Mark 9:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

NIV: 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.

NASB: As they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose from the dead.

CSB: As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

NLT: As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

KJV: And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

NKJV: Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Jesus almost always tells those He heals to keep their miracles to themselves (Mark 1:44; 5:43). He also keeps demons and the disciples from identifying His divine identity in public (Mark 1:25; 3:11–12; 8:29–30). Here, He insists Peter, James, and John hold back the description of His glory and God's words. The only significant information Jesus allows to share is that He will be killed and raised again (Mark 8:31).

Part of the reason Jesus keeps the disciples from spreading the word that He is the Messiah is that they don't understand what the Messiah is. They know that the Messiah will rescue Israel. The desire for the Jews to be independent is so strong they try to force Him to be king (John 6:15) and will greet Him in Jerusalem as if He is already king (Mark 11:7–10).

Jesus affirms that this is His due when He refers to Himself as the "Son of Man." The title is from Daniel 7:13–14, a prophecy about "one like the son of man" who will be given dominion over the earth by the Ancient of Days. The disciples don't understand that this is not Jesus' only title.

God has just witnessed that Jesus is the Son of God (Mark 9:7). Jesus is that member of the Trinity who submits His will to God the Father, even as He deserves equal glory and honor (Philippians 2:6–8). But He is also the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. The Jews forfeited their independence when they rebelled against God (2 Kings 21:10–14). The disciples don't yet understand why their God-promised Savior would suffer not for their nation, but for their sins against God.

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.