A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

Ses s i on 4: The Gospe l s : The Man i fes tat i on of Chr i s t , Par t I I I 115

c. Mark 10.33-34 – . . . saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. [34] And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”

2. The nature of discipleship: sharing in the suffering and passion of Messiah (Mark 8.34ff.; 9:33; 10.3ff.)

a. Sharing in Messiah’s stigma as a servant of all, Mark 9.34-35

b. Sharing in Messiah’s suffering and death

(1) Denial of the self and taking up of the cross in following Jesus is demanded for all disciples, Mark 8.34-37.

(2) Only if and when a grain of wheat dies will it bring forth much fruit, John 12.23-26.

C. The Transfiguration

Mark 9.2-4 And 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, [3] and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. [4] And there

1. A momentary display of his pre-existent glory, (cf. Phil. 2.6-8)

2. An authentication of Jesus’ connection with the OT revelation (notice Elijah and Moses)

3. A certain and sure word of prophecy: the Father’s authentication of Jesus’ identity, 2 Pet. 1.16-18

appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.