Mark 9

1 And he sayde vnto them: Verely I saye vnto you: There be some of the that stonde here which shall not taste of deeth tyll they have sene the kyngdome of God come wt power.

2 And after .vi. dayes Iesus toke Peter Iames and Iohn and leede them vp into an hye mountayne out of ye waye alone and he was transfigured before them.

3 And his rayment dyd shyne and was made very whyte even as snowe: so whyte as noo fuller can make apon the erth.

4 And ther apered vnto them Helyas with Moses: and they talked with Iesu.

5 And Peter answered and sayde to Iesu: Master here is good beinge for vs let vs make .iii. tabernacles one for the one for Moses and one for Helyas.

6 And yet he wist not what he sayde: for they were afrayde.

7 And ther was a cloude that shaddowed the. And a voyce came out of the cloude sayinge: This is my dere sonne here him.

8 And sodenly they loked rounde aboute them and sawe no man more then Iesus only wt the.

9 And as they came doune from the hyll he charged the that they shuld tell no ma what they had sene tyll the sonne of man were rysen fro deeth agayne.

10 And they kepte that sayinge with them and demaunded one of a nother what yt rysinge from deeth agayne shuld meane?

11 And they axed him sayinge: why then saye ye scribe that Helyas muste fyrste come?

12 He answered and sayde vnto them: Helyas verelye shall fyrst come and restore all thinges. And also ye sonne of ma as it is wrytte shall suffre many thinges and shall be set at nought.

13 Moreouer I saye vnto you that Helyas is come and they have done vnto him whatsoever pleased them as it is wrytten of him.

14 And he came to his disciples and sawe moche people aboute them and the scribes disputinge with them.

15 And streyght waye all the people when they behelde him were amased and ran to him and saluted him.

16 And he sayde vnto the Scribes: what dispute ye with them?

17 And one of the copanye answered and sayde: Master I have brought my sonne vnto the which hath a dome spirite.

18 And whensoever he taketh him he teareth him and he fometh and gnassheth with his tethe and pyneth awaye. And I spake to thy disciples that they shuld caste him out and they coulde not.

19 He answered him and sayd: O generacion wt out faith how longe shall I be with you? How longe shall I suffre you? Bringe him vnto me.

20 And they brought him vnto him. And assone as ye sprete sawe him he tare him. And he fell doune on the grounde walowinge and fomynge.

21 And he axed his father: how longe is it a goo sens this hath happened him? And he sayde of a chylde:

22 and ofte tymes casteth him into the fyre and also into the water to destroye him. But yf thou canste do eny thinge have mercy on vs and helpe vs.

23 And Iesus sayde vnto him: ye yf thou couldest beleve all thinges are possible to him yt belevith.

24 And streygth waye the father of the chylde cryed with teares sayinge: Lorde I beleve helpe myne vnbelefe.

25 When Iesus sawe that the people came runnynge togedder vnto him he rebuked the foule sprete sayinge vnto him: Thou domme and deffe sprete I charge the come out of him and entre no more into him.

26 And the sprete cryed and rent him sore and came out: And he was as one that had bene deed in so moche yt many sayde he is deed.

27 But Iesus caught his honde and lyfte him vp: and he roose.

28 And when he was come into the housse his disciples axed him secretly: why coulde not we caste him out?

29 And he sayde vnto them: this kynde can by no nother meanes come forth but by prayer and fastynge.

30 And they departed thens and toke their iorney thorow Galile and he wolde not that eny man shuld have knowen it.

31 For he taught his disciples and sayde vnto them: The sonne of man shalbe delyvered into ye hondes of men and they shall kyll him and after that he is kylled he shall aryse agayne the thryd daye.

32 But they wiste not what that sayinge meat and were affrayed to axe him.

33 And he came to Capernaum. And when he was come to housse he axed the: what was it that ye disputed bytwene you by the waye?

34 And they helde their peace: for by the waye they reasoned amonge the selves who shuld be the chefest.

35 And he sate doune and called the twelve vnto him and sayd to them: yf eny man desyre to be fyrst the same shalbe last of all and servaunt vnto all.

36 And he toke a chylde and set him in ye middes of them and toke him in his armes and sayde vnto them.

37 Whosoever receave eny soche a chylde in my name receaveth me. And whosoever receaveth me receaveth not me but him that sent me.

38 Iohn answered him sayinge: Master we sawe one castynge out devyls in thy name which foloweth not vs and we forbade him because he foloweth vs not.

39 But Iesus sayde forbid him not. For ther is no ma that shall do a miracle in my name that can lightlyge speake evyll of me.

40 Whosoever is not agaynste you is on youre parte.

41 And whosoever shall geve you a cuppe of water to drinke for my names sake because ye belonge to Christe verely I saye vnto you he shall not loose his rewarde.

42 And whosoever shall offende one of these lytelons yt beleve in me it were better for him yt a mylstone were hanged aboute his necke and yt he he were cast into ye see:

43 wherfore yf thy hande offende ye cut him of. It is better for ye to entre into lyffe maymed then havynge two hondes goo into hell into fire yt never shalbe quenched

44 where there worme dyeth not and the fyre never goeth oute.

45 Lykewyse yf thy fote offende the cut him of. For it is better for the to goo halt into lyfe then havynge two fete to be cast into hell into fyre that never shalbe quenched:

46 where there worme dyeth not and the fyre never goeth oute.

47 Even so yf thyne eye offende the plucke him oute. It is better for the to goo into the kyngdom of god with one eye then havynge two eyes to be caste into hell fyre:

48 where there worme dyeth not and the fyre never goeth oute.

49 Every man therfore shalbe salted wt fyre: And every sacrifise shalbe seasoned with salt.

50 Salt is good. But yf ye salt be vnsavery: what shall ye salte therwith? Se yt ye have salt in youre selves: and have peace amonge youre selves one with another.

Mark 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

The transfiguration. (1-13) An evil spirit cast out. (14-29) The apostles reproved. (30-40) Pain to be preferred to sin. (41-50)

Verses 1-13 Here is a prediction of the near approach Christ's kingdom. A glimpse of that kingdom was given in the transfiguration of Christ. It is good to be away from the world, and alone with Christ: and how good to be with Christ glorified in heaven with all the saints! But when it is well with us, we are apt not to care for others, and in the fulness of our enjoyments, we forget the many wants of our brethren. God owns Jesus, and accepts him as his beloved Son, and is ready to accept us in him. Therefore we must own and accept him as our beloved Saviour, and must give up ourselves to be ruled by him. Christ does not leave the soul, when joys and comforts leave it. Jesus explained to the disciples the prophecy about Elias. This was very suitable to the ill usage of John Baptist.

Verses 14-29 The father of the suffering youth reflected on the want of power in the disciples; but Christ will have him reckon the disappointment to the want of faith. Very much is promised to our believing. If thou canst believe, it is possible that thy hard heart may be softened, thy spiritual diseases may be cured; and, weak as thou art, thou mayest be able to hold out to the end. Those that complain of unbelief, must look up to Christ for grace to help them against it, and his grace will be sufficient for them. Whom Christ cures, he cures effectually. But Satan is unwilling to be driven from those that have been long his slaves, and, when he cannot deceive or destroy the sinner, he will cause him all the terror that he can. The disciples must not think to do their work always with the same ease; some services call for more than ordinary pains.

Verses 30-40 The time of Christ's suffering drew nigh. Had he been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had done this, it had not been so strange; but that men should thus shamefully treat the Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is wonderful. Still observe that when Christ spake of his death, he always spake of his resurrection, which took the reproach of it from himself, and should have taken the grief of it from his disciples. Many remain ignorant because they are ashamed to inquire. Alas! that while the Saviour teaches so plainly the things which belong to his love and grace, men are so blinded that they understand not his sayings. We shall be called to account about our discourses, and to account for our disputes, especially about being greater than others. Those who are most humble and self-denying, most resemble Christ, and shall be most tenderly owned by him. This Jesus taught them by a sign; whoever shall receive one like this child, receives me. Many have been like the disciples, ready to silence men who have success in preaching to sinners repentance in Christ's name, because they follow not with them. Our Lord blamed the apostles, reminding them that he who wrought miracles in his name would not be likely to hurt his cause. If sinners are brought to repent, to believe in the Saviour, and to live sober, righteous, and godly lives, we then see that the Lord works by the preacher.

Verses 41-50 It is repeatedly said of the wicked, Their worm dieth not, as well as, The fire is never quenched. Doubtless, remorse of conscience and keen self-reflection are this never-dying worm. Surely it is beyond compare better to undergo all possible pain, hardship, and self-denial here, and to be happy for ever hereafter, than to enjoy all kinds of worldly pleasure for a season, and to be miserable for ever. Like the sacrifices, we must be salted with salt; our corrupt affections must be subdued and mortified by the Holy Spirit. Those that have the salt of grace, must show they have a living principle of grace in their hearts, which works out corrupt dispositions in the soul that would offend God, or our own consciences.