2 And after six days doth Jesus take Peter, and James, and John, and bringeth them up to a high mount by themselves, alone, and he was transfigured before them, 3 and his garments became glittering, white exceedingly, as snow, so as a fuller upon the earth is not able to whiten 'them'. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter answering saith to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good to us to be here; and we may make three booths, for thee one, and for Moses one, and for Elijah one:' 6 for he was not knowing what he might say, for they were greatly afraid. 7 And there came a cloud overshadowing them, and there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My Son—the Beloved, hear ye him;' 8 and suddenly, having looked around, they saw no one any more, but Jesus only with themselves. 9 And as they are coming down from the mount, he charged them that they may declare to no one the things that they saw, except when the Son of Man may rise out of the dead; 10 and the thing they kept to themselves, questioning together what the rising out of the dead is. 11 And they were questioning him, saying, that the scribes say that Elijah it behoveth to come first. 12 And he answering said to them, 'Elijah indeed, having come first, doth restore all things; and how hath it been written concerning the Son of Man, that many things he may suffer, and be set at nought? 13 But I say to you, That also Elijah hath come, and they did to him what they willed, as it hath been written of him.'
14 And having come unto the disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and scribes questioning with them,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 9:2-14
Commentary on Mark 9:1-13
(Read Mark 9:1-13)
Here is a prediction of the near approach Christ's kingdom. A glimpse of that kingdom was given in the transfiguration of Christ. It is good to be away from the world, and alone with Christ: and how good to be with Christ glorified in heaven with all the saints! But when it is well with us, we are apt not to care for others, and in the fulness of our enjoyments, we forget the many wants of our brethren. God owns Jesus, and accepts him as his beloved Son, and is ready to accept us in him. Therefore we must own and accept him as our beloved Saviour, and must give up ourselves to be ruled by him. Christ does not leave the soul, when joys and comforts leave it. Jesus explained to the disciples the prophecy about Elias. This was very suitable to the ill usage of John Baptist.
Commentary on Mark 9:14-29
(Read Mark 9:14-29)
The father of the suffering youth reflected on the want of power in the disciples; but Christ will have him reckon the disappointment to the want of faith. Very much is promised to our believing. If thou canst believe, it is possible that thy hard heart may be softened, thy spiritual diseases may be cured; and, weak as thou art, thou mayest be able to hold out to the end. Those that complain of unbelief, must look up to Christ for grace to help them against it, and his grace will be sufficient for them. Whom Christ cures, he cures effectually. But Satan is unwilling to be driven from those that have been long his slaves, and, when he cannot deceive or destroy the sinner, he will cause him all the terror that he can. The disciples must not think to do their work always with the same ease; some services call for more than ordinary pains.