And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

Mark 9:1-13

And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.” Mark 9:12-13

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 9:1-13.  Excerpts from the third (of three) division (vv9-13):

• For the third division, the title is: "Learn from the Suffering of God’s Servants."
•  "[Today's text includes] our Lord’s last command to silence and the only one that receives a time limitation. After the resurrection, proclamation will be the order of the day!" 
• "The “Son of Man” title appeared only twice in the first half of Mark (2:10,28). Now it will occur with great regularity, especially in the context of His suffering (8:31; 9:9,12; 10:33,45; 14:21,41). The title hearkens back to the heavenly man of Daniel 7:13-14[.]" 
•  "Jesus makes a surprising connection. “‘Elijah does come first and restores everything,’ He replied. ‘How then is it written about the Son of Man that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?’” Wow! They did not see that one coming! The same divine Scriptures that predicted the coming of Elijah prior to the Day of the Lord also predicted a suffering Messiah. How did they miss Psalms 16; 22; 110; Isaiah 52:13–53:12? Read the whole of the Old Testament in light of Genesis 3:15, and all of it unfolds from there. The Son of Man will suffer, be treated with contempt, be killed, and then rise from the dead."  
• "As for Elijah, he has come in the person of John the Baptist (see Matthew 17:12-13). They rejected his message and killed him. They will do the same with Jesus. John fulfilled the assignment given to him by God, and so would our Lord. God would faithfully see them through their suffering and greatest hours of trial! Might we not be able to trust Him to do the same for us?!"   

 

 

Peter, James and John could not understand that Jesus would suffer and die - all as part of a divine plan that would ultimately lead to Christ's resurrection and ascension to Heaven.  We as Christians can see throughout redemptive history how others suffered and died on behalf of the mission Christ gives us in Matthew 28:19-20 to share the gospel to all nations.

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My Prayer:  Father God You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  You sent Your Son Jesus to suffer and die so that I could have life now to the full and for eternity in Heaven.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a blessing - the greatest gift of all time.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself energy and wisdom.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”

Mark 9:1-13

And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” Mark 9:7

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 9:1-13.  Excerpts from the second (of three) division (vv5-8):

• For the second division, the title is: "Listen to the Voice of God the Father."
• "In these verses only two persons speak: Peter and God the Father. Jesus does not say a word. He doesn’t need to! Peter’s words we can set aside and even excuse in light of his fear (v. 6) and his being suddenly awakened from a nap (Luke 9:32). We must hear the Father’s words and heed them. Our spiritual lives depend on it."  
• The cloud overshadowing them here in the Transfiguration (v7) is similar to how God "enveloped" the tabernacle as Moses and the priests led worship during Israel's time in the wilderness (Exodus 40:35, 1 Kings 8:10-11).  The commentary also emphasizes how despite Peter suggested how tents should be constructed for Jesus, Moses and Elijah, no such tents are necessary in the presence of God. 
• Of course God's words and exhortation to listen to Jesus echo His words during Jesus' baptism (Mark 1:11).  We are also referred to Deuteronomy 18:15 where God shares a prophecy of a coming Messiah.
• "When the cloud disappears, Elijah and Moses vanish, and “Jesus alone” remains. Moses and Elijah were great revealers of truth along with all the other prophets, but the voice of God commands us to listen to His Son, Jesus. Give Him your ears."

From an earthly perspective, we may claim many physical needs for food, water, shelter, etc. but most importantly we need Jesus.  It is from Him where all provision comes and He saves providing our daily bread and the "living water" and if we drink of this water we will never thirst again (John 4:13-14).

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My Prayer: Father God, You are SO good providing for not just my physical needs but also for my emotional and spiritual needs as You save and You pour out mercies for me daily that overflow and never cease.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You provide and save!  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.

Mark 9:1-13

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. Mark 9:2-3

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 9:1-13.  Excerpts from the commentary's introduction to the entirety of the text and for the first (of three) division (vv1-4):

• The title the entirety of the text (vv1-13) is "A Glimpse of Glory: The Transfiguration of Jesus," and the main idea is "The transfiguration reveals the glorious true identity and deity of Jesus Christ."
• "Although He is not the kind of Messiah Savior the nation of Israel was expecting, He is exactly the Messiah Savior they needed. He looks defeated, but He is actually victorious. He dies and is buried by men, but He will be raised and exalted by God. He looks like a regular dude, but in actuality He is deity!"  
• "The transfiguration is something of “a preview of coming attractions.” It follows Peter’s great confession (Mark 8:27-30), Jesus’ prediction of His death (8:31-33), His call to radical discipleship (8:34-38), and His promise that some standing with Him will see the kingdom (9:1). These events are related."  
• "What happened to Moses in the early stages of redemptive history prefigured a greater Moses, a greater exodus, and a greater salvation. Note the following comparison table (adapted from Garland, Mark, 342)[.]"

 

 

• "A new and greater Moses has arrived, the long-awaited prophet He had promised (Deuteronomy 18:15-20). Yes, Jesus is God’s eschatological prophet. He is also God’s much-loved Son." 
• For the first division, the title is: "Look at the Glory of the Son of God."
• We are exhorted to see how v1 offers great encouragement as Jesus refers to the Transfiguration and later His resurrection as a preview of the full "kingdom of God after it has come with power."  The commentary points to Psalm 104:1 and shares that the Transfiguration represents how via "a brief moment our Lord’s true identity is allowed to shine forth in all its glory. Here is the Christ they will see when He triumphantly comes the second time, to establish His universal kingdom (Revelation 19:11-16)." 
• For a more full understanding of the Transfiguration the commentary refers us to Luke 9:31 where the text shares how Jesus is talking with Moses and Elijah and Jesus talks with them about His death - His pending crucifixion at Jerusalem and how "Jesus would lead the people of God out of the bondage of sin in a new exodus through His death (a new Passover) and resurrection, and He would constitute a new people called the church." 
• We are also referred to Malachi 4:4-6 as the commentary shares: "[w]ith their appearing, the Law and Prophets are signaled as being fulfilled in the coming of Messiah who has brought the kingdom of God near (cf. Mark 1:15). This is not Mount Sinai all over again. No, this is a gospel mountain, not a law mountain. Here the law of God and the grace of God converge in the One who is God incarnate and the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promised. Look at Him and believe His gospel."

Thank You God for the richness of Your Word and for resources such as this commentary for me to better understand important Biblical moments such as the Transfiguration and how the Old Testament and New Testament are connected into a single redemptive Truth that all points to Jesus!

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My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God who loves me and who blessed me with Your Word so that I can know and deepen my love and desire for You.  You saved me while I was still an enemy and hostile to You.  Thank You Jesus.  You continue to bless me richly and I am so not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”

Mark 9:1-13

And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” Mark 9:7

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 9:1-13, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: Jesus is patient with Peter, James, and John, even dealing with their peculiarities (v6) as they - as do all the disciples - struggle to comprehend who Jesus is.  Jesus here - via special revelation - reveals more about Himself to three of the disciples.  Each have a special place in the Bible and church history and God seeks to build them up as leaders of His church by equipping them with what they need to know about Him and giving them confidence and encouragement to perform their roles. Peter will be the foundation of the church (as well as Paul).  Click here and here for how God selected James and John (together with Peter) and for how He equipped them.  The Transfiguration highlights one of Jesus' attributes as Holy and perfect - v3.
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: Our experiences of Jesus often terrify us (v6) - by witnessing His awesome power.  We should live in reverent fear of who God is, and this should drive us into Jesus' arms.  See this post from John Piper who refers to this reverent fear as a "preservative" that keeps us close to Him and prevents us from falling away. 
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We must listen to Jesus - see v7. We must also suffer as Jesus shares He will (and does) - vv12-13.  Paul comforts us by sharing that to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). We are to become Holy because He is holy (see also text here).   

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for revealing Yourself to me through Your Word, creation, etc.  I am not deserving of how You save and reveal Yourself to me - softening my heart to be saved. Thank You Jesus. But I am not deserving of how You save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Mark 8:27-38

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. Mark 8:34-35

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 8:27-38.  Excerpts from the commentary's third (of three) division (vv34-38):

• For the third division, the title is: "You Must Understand and Accept That Jesus Calls You to Die."
• "Jesus lays out the essence of “the normal Christian life,” the basics of discipleship, which sadly in our day looks like “the radical Christian life.” Being Jesus’ disciple requires three essentials."  
• "Deny yourself.  Live as Christ directs.  Treasure and value Jesus more than yourself, your comforts, your aspirations. Put to death the idol of I! Say no to you and yes to Jesus!"
• "Second, take up your cross. Die! Luke 9:23 adds the word “daily” because that is what we must do. This is not normal or natural, but it is necessary to be Christ’s disciple. And it is a slow, painful death.  Finally, follow Me! Are we willing to believe and obey Jesus? It will be radical, not comfortable, because it involves a death to the self-centered life." 
• "Following Jesus involves risking it all—safety, security, satisfaction in this world. But He promises us that it leads to a reward this world can never, ever offer."  
• "Your life is set free to live the normal/radical Christian life when you see death as reward, when you can say with Paul, “For me, living is Christ and dying is gain” (Philippians 1:21)."

Upon some reflection of the text and the commentary today - one can see this as a negative - that we are denying something that we truly want.  Yet the more we understand, know and love Jesus, the more we set our mind on the things of God.  At this point, obedience to God is not a burden (1 John 5:3).  We seek His will because we know God and know that He loves us and blesses us more richly than the world ever will.  John Piper refers to this as Christian Hedonism where God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and blesses richly those who love Him.  You bless beyond anything we could ever imagine.  I am not deserving of how You save and bless.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Mark 8:27-38

But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Mark 8:33

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 8:27-38.  Excerpts from the commentary's second (of three) division (vv31-33):

• For the first division, the title is: "You Must Learn and Affirm the Ways of God and Not Man."
• "The first half of Mark focuses on who He is. The Gospel tells us the King has come! Our response is to repent and believe. The first confession comes from an insider when Peter says, “You are the Messiah!” (8:29). The second half focuses on what He came to do. The Gospel tells us the King must die! Our response is to take up our cross and follow Him." 
• "A King who dies is not what they expected or wanted. It is, however, what they desperately needed." 
• "Jesus begins a new chapter in the disciples’ education. It is time for them to graduate, even if they are not ready."  
• "God’s way will be different from what a world that exalts power would expect: He will suffer, be rejected, especially by the religious establishment, be killed, and rise three days later." 
• "All of this must happen. It is necessary. It is what the Scriptures promised. This is why He came. This is what sin’s payment demands and we cannot provide. This is where the law of God and the love of God will meet! This is where judgment and grace kiss! Rob the word “must” of its meaning, and you empty the gospel and the cross of its glory. God’s ways are often hard but clear."  
• "Peter offers Jesus the crown without the cross. He thinks he has a better plan than God does. Peter wants a Jesus who fits his agenda. He thinks he knows the kind of Messiah Jesus needs to be and attempts to reshape and redefine Him to fit his conception."  
• "No, you and I must learn and affirm the ways of God, not man. You may not fully understand it. It may not be easy or safe. It will, however, be best. In fact, it will be perfect (Romans 12:2)."

A full appreciation of who Jesus is, His ways and thoughts, can only be understood once we get face to face with Him.  Until such a time, we can lean on scripture and prayer to gain as much of an understanding that God wants to reveal to us.  We do know that God seeks humility....it's not about us...we must surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to work through us.  It's His will we seek, not ours.  

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My Prayer: Father God, Your ways are good, true, and perfect.  I know this as I have experienced this in my own life and have seen the work of Your hands.  Thank You Jesus for working in my heart and life.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor how all things work together for good through You.  My sin continues...and it is great.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”

Mark 8:27-38

And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” Mark 8:29

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 8:27-38.  Excerpts from the commentary's introduction for the entirety of the text and for the first (of three) division (vv27-30):

• The main idea for the entirety of the text is: "The normal Christian life involves dying to self that we may find life in Christ."
• Quoting David Platt, the commentary shares:  "[w]e American Christians have a way of taking the Jesus of the Bible and twisting him into a version of Jesus that we are more comfortable with. A nice middle-class American Jesus. A Jesus who doesn’t mind materialism and would never call us to give away everything we have. A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion that does not infringe on our comforts."  
• "This text will provide the answer to three crucial questions: Who is Jesus? What did He come to do? What does He expect of you? It is the beginning of the “Great Discipleship Discourse” (8:31–10:52), in which three times Jesus predicts His passion (8:31-33; 9:30-32; 10:32-34). Immediately following each time, He instructs them concerning true discipleship and what it means to truly follow Him because they just do not get it!"
• "[Jesus] explains what the normal Christian life looks like and what it means to follow a King who came to die and serve, who calls His followers to die and serve as well." 
• For the first division, the title is: "You Must Know and Personally Confess Who Jesus Is."
• "Jesus takes the Twelve north for a time of private instruction. Caesarea Philippi is an unlikely location for the first human proclamation of Jesus as the Messiah. It represents the outer regions of paganism, idolatry, and hostility to the Hebrew faith. We are at a crucial turning point. As Jesus brought gradual physical sight to the blind man of Bethsaida (8:22-26), He will now bring gradual spiritual sight to the disciples concerning who He is and what kind of Messiah He will be." 
•  The commentary emphasizes that as Jesus asks the disciples who He is, this is a question all believers must respond to with the only acceptable answer.  He is Messiah: God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 
• Peter responds accurately, yet later in this chapter Peter is rebuked for setting his mind on things of man vs of God.  
• We are encouraged to "[p]ersonally, publicly, and even proudly declare your allegiance to Jesus proclaiming He is the Son of God, the Messiah, the One and Only Savior of the world."

We must also remember that a critical part of developing this allegiance is to read and study God's Word.  John 1:1 shares how from the very beginning  "the Word was God."  We can attend church on Sundays but this is not enough.  We must develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6) and this is accomplished by reading and studying God's Word.  Romans 12:2 highlights how God renews our mind and sets our minds on the things of God vs man and the world.   

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Thank You Jesus for saving me - I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to accept You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.