7/17/10 Mark 9:2-13 Encouragement to go forward

MARK 9:2 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. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 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." 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 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. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant.
11 And they asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"
12 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? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him."

Thoughts: Before Jesus went to Jerusalem to die, he received a shot in the arm of divine glory.  Elijah (representing the prophets) and Moses (representing the law) met him.   How did the disciples know they were Moses and Elijah?  They had no name tags, and there is no record of their telling the apostles who they were.  When we get to heaven we will in a similar fashion be able to recognize people.  Moses and Elijah were encouraging him to endure the persecution (they each had endured their own), and that his death and resurrection were all foretold in the law and the prophets.  In a like manner we are often encouraged in life by the law and the prophets (the scriptures) to complete our purpose.  Let us not waver, but boldly serve our Lord as we go forward.

Prayer:  Today, Lord, help me to be encouraged to fulfill your purpose for me.

John Cavlin abridged: I have no doubt whatever that Christ intended to show that he was not dragged unwillingly to death, but that he came forward of his own accord, to offer to the Father the sacrifice of obedience. The disciples were not made aware of this till Christ rose; nor was it even necessary that, at the very moment of his death, they should perceive the divine power of Christ, so as to acknowledge it to be
victorious on the cross; but the instruction which they now received was intended to be useful at a future period both to themselves and to us, that no man might take offense at the weakness of Christ, as if it were by force and necessity that he had suffered.  It would manifestly have been quite as easy for Christ to protect his body from death as to clothe it with heavenly glory.  The idea of three witnesses to this event is scriptural (Deut. 17:6).  God who has bodies and souls in his hand is able to restore the dead to life- as is evident here.


(Mt. Tabor- the Mount of Trransfiguration)