Mark 9:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him."

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

NASB: But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written of him.'

CSB: But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did whatever they pleased to him, just as it is written about him."

NLT: But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they chose to abuse him, just as the Scriptures predicted.'

KJV: But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

NKJV: But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.”

Peter, James, and John have just seen Jesus transfigured in a revelation of His glory. With Him are Elijah and Moses. Immediately after, Jesus reminds them that He will suffer, die, and rise again. While the trio try to figure out the timetable of Elijah's return (Malachi 4:5–6) with Jesus' prophecies of the hardships the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13–14) must experience, Jesus again drives home the fact that obeying God promises both splendor in heaven and great sacrifice on earth.

Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of Man who will be given authority over the world, will face betrayal and death. Elijah, glorified here, once ran for his life from Queen Jezebel, the evil wife of the weak King Ahab (1 Kings 19:1–2). John the Baptist, the symbol of Elijah's return (Matthew 17:13), whom Jesus declared the greatest man ever born (Matthew 11:11), was assassinated through manipulation by Herodias, the evil wife of the weak King Herod (Mark 6:14–29). Even though Elijah escaped death and was taken to heaven while still living (2 Kings 2:11), he still lived a perilous life. The short-sighted disciples follow Jesus in part to gain glory and honor for themselves (Mark 9:33–34; 10:35–37). They don't seem to hear Jesus' warnings to prepare for a cross before they go looking for a crown (Mark 8:34–38).

John's earthly sufferings do not take away from his honored place, and neither do Jesus'. In fact, their sufferings are necessary and they will be rewarded, as will all believers who face persecution (Romans 8:18).

Mark 9:2–13 occurs six days after Jesus promised that some of the disciples would see God's kingdom with power (Mark 9:1). He takes Peter, James, and John to a mountain where He is transfigured with the glory of God. The presence of Elijah leads the disciples to think the Messiah's earthly reign is imminent, but Jesus reminds them that He will suffer first. The story of the transfiguration is also recorded in Matthew 17:1–13 and Luke 9:28–36.

Mark chapter 9 contains an account of Jesus' transfiguration, where three of the disciples witness Him in a glorified form. In this passage, Jesus also heals a demon-possessed boy. His teachings in this section include a prediction of His death and resurrection, and corrections to the disciples' errors on questions of pride and temptation.

Mark 9 continues Jesus' efforts to teach the disciples who He is, what He has come to do, and what their role is in His mission. The chapter begins with the transfiguration, where Peter, James, and John catch a glimpse of Jesus' glory, and ends back in Capernaum. Jesus spends most of that time teaching. Although the disciples do quarrel with the scribes, the misconceptions and errors Jesus addresses come from the disciples, themselves, not outsiders. In the next chapter, He will leave Galilee and travel toward Jerusalem and the cross.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.