Don’t Miss the Main Point Part 1
The Book of Mark
Mark 9:1-13
I. We started last time to look at the Transfiguration of our Lord.
A. This event took place at a very crucial time in the Lord’s ministry.
1. It is at the later end of His ministry.
a) He is at or just over two years into it.
b) He has worked many, many miracles and has touched the lives of countless people.
2. He has now begun to move away from the crowds (although they still gather).
a) His focus is now on His disciples.
b) Preparing them for what lies ahead in the next few months.
3. The events recorded here mark the middle of the book of Mark.
a) Mark like John focuses the majority of his book on the last few months of Jesus life here.
b) The first half of Mark deals with the first 2 yrs.
c) The last half with the few months leading up to the cross and His resurrection.
d) Mark covers the events of the last week of our Lord beginning in chapter 11.
e) John has the same emphasis and his record of the events of the last week of Jesus ministry begins in chapter 12.
f) This structure gives us a clear understanding about what is most important with regard to Jesus’ life.
4. The focus of Jesus life and ministry was the cross.
a) Mk.10:45
b) Jn.12:26 even in His darkest moments He understood this.
B. The last part of chapter 8 of Mark records the beginning of Jesus’ preparation of His disciples for this event 8:31.
1. The disciples didn’t respond very well to this news.
2. They weren’t prepared for Him to die.
3. The crucifixion of Jesus is often called the scandal of the cross.
a) Partly because of the innocence of Jesus.
b) Partly because crucifixion was such an affront to people especially the Jews.
(1) 1Cor.1:18-23
(2) It is no small wonder that the disciples didn’t understand this.
4. Peter ultimately rebukes the Master for such talk and is in turn quickly rebuked by Jesus as being satanic.
C. So you have a mental picture of these men who have received so much information in a very short time that they are in overload and also despair because Jesus had said that the cross was a necessary part of being one of His followers.
D. But God will not leave these men or us helpless and in despair.
E. Jesus assures them that some of them will not die until they have seen Him in all of His Messianic glory 9:1.
F. That assurance was realized about a week later which brings us to our passage.
G. Last time we looked at the participants in the event.
1. The observers – Peter, James and John.
2. The observed – Jesus, Moses and Elijah.
H. Today I want to focus on the event itself.
1. The transfiguration.
2. Peter’s response.
3. God’s instruction
4. The dilemma of Elijah.
II.The transfiguration.
A. The bible says in the book of Hebrews that faith is the essence of things hoped for and the assurance of things not seen.
B. But here we see that God in His compassion and love for His fledgling followers gives sight to their faith for a short time.
C. Luke says that it happened while He was praying.
1. This was a common practice throughout His ministry.
a) At the start of His ministry.
b) When choosing the 12
c) Before Peter’s confession.
D. The mountain was probably Mt. Hermon near Caesarea Philippi.
E. Metamorphysis vs.2.
1. To change the form of someone or something.
2. It is an inside out change rather than an outside in.
(1) It means to give outward expression to one’s inner character.
(2) There is another word Skayma which means to change the outside.
b) Ro.12:2 uses both words
(1) Conformed Skama
(2) Transformed
c) Phil.2
(1) Vs.6 the word is used to refer to Christ both in His pre-incarnate and His incarnate form.
(2) It is referring to His character, His essence.
(3) Vs.8 uses Skayma to describe His outward appearance.
d) The transfiguration was not something that came upon Jesus rather it was Him coming out – revealing His glory to the disciples.
e) This happened right before the eyes of the disciples vs.2b.
3. His clothing also reflected His glory.
a) Became whiter than any launderer could ever bleach them.
b) Oxy clean could not get clothing that white.
c) Matt. says it was white as light and His face shown like the sun.
d) Luke described it as white and glistening.
e) The whiteness was like flashing light or light reflecting off of shiny objects in the sun.
4. This is how God manifest Himself in the OT.
a) Ps.104:2 describes God as being covered by ligtht.
b) When Moses asked to see God’s glory He revealed Himself in light.
(1) Moses was only able to see the glory of God as He passed by him.
(2) Even that partial view caused Moses face to reflect that glory so that he had to wear a veil to obscure it for the people.
c) Dan.7:9“I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
d) Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road Acts 9.
F. The focus of the transfiguration vs.4.
1. Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus.
a) Not about His kingdom.
b) Not about His coming glory.
c) Luke tells us they were talking about His death 9:30-31 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
2. This confirms the OT teaching about the Messiah suffering which the 1st century Jews including the disciples had forgotten about or ignored.
3. Remember we said that Jesus’ purpose for being here was to go to the cross.
4. The disciples have now gone full circle
a) They weren’t in the dark about these things.
b) Jesus own words.
c) Moses and Elijah testify to this.
III. Peter’s response vs.5.
A. Always the impulsive one.
1. Peter felt he had so say something vs.6.
2. They were afraid of what they had experienced.
B. Luke says they were heavy with sleep sort of half in and half out of it.
1. This could have been due to the overwhelming experience that caused them to faint.
2. Or it could be the same sort of apathy that manifests itself in the garden.
C. Luke indicates that they woke up at the very end of the conversation with Moses and Elijah.
D. Peter in his ignorance suggests that they make three booths so that they can all stay there.
1. This suggestion indicates that Peter considered these three to be equals.
2. The interesting thing is that he is still inadvertently doing the work of Satan.
a) Satan’s goal all along is to thwart the plan of God.
b) It started in Genesis chapter three and continues down through the halls of time.
c) Here again Jesus is offered an opportunity to just bask in His glory to forget the cross and enjoy the moment.
d) The gospel writers are very clear that this was totally wrong on Peter’s part.
IV. God’s instruction.
A. As Peter was still making this rash and ignorant suggestion a cloud over shadows them all and God speaks to them directly.
B. This passage is full of OT symbolism.
1. The shining glory of Jesus revealed in light.
2. Moses and Elijah and the clear reference to the Law and prophets.
3. Then God speaking to the disciples from the cloud.
a) This is the primary way that God communicated with the people of Israel in the OT.
b) Ex34:34-38 God led the children of Is. with a cloud and a pillar of fire.
c) 1Kings 8:10-12. And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. Then Solomon spoke: “The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud.
C. God brings the focus of the whole scene back to the core.
1. Have you ever been at an event or some place where there was a lot of activity and many things going on?
a) It is hard to keep your attention on one thing to focus on what is most important.
b) I think of watching an illusionist; there are a lot of things going on which are intentional so that you miss the “turn” where the illusionist switches things around and you are left amazed at his “magic”.
2. The disciples were in that same kind of situation here.
a) They were being hit from all sides by all kinds of input.
b) The blinding glory of Jesus.
c) The appearance of two of the most beloved OT saints.
d) The teaching of Jesus concerning His suffering and death.
e) Their own concept of what the coming Messiah would do.
f) None of it was done to deceive them or to mislead them rather it was for their benefit and instruction that these things were happening.
g) But, they must keep their focus on what the main point is.
h) Peter’s response to the situation was wrong so God the father steps in and redirects their focus to Jesus and what He has been telling them.
D. This is My beloved Son.
1. Confirmation of His authority.
2. He is superior to the OT saints whom the disciples hold in such high esteem.
E. Hear Him!
1. Present active imperative “be hearing Him”.
2. This isn’t a request it is a command.
3. He is the one who has all the answers so shut up and listen to Him.
F. And suddenly they are alone with Him.
V. Conclusion.
A. The disciples were stressed and afraid and confused by the events which had been taking place over the last week or so.
B. They needed to know that the truth that Jesus was teaching them was the most important thing for them to know.
C. Having established His position as Messiah they needed to know that He must go the way of the cross.
D. Most importantly they needed to understand that it was all worth it.
E. The promised glory would come some day despite the suffering which lay ahead.
