Mark 9 and 10 (Based on Writings of LaVerdiere)

The Transfiguration (9:2-9)

₂And 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, ₃and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. ₄And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. ₅And 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.” ₆For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. ₇And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” ₈And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

₉And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

This story can mean many things, but Mark told it at this point in the gospel to demonstrate the truth of Jesus’ pronouncement that some standing with him would not taste death until the kingdom of God had come in power (see 9:1). For Mark, it was already fulfilled when Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James and John (who were standing here).

The transfiguration was a private event until after the resurrection, and these same three who were alone with Jesus in private also witnessed Jesus’ agony in the garden (14:32-42).

It is striking that Mark focused not on Jesus’ features but on his clothing. Clothing in that culture expressed one’s identity. They also prepare the disciples for the voice from the cloud declaring, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” This evokes form heaven the voice Jesus heard in 1:11. Refer to handout to see similarities between the two passages, which also reveal Mark’s apocalyptic theme.

The voice also affirms Jesus’ teaching authority. Listening to Jesus referred not only to what he taught about prayer and the commandments, but more importantly his passion and resurrection and taking up one’s cross and losing one’s life. Harsh words for those ashamed of him in a sinful and faithless generation.

Moses and Elijah, towering symbols of the Old Testament’s Law and Prophets. Peter’s response and the fearful reaction of the three prepares the reader for the same reaction the women had at the tomb, who also said nothing to anyone. The event ended as quickly as it began.

Move to 9:14-29.

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit (9:14-29)

₁₄And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. ₁₅And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. ₁₆And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” ₁₇And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. ₁₈And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” ₁₉And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” ₂₀And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. ₂₁And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. ₂₂And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” ₂₃And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” ₂₄Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” ₂₅And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” ₂₆And 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.” ₂₇But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. ₂₈And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” ₂₉And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Jesus already gave the disciples the power to drive out demons (3:15; 6:7). Exercising that power – or any power – meant following Jesus on the way to his passion and resurrection (8:34-38). However, to be effective, they also needed something else. This story is about something that something else.

Effectiveness in the mission required faith and prayer. On the surface, the story seems to be about a boy possessed and Jesus’ power to drive it out, but these are only vehicles for faith and prayer, and the importance of them in catechizing someone about baptism.

The evil spirit tried to kill the boy, who was brought before Jesus. When Jesus ordered the spirit out, it left him like a corpse. Many thought he was dead, but Jesus took the boy by the hand and raised him up, showing that the story is about dying and rising – baptismal symbolism. So, it deals with baptism and how the disciples needed faith and prayer to be effective in this basic ministry.

When Jesus arrives on the scene to witness the scribes arguing with his disciples, they soon disappear from the reader’s view, and someone from the crowd answers his question. The someone turns out to be the boy’s father.

Although we find some similarities between this story and the Gerasene demoniac (Ch. 5), the differences are considerable. While the mute spirit rendered the boy helpless, it endowed the Gerasene with great strength. The Gerasene was always crying out while the boy uttered not a sound.

When the father told Jesus he asked the disciples to drive the spirit out of his son, they were unable to do so, although Jesus gave them the power.

The dispute sees to reflect a problematic situation in Mark’s Christian community rather than a controversy between scribes and disciples. For here, the scribes, once they scoffed, they walked away.

Like his question about arguing, v. 19 is directed at the whole crowd. “Faithless generation” is similar to expressions in 8:12 and 8:38, and introduces the theme of faith. Jesus is with those who have faith, and not with the faithless generation. At this point, however, Jesus redirects his attention to the boy.

Having witnessed the boy’s behavior as the father described it (vv. 20, 18). Questioning the father, we see that this is the boy’s life story.

Having asked the disciples to drive out the spirit, the father prefaces his request to Jesus with a conditional clause, “But if you can do anything.” It prompts the point – There is no question about Jesus’ power, but its effectiveness depends on faith (cf 6:5-6; 5:34, 35-43). Moreover, the father takes up Jesus’ challenge.

Faith is not a matter of all or nothing. There may be pockets of unbelief in one who believes. The father’s confession of faith and prayer for faith may reflect a setting in early Christian communities as well as in the ministry of Jesus. In both cases, faith was associated with repentance (metanoia). Faith and prayer were essential elements in Jesus’ proclamation of the gospel of God (1:14-15).[i]

We see that Jesus did not merely help the boy get up, he raised him up, that is, he gave him a share in his risen life. That the boy stood up confirms that after Jesus raised him up, he had to get up.

So, here we find that Mark told a traditional story of exorcism in Jesus’ ministry that had developed in the community’s baptismal catechesis. He used the story for presenting and emphasizing the most basic requirement for this ministry, that is, faith and prayer.

Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection (9:30-32)

₃₀They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, ₃₁for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” ₃₂But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Who Is the Greatest? (9:33-37)

₃₃And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” ₃₄But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. ₃₅And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” ₃₆And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, ₃₇“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us (9:38-41)

₃₈John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” ₃₉But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. ₄₀For the one who is not against us is for us. ₄₁For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

Temptations to Sin (9:42-50)

₄₂“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ₄₃And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. ₄₅And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. ₄₇And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ₄₈‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ ₄₉For everyone will be salted with fire. ₅₀Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

In v. 35, Jesus first concern was to describe the one who is truly the greatest. He then confronted the Twelve with the emptiness of their self-preoccupation and directed their attention to those who seem to be the least (36-37). The disciples were those taken up with their own importance. Jesus made them reflect on the importance of a little child.

The second issue was raised by John when he said, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us” (9:38). Preoccupied with being the greatest, the disciples could not tolerate anyone who challenged their supposed superiority.

John spoke for the Twelve in recognizing and addressing Jesus as teacher. Seated, in the position as teacher, Jesus thus proceeded to teach them. First, he dealt with the particular case: “Do not prevent him” (9:39a). He then broadened the particular to a wider range of situations when he said: “There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me” (9:39b).

The name represents the person. That is why one who receives a child in Jesus’ name receives Jesus himself. The name also communicates the person’s identity. However, the disciples had a distorted vision of Jesus’ identity. If John understood who Jesus really was, he would have known that anyone who performs a mighty work in Jesus’ name could not speak ill of him (9:39b).

???A mighty deed depended not only on the power of the person who performed it, but also on the faith of one who would benefit from it (6:2, 5; 5:34; 9:23-24).???

With regard to this second issue, Jesus’ concern was to help the disciples see that those who were not followers were not necessarily against them. On the contrary, when the disciples were taken up with being the greatest, Jesus pointed to a little child. When they objected that others were performing mighty deeds in Jesus’ name, Jesus called their attention to someone who offers them a simple cup of water. The disciples were taken up at being personally great and doing great things. Responding, Jesus spoke to them of little people and simple gestures. All was not as it appeared.

The third issue had to do with scandal. It was not raised by anyone, but flowed from the previous one – a disciple who was taken up with being the greatest and not concerned about the little ones who believed. Disciples who tried to prevent others from doing great things in Jesus’ name did not necessarily stop there. They could do further damage especially if they considered those people to be insignificant.

Teaching About Divorce (10:1-12)

₁And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them.

₂And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” ₃He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” ₄They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” ₅And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ₆But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ₇‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, ₈and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. ₉What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

₁₀And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. ₁₁And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, ₁₂and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

The fourth issue, marriage and divorce, is related to the previous passage and the general flow of the Gospel. While Jesus was teaching, Pharisees approached to test him in the matter of marriage, divorce and remarriage in relation to the Old Testament and early Jewish life. Then, at home with the disciples, he adds further teaching. In the former setting, he addressed divorce initiated by men; in the latter, he broadened this to include women in relation to the Gentile world.

Moses refers to the lawgiver and the five great scrolls of the Law, but we need to examine divorce as it was interpreted in early rabbinical tradition.

If you recall the handout I gave you earlier in these classes on how the Old Testament was interpreted – using the Masoretic Text (Hebrew language) or the Septuagint (Greek), this is where it comes in handy. The Septuagint’s expression of Deuteronomy 24 reads, “to send her away,” which seems harsher than what the expression the Pharisees used, which actually meant, “to release or set free.” We lose something in the English. Therefore, to send away was closer to reality than the Pharisees’ euphemistic expression, which also implied the woman was free to remarry.

Contrary to what the Pharisees said, Deuteronomy does not state that Moses permitted divorce, but one could infer he did. In context, the regulations could be understood quite differently, as seen in Jesus’ position (10:5-9). Divorce was absolutely prohibited in two cases. First, when a husband accused his wife falsely of not being a virgin at the time of their marriage (Dt 22:13-17). Such a man shall be flogged (Dt 25:1-3) and fined 100 silver shekels to be given to the girl’s father. Second, when a man had relations with a virgin who was not already betrothed (Dt 22:28), he would pay 50 shekels to the girl’s father and take the woman as his wife.

There are also two instances where divorce was required. Ezra 9-10 tells us that men deported to Babylon who married foreign women had to send them away when they returned to Jerusalem. The second is Nehemiah 13:23-29 that involved Israelites married to foreign women, although the passage does not specifically refer to divorce (13:30). These two passages presuppose the law of Deuteronomy 7:1-4, which forbade marriage to foreigners.

To understand the Pharisees’ position, we need to see how Dt 24:1-4 was interpreted in rabbinical literature. For this, we turn to the Mishnah. By the time Jesus arrives, there were three positions on grounds for divorce. That divorce was lawful, we know form Matthew’s prologue. If divorce were not, Joseph would not have considered it.

First, the House of Shammai hung its interpretation of Dt 24:1 on the term indecency, a vague Hebrew term which they understood as unchastity. In Matthew, this appears as sexual immorality (5:32; 19:9). A Hebrew understanding would be “an indecent thing” (Dt 23:15).

The second opinion came from the House of Hillel, which was more lenient. Their broad interpretation of an indecent thing included just about anything including “even if she spoiled his dish.”

The most liberal understanding came from Rabbi Aqiba who hung his interpretation of Dt 24:1 on “if she found no favor in his eyes.”

In responding to the Pharisees, Jesus bypassed the discussions of grounds for divorce, and referred not to Deuteronomy but to the story of creation. In other words, Jesus saw that the marriage union was not a secondary historical development but part of creation itself. Since the union comes from a divine act, no man can sever it.

His statement regarding their hardness of heart is something reprehensible and is not God’s doing. Although God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, Psalms 94 and 95 remind us that the people hardened their own hearts, and by referring to these passages, Jesus associated the way they were testing him with the way their ancestors tested the Lord in the desert.

Jesus was not the first to raise his voice against divorce. Malachi also appealed to the creation story (2:13-17). Proverbs (2:16-17) describes a similar case. Of course, John was beheaded for what he said (Mk 6:17-29).

In the greater context, Jesus’ teaching is about the cost of following Christ on his way to the cross. Every unit is designed to open the eyes of people who could not see (8:22–26; 10:46-52).

At home (10:10ff), we see that Jesus’ broader intention was to strengthen marriages among the disciples. In the Gentile world, Christians had to deal with cases where wives divorced their husbands and husbands divorced their wives, which is why Jesus extended his earlier prohibition to include women, and added that remarriage was adulterous. In this, his message was countercultural.

Paul received this teaching and forbid divorce by the husband or the wife (1 Cor 7:10f).

Because Mark was written about the first people who followed Jesus for people who later chose to follow the Way, it is important for us to consider the culture of the Greco-Roman world. In the early years of the Roman Republic, every marriage was viewed as the wife passing into the husband’s power. Everything the wife acquired automatically became the husband’s property. When the husband repudiated his wife, she had no recourse. Even though the husband did not need grounds, he simply presented his case to the male members of his family, who acted as a domestic tribunal and either accepted or rejected the grounds.

By the 2^nd century BC, the wife no longer passed into the husband’s power. She was, however, in the power of her father or an independent judge. In this context, just about any pretext for divorce sufficed.

By the 1^st century BC, the woman could divorce her husband as easily as he could. Her family, that is, her male relatives, would simply come and take her back. If she had no male relatives, she simply declared herself free.

By the 1^st century, divorce was the rule of the day. Augustus enacted a law requiring divorced people to remarry to stem the fall in the birth rate. Divorce, by the time Mark wrote his gospel, was dealing a blow to the family and household, once a proud institution of Roman society. Therefore, Jesus’ teaching had to be supplemented that took into consideration what was occurring in the Empire.

Though Jesus answered the Pharisees’ legal question with a prophetic answer, Gentile Christians were influenced more by Greco-Roman mores than Jewish texts. So, at the risk of looking irrelevant, Mark adapted and applied Jesus’ teaching to his times. Sound familiar?

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[i] Eugene LaVerdiere, The beginning of the Gospel: Introducing the Gospel According to Mark, Volume 2. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press (1999), 51.