Thru the Bible

Steve Schwets: Welcome to Through the Bible. Let's play what if for a moment. Humor me here. What if you started experiencing symptoms that concerned you? You schedule an appointment with your doctor who runs a series of tests and the results come back and they reveal something serious, maybe even life-threatening if it isn't treated right away. Now, what if your doctor didn't want to upset you and what if instead of telling you the truth, he simply smiled and said everything's fine. Have a nice day. Would you want the truth even if it was difficult to hear or would you rather leave with a pleasant feeling and no warning about the danger ahead?

Well, I'm pretty sure I know your answer. And you know, the same principle applies when we talk about the reality of hell. According to Jesus, hell is a real place with real consequences. And because he loves people, he spoke plainly about it. In fact, Jesus talked more about hell than anyone else in the Bible. Why did he do that? Well, not to frighten us, but to warn us, not to condemn us, but to save us. The Bible tells us that God doesn't want anyone to be separated from him forever. He wants us to know the truth because he's provided a way of escape through his son.

The cross is proof of his love and the imitation of the gospel is open to everyone. Maybe someone you know needs to hear that message or maybe that someone is you. If you want to know more about how to be sure you're right with God and have the assurance of eternal life, get our app or visit ttb.org and click on how to know God. Let's pray. Father, thank you for loving us enough to tell us the truth. Open our hearts to receive your word and help us to rest in the mercy and salvation that you have so graciously provided through Jesus Christ.

In his name we pray. Amen. Open your Bible to Mark chapter 9 as we go through the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McGee.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee: Now, as we come to date to the 9th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, we have here the transfiguration again. You find it in the first three gospels, the synoptic gospels. And then we have something that's given to us here in a great deal of detail that while the transfiguration was going on on top of the mountain, there was complete failure of the disciples at the foot of the mountain to cast the demon out of the boy. And then Jesus again announces his death and the disciples dispute who shall be greatest. And then Jesus rebukes their proudest spirit and warns against hell.

So this is another chapter just loaded with dynamite. These are chapters of action as we've seen. Now, let's get into this first part here, the details of the transfiguration on the high mount. Now, Mark is customarily briefer in his account than the other evangelists. However, he gives the longest account of the transfiguration. And that's interesting why he would emphasize it. And of course, it is our judgment that the transfiguration sets forth the perfect humanity of Christ. And actually, it's not given to set forth his deity. As we said, the first three gospels, the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke give it, but not John.

John sets forth the deity of Christ and he does not give the transfiguration. Now, will you notice that in Matthew's account, we had a statement made in the last verse of the 16th chapter. And it said some standing there would not taste out till they saw the kingdom of heaven coming. And of course, there's been all sorts of interpretations to that. There are those that even say that was the day of Pentecost and that type of thing. Actually, what our Lord had definite reference to, of course, was his transfiguration. And I think that's made very clear because the two men that were there, both Peter and John, they make reference to it.

And you will find that Peter in 2 Peter 1:16-18 he says, for we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we make known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, what were eye witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount. Now, you see he says, we were witnesses of the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When? At the transfiguration. Now, let me read verse 1 Mark 9. 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. Now, you have that here. I do not want to go into technicalities, but I believe that the reason that it's given at this particular juncture before his death and resurrection was for us to understand that whether he went to the cross or not that the kingdom is in his hands.

He could have stepped off this earth back to heaven, but he would never have saved you or me. But he would have been still the sovereign ruler of the universe. And he could have recovered it, but he couldn't have saved you and he couldn't have saved me. So I'm not developing that, but that is here. This is a tremendous thing. Now, let me read on. And after six days, Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John and leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them. Now, he takes these three men.

And the question arises, of course, why did he take these three? Well, first of all, let me say that he didn't take them because they were his little pets or that they were superior to the others. Actually, they were the weakest of the apostles. He had to carry them along with him like a baby or I think they would not have come along at all. This is what I mean. I was noticing a mother go down the street many years ago when I was pastoring Pasadena. She had three children. She was carrying one. She's leading one by the hand and another one was walking back of her.

She'd have to stop every now and then for him to catch up. And I watched them as they made very slow progress down the street. And I thought, my, that little fellow that's following her, he sure is taking a lot of time. But then I thought, the one that she's carrying, he couldn't go along at all if she didn't carry him. And I feel that Peter, James, and John were rather like that. They seem to be an exclusive group. They're not exclusive. They're just babies. And I think that he had to carry them. And that's exactly what he's doing.

So he took them in for the transfiguration. Now, Peter says, we were witness of his coming. This is it. This is the glorified Christ as he will come someday to this earth. This also, friends, is a picture of what you and I will be someday. We shall be like him, we are told. And then you will recall that John says, we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. And the word transfigured here in the Greek is metamorphosing. And the transformation took place in the body of Jesus and it wasn't a light or effect produced from the outside.

The transfiguration was the light that's shown from within. And I rather think that Adam and Eve were clothed like that, a light from within. And the transfiguration teaches therefore the perfect humanity of Jesus and not his deity. And we have called attention to the fact that John does not mention it all. Now, he goes on to describe this. He was transfigured before them and his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow, so that no fuller on earth can white it. Now, the raiment became white, whiter than was even believable because the light came from within, you see.

And the word fuller here, so that no fuller on earth can white them, actually means laundry. In other words, no modern wash day miracle could it produce such brightness. All of it came from within. And there appeared under them Elias and Moses and they were talking with Jesus. And we have seen this before Elijah is the representative of the prophets. Moses is the representative of the law. And we are told that both the law and the prophets bore testimony of the death of Jesus. And Luke tells us that they talked about the decease of Jesus.

And Moses knew of Christ because we're told in Hebrews 11:26, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. For he had respect under the recompense of the reward. He knew he was coming. All the prophets spoke of his suffering and the glory that should follow. Now, Peter is the spokesman for them here. He always was a spokesman as you know. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it's good for us to be here. And let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias. And then Mark adds, for he wist not or he knew not what to say for they were so afraid.

And Simon Peter generally spoke when he did not know what to say. Someone has said if the folk who have nothing to say would refrain from saying it, be a better world. And I think Simon Peter put his foot in his mouth time and time again. He certainly did here. And the important thing is this. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud saying, this is my beloved son. Hear him. All attention now is focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. His word is final. And you don't put Moses or Elijah on a par with him.

And then notice verse 8. And suddenly, when they had looked roundabout, they say no man anymore save Jesus only with themselves. By the way, that Jesus only is a marvelous headline, is it not? Jesus only. Not only a headline, but it ought to be a headlight in the lives of many believers today. And he puts here into a brief compass great and weighty words. Jesus only. Now, let me read verse 9 as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they'd seen till the son of man were risen from the dead.

And in other words, the death and resurrection of Christ must go along with this story. The transfiguration saves no man. It presents an ideal, a goal. But that goal can only come through the death of Christ upon the cross and his resurrection from the dead. And you'll notice he always put his death and resurrection together. Never mentions the cross. He just speaks of his death, if you'll notice. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. You see, they were entirely ignorant of the resurrection. And the resurrection reveal that by the way.

They rushed to the cemetery. Why? They did not expect to see a living savior. You don't go to the graveyard to see the living. You go there not to see, but to know that the dead are there and in respect to them. And they ask him saying, why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first and restoreth all things. And how it's written of the son of man that he must suffer many things and be said it not. But I say to you that Elias has indeed come.

And they have done unto him whatsoever they listed as it's written of him. Our Lord, I think made it clear that when anyone would come along and say today, well, after all, he couldn't have established the kingdom because the prophets said Elijah must come first. Our Lord said that if they had accepted him and he had established the kingdom, this would have been the fulfillment of the prophecy that Elias indeed come. That is in light of the fact, but he is to come at the second coming of Christ. Now, from this glorious scene on the mountain top, we go down to perfect defeat of the disciples at the foot of the mountain.

Verse 14, when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people when they beheld him were greatly amazed and running to him saluted him. And he asked the scribes what question ye with them. And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I brought under thee my son which hath a dumb spirit. And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him and he foameth and nasheth with his teeth and pineth away. And I spake to the disciples that they should cast them out and they could not.

Now, here is a picture actually of the kingdom today. The Lord Jesus has already gone into the presence of the Father. He is there in a glorified body. There is with him his apostles. They've already gone on. Most of the church has gone on. And Moses and Elijah are there today. But that is on the mount of transfiguration. That's in heaven. Look at this poor earth today. And here is the problem down here. And this boy represents a mad earth. And I tell you, I believe that if you could get off and look at this earth and behold it as God looks at it and probably the angels today, you'd come to the conclusion that man on this earth must be mad.

The way that he's acting, the way he is doing down here, demon possessed, if you please. And the sad thing is that this man that brought the boy said, my boy, I brought him here and your disciples couldn't do anything. And the tragic thing in this hour is that the church is hopeless in the presence of a needy world. And right now the church in desperation is reaching out in the organized church. It's protesting and marching and getting involved in all kinds of things today, criticizing the church that it doesn't get involved more. And that's not our business.

We ought to be able to help a poor demon possessed boy today. We ought to be able to help man by presenting a savior to them that will make them rational and will bring them into a right relationship with God. And unfortunately, the thing has to be said of the church, they could not. The disciples could not and we cannot. And the Lord Jesus said, oh, faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him unto me. And this is tremendous, isn't it? Bring him to me. And we're attempting to do everything except bring lost men to Jesus Christ.

And they brought him unto him. And when he saw him straightway, the spirit tare him and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, how long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said of a child. Now, this case, friends, is a bad case. I don't consider it quite as bad as the case of the man among the tombs over in Gadara because he was a grown man and demon possessed all this time. This was a boy. And he would have had he gone on, probably been as bad if not worse than the other case, but not at this time.

And this man just casts himself upon the Lord Jesus. And when you do that, friends, he'll do something for you. And we read in off times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him. But if thou canst do anything, have compassion on us and help us. And when you do that, he'll help. Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe, I think that probably that we ought to leave out here this word believe. It's actually not in the better manuscripts. The thought here is Jesus turned to the Father and asked him to believe, but could the Father have been responsible in any way for the condition of the boy?

Notice Jesus said unto him, all things are possible to him that believe it. In other words, it's not a question if thou canst do anything. The Lord Jesus can do something. If thou canst, he says, well, the question is what about the man? All things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the Father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe help thou mine unbelief. So the Father's desperate plea here of faith. And then our Lord saw that the people came running together, rebuked the foul spirit saying unto him, thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee come out of him and enter no more into him.

The spirit cried out. Came out of him and he was as one dead insomuch that many said he's dead, but Jesus took him by the hand, lifted him up, and he arose. And the question is, was this also a case of our Lord raising the dead? I'm of the opinion it is, but I do not want to labor that point either. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, this kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer. Now, fasting here is not in the better manuscripts.

And I think the emphasis is upon prayer, but by prayer. And today, friends, the church is weak because prayer is weak in the church today. Now, here at verse 30 we find that our Lord here tells of his death and resurrection. Listen to him. They departed thence, passed through Galilee. He would not that any man should know it, for he taught his disciples and said unto them, the son of man is delivered into the hands of man and they shall kill him. And after that he's killed, he shall rise the third day. Now, he always put his death and resurrection together, you'll notice that.

And they understood not that saying and were afraid to ask him. They didn't quite understand this matter of being raised from the dead. And here he's talking about he's going to die for them. And you would think that these men might at least make some inquiry. And they dared to dispute who would be greater when he had just announced his death. They should have been ashamed of their conduct here. They departed thence, passed through Galilee. And he would not that any man should know it, for he taught his disciples and said unto them, the son of man is delivered unto the hands of man.

And they shall kill him. And after that he's killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying and were afraid to ask him. And the important thing here is to know that he's announced to them again and they do not understand. Now, they argue about who's going to be greater. And since we dealt with that in Matthew rather thoroughly, it'll come up again in Luke. While we'll pass over that here and you'll notice now that in verse 38 and let me turn there, John is always thought of as a lady-like apostle.

Notice his disposition here. John answered him saying, Master, we saw one casting out demons in thy name. And he followeth not us and we forbade him because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, forbid him not, for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name because you belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. This is really a rebuke of any sectarian spirit that exists.

Today, we have the goodwill of people of all denominations and no denomination. And we speak out, I think rather plainly about our viewpoint concerning certain groups. Now, you'll notice in verse 42 he comes back to the child that he had taken in his arms. And this is tender, but it's a fear upon those who offend a little child. Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believeth in me, it's better for him that a millstone hang about his neck and he would cast in to the sea. And then he puts but aside of it, if your hand offend you, be better to cut it off than to be cast into hell.

And then the interesting thing, and I want to just say this in closing as we only have just a moment here. Did you know that he is the one who talked about hell? There are those today that say, oh, he's the gentle Jesus. He's the only one that talked about hell, friends. Paul never talked about it, but Jesus did, the gentle Jesus. And since he did, it might be well for you listen to him because he said there is a place that's called hell. I'm confident it is a place. And it is a place like he describes it here.

We'll have to leave right there and we'll begin a chapter 10 next time. So until next time, may God richly bless you, my beloved.

Steve Schwets: Again, to know how to have a personal relationship with God, you can click on how to know God in the Through the Bible app or at ttb.org or call 1-800-65 Bible and we'll send a few free resources by mail. Now, of course, you can always write to us at box 7100, Pasadena, California 91109. In Canada, write to box 25325, London, Ontario N6C 6B1. And for more great Bible teaching from Dr. McGee, why don't you join us for this week's Sunday sermon when Jesus met a dad and his lad. It's from Mark chapter 9. Listen in the app at ttb.org or call us and we'll help you find a local radio station that carries the Sunday sermon.

That number again is 1-800-65 Bible. Now, as the Bible bus rolls on, we're going to continue one of the most personal and challenging topics that Jesus addressed. If your family is like most, divorce has touched your life in some way. In our next study, we're going to hear what Jesus said when the religious leaders tried to trap him with questions about marriage and divorce. I'm Steve Schwets and I'll save you a seat.

Guest (Male): Our story on the Bible bus today is just one step in a five-year journey through the entire word of God. Come along for the ride and you'll study both the Old Testament and New Testament, discovering God's great redemption story. Is this your story, too?