Mark 9:1-50

Hey, there! Welcome to Bold is. Have you ever heard of the transfiguration? Do you know what that word even means? Well, if you have great! If you haven’t, no swear! We have made it our goal to help you learn the Bible verse-by-verse and we started with the book of Mark.It is hard to believe, but we have slowly made our way to chapter 9! If you have not heard the first few chapters of Mark, I highly encourage you to check it out! I cannot contain my excitement any longer -- are you ready to study into Mark 9?!If you are new to our podcast, we are glad you’re here! Real quick, let me explain how our podcast works. I will read a passage of Scripture and then we break it down as we go. I will be reading from the English Standard Version (also commonly referred to as the ESV) today if you are interested in following along.*So, here’s the thing. We don’t really know how long Jesus ministered on earth.  It may have been for 2-3 years or longer. British scholar N.T. Wright argues given that amount of time and the rather limited amount of material we have in the Gospels, Jesus could have said the things recorded in the New Testament many, many times—just think of how often a preacher repeats things from the pulpit to the same audience! *In Mark 9:1 Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”  He also states this in Matthew 16 and Luke 9.  What was He referring to? One Bible commentary lists eight different interpretations!   Some say He was referring to His second coming, some say He is referring to God’s judgment on the Temple, which happened in 70 AD, some say it is His death and resurrection,  and some say He is referring to what is about to happen, the Transfiguration of Jesus. Following N.T. Wright’s point that if Jesus said it once, He may have said it a dozen times or more, so it might mean many things depending on the context BUT in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, He is recorded as saying it right before the transfiguration, so, for now, let’s assume that’s what He was referring to… 2 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, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.  *Notice that Mark records this happened on a “high mountain.”  This is an allusion to Exodus 19-20. God descends on Mount Sinai and forbids anyone to approach except Moses and Aaron to approach.  God then gives the 10 Commandments to Moses, which is the heart of the covenant. Now God is preparing a new covenant where only a few disciples are allowed to witness.  *Jesus is “transfigured” before them into purity showing them who He truly is.  But why Moses and Elijah? In his commentary, James Edwards argues, following Acts 10:43 that it supports the assertion that all the prophets testify to Jesus or, as John 5:39 records, “the law and the prophets testify about me” and Moses and Elijah represent the law and prophets.  BUT, it also may point to the fact that it w