Elijah Comes First - Mark 9:12

Mark wrote how Jesus “charged” Peter, James and John, “that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?”, and in chapter nine and verse twelve of his book, Mark shared how Jesus said, “Elias verily comes first” where we read:

And he answered and told them, Elias verily comes first, and restores all things;

and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.

The verse reads, “And he answered and told them, Elias verily comes first, and restores all things;” Mark began with the words, “and he answered” which means “and Jesus responded and began to speak” “and told them” or “and answered Peter, James and John”, “Elias” which refers to “Elijah who was a prophet born at Thisbe and the unflinching champion of the theocracy in the reigns of the idolatrous kings Ahab and Ahaziah” “verily” which means “truly and surely” “comes first” or “shall appear before and in advance of”, “and restores all things” which means “and reconstitutes everything to it's former state”. Mark shared how Jesus “told” Peter, James and John that “Elijah” would come before the Messiah, and his purpose would be to “restore” everything to it's “former state”.

The verse continues, “and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.” Mark added the words, “and how it is written” which means “and in the way and manner that it is delineated or formed in letters on a tablet, parchment, paper or other material” “of the Son of man” or “pertaining to Jesus who the Messiah and God's Son”, “that he must suffer” which means “that Jesus the Messiah has to be affected, feel, undergo and experience vexation and bad plight” “many things” or “abundant and large amounts of difficulties”, “and be set at nought” which means “and be treated with contempt and of no account and utterly despised”. Mark shared how Jesus declared it was “delineated in letters and words” that He would “suffer” and be “treated with contempt”.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus knew He was fulfilling “prophesies in scripture” concerning the Messiah. Jesus was to “suffer” and die so He could “save” people from their sins. (See Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53). The disciples of Jesus were concerned with the teachings of the “scribes” concerning Elijah who was later known to be John the Baptist as the fore-runner of Jesus. God was intentional when He sent His Son Jesus to be the “Christ” and “Messiah”, and those who believe and trust in Him will be forgiven of their “sins” and receive “everlasting life” with the Eternal God.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus told His disciples, “Elias is indeed come”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".