Mark 9:7 Komentář

In this chapter, we have, I. Christ's transfiguration upon the mount (Mar 9:1-13). II. His casting the devil out of a child, when the disciples could not do it (v. 14-29). III. His prediction of his own sufferings and death (Mar 9:30-32). IV. The check he gave to his disciples for disputing who should be greatest (Mar 9:33-37); and to John for rebuking one who cast out devils in Christ's name, and did not follow with them (v. 38-41). V. Christ's discourse with his disciples of the danger of offending one of his little ones (v. 42), and of indulging that in ourselves, which is an offence and an occasion of sin to us (v. 43-50), most of which passages we had before, Mt. 17 and 18.

And he said unto them,.... Both to his disciples, and the multitude, verily I say unto you, there be some of them that stand here; that were then living, and upon the spot, which shall not taste of death, or die, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. When Jesus was declared both Lord and Christ, by the wonderful effusion of the Holy Spirit; the Gospel spread in the world both among Jews and Gentiles, in spite of all opposition, under the power and influence of the grace of God, to the conversion of thousands of souls; and that branch of Christ's regal power exerted in the destruction of the Jewish nation; See Gill on Mat 16:28. This verse properly belongs to the foregoing chapter, to which it is placed in the Vulgate Latin version; and so it concludes one in Matthew, and ought not to begin a new chapter.

And there was a cloud that overshadowed them,.... Jesus, Moses, and Elias, and also the disciples; who, according to Luke, entered into it, and so were covered by it. And a voice came out the cloud, saying, this is my beloved Son, hear him. This was the voice of God the Father, bearing a testimony to the sonship of Christ; and was directed, not to Moses and Elias, but to the disciples, enjoining them to hear and obey him, who was the end of the law and prophets; was the great prophet Moses had spoken of, and was to be hearkened to, and whom all the prophets had testified of, and in whom they all centred; See Gill on Mat 17:5.

In his baptism he identified him, saying: “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” He declared him on the mount, saying: “This is my beloved Son, hear him.” He declared him in his passion, when the sun hid itself, and sea and earth trembled. He declared him in the centurion, who said: “Truly this was the Son of God.”

(Hom. in Matt. 56) The voice proceeded from a cloud in which God is wont to appear, that they might believe that the voice was sent forth from God. But in that He says, This is my beloved Son, He declares that the will of the Father and the Son is one, and that, save in that He is the Son, He is in all things One with Him who begot Him.

It seems to me that this cloud is the grace of the Holy Spirit. Naturally, a tent gives shelter and overshadows those who are within; the cloud, therefore, serves the purpose of the tents. O Peter, you who want to set up three tents, have regard for the one tent of the Holy Spirit who shelters us equally.

Do not set up tents equally for the Lord and his servants. “This is my beloved Son; hear him,” my Son, not Moses or Elijah. They are servants; this is the Son. This is my Son, of my nature, of my substance, abiding in me, and he is all that I am. This is my beloved Son. They, too, indeed are dear to me, but he is my beloved; hear him, therefore. They proclaim and teach him, but you, hear him. He is the Lord and master, they are companions in service. Moses and Elijah speak of Christ; they are your fellow servants. He is the Lord; hear him.

Moses was there, and Elijah. The voice did not say: These are my beloved sons. For One only is the Son; others are adopted. It is he that is commended to them: He from whom the law and prophets derive their glory.

And a cloud overshadowed them. He who sought a material tabernacle received the overshadowing of a cloud, that he might learn that in the resurrection the saints are to be protected not by the covering of dwellings, but by the glory of the Holy Spirit. From which the Psalmist says: But the children of men will trust in the shelter of your wings (Psalm 35). And in his Apocalypse, John says: And I saw no temple in it (Rev. 21), for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." Because they had asked foolishly, they were not worthy to receive a response from the Lord; but the Father answers on behalf of the Son, so that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled. "I do not speak for myself, but the Father who sent me speaks for me" (John V). The voice of the Father speaking from heaven is also heard, bearing witness concerning the Son, and teaching Peter, with error removed, the truth: indeed, through Peter, teaching the other apostles. "This," he says, "is my beloved Son; it is to him that a tent must be built, it is he who must be obeyed. This is the Son; they, Moses and Elijah, are servants. They also must prepare a tent for the Lord within the innermost parts of their hearts, along with you." Indeed, this place in the Gospel agrees with the words of Moses himself, with which bearing witness to the Lord's incarnation he said: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren; you shall listen to him just as you listen to me, according to all that he tells you. But it shall come to pass: Every soul that does not listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people" (Deut. XVIII). Therefore, whom Moses foretold would come in the flesh and should be listened to by every soul that wishes to be saved, God the Father now shows to the disciples as having already come in the flesh and marked him as his Son with a heavenly voice. And as if more clearly expounding the faith concerning his arrival to them, he says: "This man, this is he whom this Moses promised to you would be born in the world many times. Listen to his words according to the commandment of Moses, and command all true lovers to listen." And it should be noted that just as when the Lord was baptized in the Jordan, so also on the mountain where he was glorified, the mystery of the whole Holy Trinity is declared. Because indeed the glory of him which believers confess in baptism, we will behold and praise in the resurrection. And it is not in vain that the Holy Spirit appears here in a bright cloud, as another evangelist mentions, whereas there he appeared as a dove, because those who now keep with a simple heart the faith they have received, will then with clear light behold what they have believed, and they will be perpetually protected by that very grace with which they have been illuminated.

(ubi sup.) Now because Peter sought for a material tabernacle, he was covered with the shadow of the cloud, that he might learn that in the resurrection they are to be protected not by the covering of houses, but by the glory of the Holy Ghost; wherefore it goes on, There was a cloud that overshadowed them. And the reason why they obtained no answer from the Lord was, that they asked unadvisedly; but the Father answered for the Son, wherefore there follows, And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

(ubi sup.) And we must observe, that, as when the Lord was baptized in Jordan, so on the mountain, covered with brightness, the whole mystery of the Holy Trinity is declared, because we shall see in the resurrection that glory of the Trinity which we believers confess in baptism, and shall praise it all together. Nor is it without reason that the Holy Ghost appeared here in a bright cloud, there in the form of a dove; because he who now with a simple heart keeps the faith which he hath embraced, shall then contemplate what he had believed with the brightness of open vision. But when the voice had been heard over the Son, He was found Himself alone, because when He shall have manifested Himself to His elect, God shall be all in all, yea Christ with His own, as the Head with the body, shall shine through all things. (1 Cor. 15:28).

But let us turn our mind also to the mystical contemplation. At the end of this world, which was created in six days, Jesus will lead us, if we are His true disciples, "up a high mountain," that is, to heaven, and will show Himself to us in a most radiant form. Now He appears to us in an inglorious form, as the Crucified One and the Son of a carpenter, but then we shall see His glory as the Only-Begotten; we shall also see the Law and the prophets conversing with Him, that is, what was spoken about Him by Moses and the prophets — then we shall understand and find the perfect fulfillment of their utterances. Then we shall also hear the Father's voice, for the Father will reveal the Son to us and proclaim: "This is My Son." And how will He proclaim this to us? Under the overshadowing of the cloud, that is, of the Holy Spirit, for He is the fountain of life.

Or else it means, that we are to see in glory both the Law and the Prophets speaking with Him, that is, we shall then find that all those things which were spoken of Him by Moses and the other prophets agree with the reality; then too we shall hear the voice of the Father, revealing to us the Son of the Father, and saying, This is my beloved Son, and the cloud, that is, the Holy Ghost, the fount of truth, will overshadow us.

The transfiguration of Christ, and the discourse occasioned by it, Mar 9:1-13. He casts out a dumb spirit which his disciples could not, vv. 14-29. He foretells his death, Mar 9:30-32. The disciples dispute about supremacy, and Christ corrects them, Mar 9:33-37. Of the person who cast out demons in Christ's name, but did not follow him, Mar 9:38-40. Every kind of office done to the disciples of Christ shall be rewarded by him, and all injuries done to them shall be punished, Mar 9:41, Mar 9:42. The necessity of mortification and self-denial, Mar 9:43-48. Of the salting of sacrifices, Mar 9:49; and the necessity of having union among the disciples of Christ, Mar 9:50.

THIRD EXPLICIT AND STILL FULLER ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS APPROACHING SUFFERINGS, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION--THE AMBITIOUS REQUEST OF JAMES AND JOHN, AND THE REPLY. ( = Mat 20:17-28; Luk 18:31-34). (Mar 10:32-45) And they were in the way--on the road. going up to Jerusalem--in Perea, and probably somewhere between Ephraim and Jericho, on the farther side of the Jordan, and to the northeast of Jerusalem. and Jesus went before them--as GROTIUS says, in the style of an intrepid Leader. and they were amazed--or "struck with astonishment" at His courage in advancing to certain death. and as they followed, they were afraid--for their own safety. These artless, lifelike touches--not only from an eye-witness, but one whom the noble carriage of the Master struck with wonder and awe--are peculiar to Mark, and give the second Gospel a charm all its own; making us feel as if we ourselves were in the midst of the scenes it describes. Well might the poet exclaim: "The Saviour, what a noble flame Was kindled in His breast, When, hasting to Jerusalem, He march'd before the rest!" COWPER And he took again the twelve--referring to His previous announcements on this sad subject. and began to tell them what things should happen unto him--"were going to befall Him." The word expresses something already begun but not brought to a head, rather than something wholly future.