Looking at Mark - The Rest of the Story (Mark 8:31–9:29)

On Wednesday mornings beginning at 10:30 a.m., your friends and neighbors at Sligo Presbyterian Church gather to discuss our faith in Jesus Christ. Currently, we're using the Gospel of Mark as our guide. Pastor Rudiger is leading the discussion and everyone is invited. We’ll be covering the following topics:

• Session 1: Setting the Stage (Mark 1:1-13)
• Session 2: Good Times, Good Times (Mark 1:14-45)
• Session 3: Grey Clouds (Mark 2:1–3:6)
• Session 4: Sharing the Message (Mark 3:7–4:34)
• Session 5: It’s a Miracle (Mark 4:35–5:43)
• Session 6: Taking Sides (Mark 6:1-29)
• Session 7: More of the Same (Mark 6:30–7:23)
• Session 8: “You Are the Christ” (Mark 7:24–8:30)
• Session 9: The Rest of the Story (Mark 8:31–9:29)
• Session 10: Not Their Best (Mark 9:30–10:31)
• Session 11: More of the Same (Mark 10:32-52)
• Session 12: Coming in for a Landing (Mark 11:1-33)
• Session 13: In Contrast (Mark 12:1-44)
• Session 14: What's Coming (Mark 13:1-37)
• Session 15: Beginning to Spiral (Mark 14:1-42)
• Session 16: Son of God (Mark 14:43-15:47)
• Session 17: “for” (Mark 16:1-8)

During our ninth session, Mark began the second half of his gospel with the correction of Peter and the Transfiguration. The passage is below:

Mark 8:31–9:29

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean. Then they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said to them, “Elijah is indeed coming first to restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings 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 about him.”

When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.” He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you are able! —All things can be done for the one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.”