Bible study questions
- 1The father cried, "I believe. Help my unbelief!" (9:24). Where do believing and not yet believing sit side by side for you?
- 2The disciples "didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him" (9:32). What would you like to ask Jesus about that you've been slow to ask?
- 3"If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all" (9:35). What might being "servant of all" look like in this group this week?
Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Mark 9 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.
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Questions
What is Favor?
Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.
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Can I read Mark 9 straight away?
Mark is open from your first day, and its chapters open one after another, so you'll reach Mark 9 with everything before it in view. You can read the text of any chapter in Favor's Look up whenever you like.
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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home