mark 9

Read Mark 9 at Bible Gateway.

Mar 9 outline:

Mar 9:1, Some standing here will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power
Mar 9:2-8, The Transfiguration
Mar 9:9-10, Tell no one what you have seen until I am risen/ they questioned what risen meant
Mar 9:11-13, Elijah must come first: he will come first + restore all things/ he has come first
Mar 9:14-29, Jesus cast a mute spirit from a boy, when His disciples could not
Mar 9:30-32, Jesus foretells His death and resurrection
Mar 9:33-35, Who is the greatest among the disciples: he who is the servant of all
Mar 9:36-42, Receive a little child as you would receive Me/ he who is not against us is with us
Mar 9:43-48, Cut off the causes of sin
Mar 9:49-50, Be seasoned with salt, and have peace with one another

Mar 9 chiastic structures:

Mar 8:30-9:10

1a) Mar 8:30-32a, Tell no one/ Jesus foretold His death + resurrection openly;

1) Mar 8:30, He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him;
2.1) Mar 8:31, The Son of Man must suffer, be rejected and killed, and after three days rise again;
2.2) Mar 8:32a, He spoke this word openly;

1b) Mar 8:32b-33, Peter rebuked Him, and He rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind Me, Satan;

central axis) Mar 8:34-9:6, Denying/ death to self precedes kingdom of God in glory;

1a) Mar 8:34-37, Let him who follows Jesus deny himself, take up his cross, follow Him;
shim1b) Mar 8:38, When He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels;
2a) Mar 9:1a, Assuredly, some standing here will not taste death;
shim2b) Mar 9:1b-6, Till they see the kingdom of God/ He was transfigured before them;

2b) Mar 9:5-8, Peter again spoke, and the Father rebuked Peter from the cloud;

2a) Mar 9:9-10, Tell no one/ they kept it to themselves, questioning what resurrection meant;

1) Mar 9:9, Tell no one what you have seen till the Son of Man was risen from the dead;
2.2) Mar 9:10a, They kept this word to themselves;
2.1) Mar 9:10b, Questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Mar 9:11-16

1a) Mar 9:11, Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first;

1b) Mar 9:12a, He answered, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things;

central axis) Mar 9:12b, “And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?”

2b) Mar 9:13, But Elijah has come + they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written;

2a) Mar 9:14-16, When He came to the disciples, the scribes were disputing with them.

Mar 9:11-32

1a) Mar 9:11-16, The Son of Man must suffer many things and be treated with contempt;

1b) Mar 9:17-18, A boy with a mute spirit brought to the disciples, but they could not cast it out;

1c) Mar 9:19-20, Faithless generation/ Bring him to Me/ the spirit convulsed him;

1) Mar 9:19, Jesus: O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you + bear with you?
2) Mar 9:19b, Jesus: Bring him to Me;
3) Mar 9:20, Immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground;

central axis) Mar 9:21-22, The father’s plea: If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us;

2c) Mar 9:23-27, Believe/ He cast it out/ the spirit convulsed him, and came out;

1) Mar 9:23-24, All things are possible to him who believes/ I believe, help my unbelief;
2) Mar 9:25, Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit;
3) Mar 9:26-27, The spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him/ he fell as one dead, but Jesus lifted him up;

2b) Mar 9:28-29, The disciples asked Him privately why they could not cast it out/ this kind only comes out by prayer + fasting;

2a) Mar 9:30-32, The Son of Man will be betrayed + killed/ He will rise on the third day.

Mar 9:33-50

1a) Mar 9:33, Jesus asked His disciples: What was it you disputed among yourselves;

1b) Mar 9:34-35, They answered not, for it was who would be the greatest/ he who is last of all;

1c) Mar 9:36, He set a little child in their midst, took him in His arms, and said to them;

1d) Mar 9:37, Whoever receives a little child in My name receives Me + Him who sent Me;

1e) Mar 9:38a, John: We saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name;

1f) Mar 9:38b, John: And we forbade him;

central axis) Mar 9:38c, John: Because he does not follow us;

2f) Mar 9:39a, But Jesus said: Do not forbid him;

2e) Mar 9:39b-40, Jesus: No one who works a miracle in My name can speak evil of Me/ he who is not against us is on our side;

2d) Mar 9:41, Whoever gives you a cup of water in My name, he will not lose his reward;

2c) Mar 9:42, Whoever causes a little child who believes in Me to stumble, woe for him;

2b) Mar 9:43-48, Cut off the causes of sin;

2a) Mar 9:49-50, Be seasoned with fire + salt/ have peace with one another.

The B pairs of the last structure are forced together by the surrounding elements which undoubtedly pair. I am not sure why they pair, unless the Scripture is saying that the true causes of sin are not hands, feet, or eyes, but a self- seeking and self- serving spirit, lifting itself up in pride.