Mark 9:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

NIV: And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

NASB: And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.

CSB: Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

NLT: Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.

KJV: And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

NKJV: And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

In the Old Testament law, two witnesses were required to prove someone's guilt (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15). Now, God sends two witnesses to validate Jesus' identity. Both Moses and Elijah represent how Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection fulfill the requirements of Judaism (Matthew 5:17). Jesus satisfies the sacrifices and feasts of the Mosaic Law with His death and resurrection. He also fulfills the many Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. Luke 9:31 says they spoke of Jesus' "departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem." "Departure" is from the Greek root word exodos and can mean leaving a situation or a place, finishing and leaving a job, or dying. Jesus eventually does all three.

Moses is one of the most important figures in Jewish history. He was born in the tribe of Levi (Exodus 2:1) but raised by the Pharaoh's daughter in Egypt (Exodus 2:10) while the other Israelites were enslaved (Exodus 1:8–14). God chose Moses to face down the Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promised Land (Exodus 3:7–12). He is the author of most of the first five books of the Bible and he received the Ten Commandments from God (Exodus 20:1–17). Because of his presence here, some think Moses will be one of the two witnesses in the tribulation (Revelation 11:3–13). Others think it will be Enoch, who along with Elijah didn't die but was taken to heaven by God (Genesis 5:24).

Elijah was perhaps the most prominent prophet in the Old Testament. He spent most of his ministry challenging King Ahab and his evil wife Jezebel who ruled the northern kingdom of Israel from about 874 to 853 BC. It was Elijah who challenged the pagan priests to see if Baal or God would respond to their offerings. Baal didn't show, and God consumed Elijah's offering, the wood, and the stones he'd used to make the altar (1 Kings 18). Instead of dying, Elijah was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11), and Malachi prophesied that he would return before the day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5), which makes him scholars' leading candidate for the role of one of the two prophets in the tribulation.

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 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.