Mark 9:1-2
View From the Mountain
Mark 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say
unto you, That there be some of them that stand
here, which shall not taste of death, till they
have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
2 And after six days…
Notice the phrase in verse 2, "And after six days…." Tonight, we are
finishing our study of an event that started in \\#Mark 8:27\\. I say
that because that phrase ties the two events together.
In the last chapter, Peter identified Jesus as the Christ, the
anointed One, the Messiah. In this chapter, His identity is visually
proven. \\#Mark 9:1\\ record the words spoken by Jesus while they
were still in Caesarea Philippi. \\#Mark 9:2\\ takes place six days
later and presumably at another location, but the transfiguration was
the visual proof that Jesus was the Christ.
The Bible does not say where Jesus and the disciples were at this
time. It only speaks of the location as a "high mountain." Most
people enjoy the view from high places, and it is obvious that Jesus
took the disciples to the top of this high mountain to show them
something. Let’s spend a few moments discussing the view.
I. From this high mountain, Jesus could see the cross.
A. I mentioned last week that it was at Caesarea Philippi that a
determination came over Jesus. A determination that was
obvious to those traveling with Him.
1. Mark said it this way.
Mark 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the
Son of man must suffer many things, and be
rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests,
and scribes, and be killed, and after three days
rise again.
2. Luke said it this way:
Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was
come that he should be received up, he stedfastly
set his face to go to Jerusalem,
3. Isaiah prophesied it this way:
Isaiah 50:7 For the Lord GOD will help me;
therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore
have I set my face like a flint, and I know that
I shall not be ashamed.
B. From this point forward, Jesus would move toward Jerusalem
with an unstoppable determination.
1. When we last studied through the gospel of Luke, I spoke
of this final journey as Jesus’ Farewell Tour.
2. It will take Jesus a while to get to Jerusalem.
3. I do not know how long.
4. From what all the gospel writers wrote, I would say that
Jesus made many turns on His last crusade: crossing and
crisscrossing the nation of Israel to be certain He gave
as many opportunities as possible for the people to see
and to hear Him.
5. But from Caesarea Philippi, Jesus had one destination on
His mind. From the top of this mountain, Jesus saw the
cross.
C. However, for Jesus to see the cross from this high mountain,
He also had to see the condition of mankind from it.
1. I do not mean to make the cross sound like a vacation
spot, some place of fun and relaxation that Jesus fully
determined to attend.
2. No. The cross was far from that.
a. Jesus described what would happen in Mark 8:31.
(1) Jesus would suffer many things.
(2) He would be rejected of the elders, the chief
priests, and the scribes.
(a) The "elders" were the political leaders of
Israel.
(b) The "chief priests" were the preachers of
Israel.
(c) The "scribes," along with the Pharisees,
were the Bible educators of Israel.
(d) They would all line up against Jesus once He
entered Jerusalem.
(3) And He would "be killed" there.
(a) The words "be killed" state what would
happen to Jesus but they do not describe
the force and brutality with which it will
be done.
i. Betrayed by a friend.
ii. Forsaken by His disciples.
iii. Slapped and beaten by those who should
have been His protectors.
iv. Stripped and mocked at the orders of
the ones who studied His Word the
most.
v. Scourged and crucified by the ones
He came to save.
(b) No. The words "be killed" just don’t seem
to effectively describe what would happen
to Jesus in Jerusalem.
b. What could drive a man, any man, to travel to a place
for that?
(1) Only one thing.
(2) He saw man’s condition and felt the need to take
His place.
(3) Let us remember, for Jesus to do what He did,
man’s condition must have been truly horrific.
(a) Deceived by the devil.
(b) Bound by sin.
(c) Judged by God.
(d) Sentenced to eternity in the Lake of Fire.
(e) But seen by Jesus!
(f) Loved by Jesus.
(g) From the top of that high mountain, Jesus
saw the cross.
II. From this high mountain, the disciples could see heaven.
A. As I have already stated, this experience was largely for the
disciples.
1. \\#Mark 9:2\\ Only mentioned three: Peter, James, and John.
2. Why these and not all twelve? I do not know.
a. I might understand Judas not being invited.
(1) Judas was lost.
(2) Yet, if anyone needed to see who Jesus really
was, it was Judas; but Judas was not invited.
b. Peter had a brother, Andrew.
(1) Andrew was the one who invited Peter to meet
Jesus.
(2) If anyone deserved to see who Jesus really was,
it was Andrew; but Andrew was not invited.
c. Neither was Matthew the tax collector or Thomas the
doubter or Philipp the man who brought people to
Jesus.
d. Just these three.
3. And what did they see? The Bible described it.
Mark 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with
him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them
up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and
he was transfigured before them.
3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding
white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white
them.
4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses:
and they were talking with Jesus.
5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master,
it is good for us to be here: and let us make
three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for
Moses, and one for Elias.
6 For he wist not what to say; for they were
sore afraid.
7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them:
and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This
is my beloved Son: hear him.
8 And suddenly, when they had looked round
about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only
with themselves.
B. They saw a little bit of the glory of heaven by three
miracles.
1. \\#2-3\\ The first miracle was visual.
a. It was the transformation of Jesus Christ.
(1) Jesus had a glow about Him.
(2) A shinning so white that those who were there
said no soap could make it so.
(3) This was Jesus’ glory, and it began to break
through His flesh.
b. \\#2\\ The Bible says that Jesus was "transfigured."
(1) That means transformed, changed.
(2) The Greek word that is used is the word we get
metamorphosis from.
(3) That is the word that we often use to speak of a
larva (a worm) as it turns into a butterfly.
(4) The notion is that the larva was always a
butterfly on the inside. It’s beauty was just
hidden in a worm’s body.
(5) Jesus always had glory. It was just hidden on
the inside.
c. Perhaps Jesus revealed His glory that night because
it had been so thoroughly hidden from them,
(1) Isaiah had prophesied Jesus’ common appearance.
Is 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a
tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground:
he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we
shall see him, there is no beauty that we should
desire him.
(2) He would be just another root in a dry ground.
(3) There would no special form or comeliness about
Him.
(4) The word "comeliness" means no beauty or glory
about Him, nothing that would cause Jesus to
stand out or be desired.
(5) There was no hallo above His head, no glow upon
His face.
(6) From all outward appearances, Jesus looked like
an ordinary Man.
d. But the God of All lay hidden within that robe of
flesh!!
2. \\#4\\ The second miracle was also visual, the appearance
Moses and Elijah.
a. I don’t think they were there for the revealing of
Jesus but for another reason.
b. Even so, their presence put an exclamation mark on
what the disciples were seeing.
c. It is for certain that not everyone gets a visit from
the godly dead.
3. \\#7\\ The third miracle was audible. That night the
three disciples heard the voice of God.
Mark 9:7 …This is my beloved Son: hear him.
a. Their ears may have heard the basic message before.
(1) John the Baptist spoke words like them when he
said. "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away
the sins of the world!"
(2) Perhaps they were at the baptism of Jesus and
even heard that same Voice speak our very
similar words.
Matt 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying,
This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.
b. But on that night they definitely heard the voice of
God declare who Jesus was, God!
C. From that high mountain, they catch a glimpse of heaven.
1. Although they had a bird’s eye view, it was obvious that
they did not know exactly what or Who they were seeing.
2. \\#5\\ Peter made the suggestion that they build three
tabernacles: one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one Elijah.
3. That’s when God spoke up, "This is my beloved Son."
4. Jesus was not one of three.
5. He was and is the only One.
6. It was Peter that announced that Jesus was the Christ and
here he saw Jesus in His glory, but he still not
completely understand who Jesus was.
a. I suppose that is all right.
b. Many of us have been walking with Jesus for longer
than Peter, and we don’t understand Who He really is
either!
c. Perhaps we need to get on that high mountain and catch
a glimpse of heaven too.
7. Just a glimpse. That is all they caught, but I suspect it
was enough for them. I know it was enough for John.
1John 1:1 That which was from the beginning,
which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands
have handled, of the Word of life;
III. From this high mountain, we can see what saints are supposed to
be.
A. There were two classes of saints on the high mountain: the
living and the dead.
1. Peter, James, and John were living saints.
2. Moses and Elijah were dead saints.
3. Normally I would refer to dead saints as glorified saints,
but these men have not been raised yet so they are not
technically glorified.
4. However, of the two groups of saints on that high hill,
the dead ones were the only one seeing and serving the
Messiah as saints should.
B. I think this high mountain gives us a little glimpse of what
we are supposed to be.
1. As Jesus was looking ahead to the cross and His cruel
death, perhaps He longed for a little bit of heaven.
a. We know that the cross He carried was heavy.
b. On one occasion, Jesus prayed that it might be
removed.
c. Perhaps on this night, Jesus, the One who ministered
to others, needed to be ministered to Himself.
d. Unfortunately, the living saints would be no more
comfort to Jesus on this night than they were on the
night of His arrest.
(1) On that night, God sent angels to minister Jesus.
(2) On this night, God sent two departed saints to do
what the living saints could not do.
2. \\#4\\ says the two talked with Jesus.
a. We are not told what they talked to Jesus about, only
that they talked.
b. But even that is amazing.
(1) Two human beings being able to carry on an
intelligent conversation with the Son of God is
pretty impressive.
(2) But suppose these two were there to comfort and
to encourage God in the flesh?
(3) Suppose that, being stripped of sin and carnal
weaknesses, these departed saints were able to
serve God in a way that we still cannot do.
c. I don’t know, but I hope that is why they were there.
(1) To lift up Jesus, the incarnate God’s, tired arms.
(2) To be of some value, some service to the God who
gave all for us.
(3) To love back the God who loves us.
(4) Is that not what we should all be doing?
(5) But are we not much more like the living
disciples, standing around, out-of-place,
searching for some appropriate things to say or
do but knowing that we haven’t the foggiest idea
how to make ourselves useful to God?
d. This. This is what we saints are supposed to do.
e. We see it from the view of this high mountain.
Let us find some way to be useful to our God while we wear these
robes of flesh. Let us climb the unnamed mountain. Let us see the
view that God desires us to see. Let us do so tonight.
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