Mark 9:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean.

NIV: They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what 'rising from the dead' meant.

NASB: They seized upon that statement, discussing with one another what rising from the dead meant.

CSB: They kept this word to themselves, questioning what "rising from the dead" meant.

NLT: So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by 'rising from the dead.'

KJV: And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

NKJV: So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

Peter, James, and John most likely hold to the traditional form of Judaism which teaches that God will raise them from the dead at the end of time. What they're confused about is what kind of resurrection could take place only three days after Jesus dies. Like Jews today, they have a tenuous grasp on the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13–14 but completely misunderstand the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. Their experience with kings in Israel's past and Gentile rulers in the near-past and present are far removed from the concepts of service and humility, and do not include the concepts of sacrifice, suffering, death, and resurrection. There is nothing in their worldview that gives context to Jesus' words, and Isaiah 53 isn't yet part of their grasp of the issue.

This is a key verse about how to interpret Scripture. There are three basic ways to read the Bible. One is somewhat naturalistic, which completely rejects the supernatural elements as metaphor or fanciful tales. Thomas Jefferson exemplified this when he cut all the accounts of miracles from his Bible. Another is to spiritualize elements that seem farfetched. People often do this with end-times prophecies such as the rapture and the millennial kingdom, saying the reign of Christ is actually in our hearts, not on earth.

What the disciples will grow to realize is despite Jesus' habit of using parables to explain spiritual truths, most of the biblical text is meant to be understood literally. The miracles were real. The end-times prophecies will come to be. And Jesus is speaking plainly when He says He will be raised from the dead.

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.