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Book of Mark

Mark 9: 1-13 (The Transfiguration)

1 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”

The Transfiguration
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

9 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. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

Note:
v1 – Jesus was referring to the Apostle John. Since he is the last apostle who will get to live to see the vision of the New Jerusalem at Patmos. The rest of the apostles will face death by being martyrs for Christ. Another possibility is Jesus could be referring to the transfiguration which happened immediately after that. Peter, James and John are the ‘some’ who were able to see the kingdom of God comes with power (the transfiguration, Jesus’ glory, identity and power as the Son of God – 2 Peter 1: 16).

v2 – Jesus took the disciples to either Mount Hermon or Mount Tabor. A mountain was often associated with closeness to God and readiness to receive his words. God has appeared to both Moses (Exodus 24: 12-48) and Elijah (1 Kings 19: 8-18) on mountains.

These few days, church has been focusing about this 40 days significance. After reading the two reference verse, they both has one in common besides what mentioned above. The common thing is both got mention 40 days.

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