Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 9:4
And there appeared unto them Elijah with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
4. there appeared unto them ] The three Apostles had not witnessed the beginning of this marvellous change. They had been weighed down with sleep (Luk 9:32), lying wrapped like all Orientals in their abbas on the ground, but awakened probably by the supernatural light, they thoroughly roused themselves (Luk 9:32), and saw His glory, and the two men standing with Him. It was clearly no waking vision or dream.
Elias with Moses ] (i) Among all the prophets and saints of the Old Testament these were the two, of whom one had not died (2Ki 2:11), and the other had no sooner tasted of death than his body was withdrawn from under the dominion of death and of him that had the power of death (Deu 34:6; Judges 9). Both, therefore, came from the grave, but from the grave conquered. (ii) Again, these two were the acknowledged heads and representatives, the one of the Law, the other of the Prophets (comp. Mat 7:12).
they were talking ] St Luke tells us what was the subject of mysterious converse which the Three were privileged to hear “ the decease, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem ” (Luk 9:31). St Peter himself reproduces this remarkable word in his second Epistle Mar 1:15. “Vocabulum valde grave, quo continetur Passio, Crux, Mors, Resurrectio, Ascensio.” Bengel.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses,…. Or Moses and Elias, as all the Oriental versions read, as in Mt. 17:3,
[See comments on Mt 17:3]:
and they were talking with Jesus; concerning his decease, and what he was to do and suffer at Jerusalem, and of which he himself had lately talked with his disciples; so that this might have been a confirmation of these things to them; [See comments on Mt 17:3].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Elijah with Moses ( ). Matthew and Luke have “Moses and Elijah.” Both, as a matter of fact were prophets and both dealt with law. Both had mysterious deaths. The other order in Mr 9:5.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And there appeared unto them,” (kai pohthe autois) “And there appeared to them,” to Jesus, Peter, James, and John,” – – – to the four of them, Mar 9:2.
a) “Elias” (Elias) “Elias,” the prophet, who was raptured into heaven in a whirlwind, 2Ki 2:11. This was also called a translation such as Enoch had, Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5.
b) “With Moses: (sun Mousei) “in colleague with Moses,” or in close association, company with Moses. They, both the legislator and reformer in Israel, appeared together from heaven, to talk with Jesus.
2) ”And they were talking with Jesus,” (kai esan sullalountes to lesou) “And they were repeatedly conversing with Jesus,” or they exchanged conversation with Jesus for some time, in their glory bodies, Luk 9:31, They discussed with Jesus His coming death in Jerusalem, Mat 17:3; Deu 18:15.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
‘And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.’
The disciples may have remembered how Elijah and Moses had both previously gone up into a mountain to talk with God at special times when they were in God’s service on earth. Now it was Jesus Who had gone up into the mountain and here were Elijah and Moses also come to the mountain to speak with Him. Those who represented the Prophets and the Law, the sources of the word of God of the Old Testament, were acknowledging Jesus before chosen witnesses. This was the point Mark was seeking to get over to his readers. (Luk 9:31 tells us that they appeared in glory and spoke of His ‘exodus’ which He would accomplish at Jerusalem and in view of the presence of Moses we are justified in seeing in that term the deliverance of His people through suffering and death. But that was not Mark’s emphasis here).
Mark alone gives Elijah precedence (although the names are switched in the next verse). This may well have been because Elijah was the figure whose coming was constantly expected in 1st century Judaism (see Mar 9:11; Joh 1:21). And now he had come and had brought Moses with him, as two witnesses to the glory of Jesus. Here was evidence indeed of His Messiahship. But there may also be in mind here that Elijah and Moses were seen as figures who had never died. Elijah had been taken up into Heaven in a whirlwind (2Ki 2:11), and Moses had been ‘buried by God’ (Deu 34:6), and tradition had it that the angels had taken him up to God. Thus these two came directly from the presence of God to witness to Jesus, adding their twofold testimony to the angels elsewhere.
How did they know that it was Elijah and Moses? The answer may be that it was as a result of a spiritual awareness brought about by their appearance (Elijah may well have been dressed in his distinctive garb) and also surely from the conversation that they overheard. But just as God could bring up Samuel (1Sa 28:12-20), so He could bring up Moses and Elijah in recognisable form. It tells us nothing about the afterlife or the post-resurrection body. The resurrection had not yet taken place. The impact of this appearance no doubt influenced John in his depiction of the two witnesses in Revelation 11, spoken of in terms reminiscent of Moses and Elijah. Both had also been willing to offer up their lives for the people of God (Exo 32:32; 1Ki 19:2; 1Ki 19:10; 1Ki 19:14). Who better then to discuss Jesus’ ‘exodus’ (Luk 9:31).
The coming of Elijah had been prophesied by Mal 4:5, and this expectation was very much alive in the hearts of the people of Israel (Mar 6:15; Mar 8:11; Mar 9:11), being continually present in their tradition. Even today at their Passover feasts they leave an empty seat for Elijah. It is quite possible that the disciples, having not fully grasped Jesus’ teaching that John the Baptiser was the coming Elijah, thought that this was Elijah now come, and what was more bringing with him Moses, and that Jesus had come up to welcome them.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
Ver. 4. See Trapp on “ Mat 17:3 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 9:4 . .: Elijah first, not as the more important, but because of his special significance in connection with Messiah’s advent, which was the subject of subsequent conversation (Mar 9:9 ff.).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Elias = Elijah. Compare Mal 4:4, Mal 4:5,
with = together with. Greek. sun. App-104. Not the some word as in verses: Mar 9:8, Mar 9:10, Mar 9:19, Mar 8:24, Mar 8:50.
Moses. See note on Mar 1:44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mar 9:4. , with) The appearance of Moses had been less anticipated by the disciples than that of Elias, Mar 9:11.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
appeared: Mat 11:13, Mat 17:3, Mat 17:4, Luk 9:19, Luk 9:30, Luk 9:31, Luk 24:27, Luk 24:44, Joh 5:39, Joh 5:45-47, Act 3:21-24, 1Pe 1:10-12, Rev 19:10
Elias: Moses was the founder of the Jewish polity, and Elias the most zealous reformer and prophet of the Jewish church; and their presence implied that the ministry of Christ was attested by the law and the prophets. 2Ki 2:11, 2Ki 2:12, Elijah
Moses: Deu 34:5, Deu 34:6
Reciprocal: Dan 8:17 – I was Mat 12:8 – General Mar 9:11 – General Act 3:22 – him
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4
Elias is the same as Elijah of the Old Testament who went to heaven in a whirlwind (2Ki 2:11) and hence never died. Moses was the lawgiver of the Old Testament and died (Deu 34:5). Peter, James and John had not died and were therefore still in the flesh. So at this event the three states of man were represented, the fleshly, the intermediate and the eternal.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 9:4. Elijah with Moses. Elijah is more prominent in this account, and probably was in the scene as witnessed by Peter.