Chapter # 9 Paragraph # 1 Study # 4
January 3, 2022
Moss Bluff, Louisiana
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Thesis: Jesus' choices of "days", "disciples", and "destination" are all indicative of "Kingdom Plans".
Introduction: In our study last week, I focused our attention upon Mark's "pattern" of presenting Jesus as "The Beloved Son Of The Father" in both
1:9-11 and
9:1-13 with the
9:1-13 text being the opening paragraph of Mark's extended chiastic structure of
9:1-11:11 so as to record that what the Father said about Jesus was finally announced by the multitude which gathered to welcome Him into Jerusalem as the Feast of Passover was about to begin.
In our study this evening, I have chosen to focus upon three of the four "issues" in 9:2 that Jesus raised by the choices He made just prior to His fulfillment of the declaration of 9:1 -- that "some" of His disciples would "see" the "Kingdom of God come with power" before they died. The first of these choices was His decision to wait until six days had passed before He fulfilled His "prophecy". The second of these choices was His choice of the "some" who were going to be treated to the sight of the coming of the Kingdom in power. And, the third of these choices was the place where His announcement would be fulfilled.
- I. Keeping The Focus Of 8:38 In Mind.
- A. That "focus" was somewhat disconnected from Jesus' announcement by those who broke the text into verses and chapters.
- B. That "focus" had a primary characteristic in respect to "following Jesus" in the face of the potential for "shame" when The Son Of The Man comes in the glory of His Father with the Holy Angels.
- C. But that "focus" wouldn't even be possible without the presence of the underlying future reality of that "Coming".
- 1. The Old Testament covenant promises had a strong emphasis upon a "Messianic Kingdom" that would come into being "on the earth" and both of the major visions recorded in Daniel 2 and 7 ended with a Kingdom On Earth after the destruction of the human kingdom that will be in place on the earth when the "Coming" Occurs.
- 2. Even the focus of God's dealings with man on the basis of his "body", "soul", and "spirit" have a strong focus upon the physical issue of man's "body" that is reinforced by the concept of a physical resurrection that will result in human "bodies" being a major element of the future.
- 3. In the prayer Jesus gave to His disciples when they asked Him to teach them to pray, one of the critical issues is "...Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...", which continues the notion of a physical kingdom upon the earth.
- 4. In the futuristic vision of John in the last section of his "Revelation of Jesus Christ", there is a dissolution of this present physical universe and the creation of a "New Heaven and a New Earth" upon which the kings of the earth will accumulate "glory" to bring into the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24-26); this maintains the notion of "earthly kingdoms" even in the final state of things.
- D. Upon that foundation, Jesus makes His announcement that "some" will "see" that "Kingdom" before they die.
- II. The "Choices" Of Jesus As Mark Records Them.
- A. The first "choice" concerned the timing of the fulfillment of Jesus' announcement: "after six days".
- 1. There are several established biblical themes associated with what this "after six days" might mean.
- a. The most likely "after six days" link is Mark's own record of the final week which began with the "Triumphal Entry" which occurred on the first day of the final week and culminated with the crucifixion of the sixth day, with the "Sabbath" following (a "reversal" of the hope of Israel; suffering first, Kingdom joys afterwards).
- b. Another possibility is a link with the Creation of the world with a "Sabbath" coming after six days (if, in fact, the "coming of the Kingdom" will usher in a "Sabbath Day" of everlasting "rest").
- c. Likewise, there is a persistently present possible parallel of a "week" of seven millennia that will bring the Divine Plan to fulfillment (fueled by the biblical chronology of 2000 years from Creation to Abraham, 2000 years of focus upon the physical nation, and, so far, 2000 years of focus upon the Church as the body and bride of Christ, with 1000 years prophesied for a Messianic, Sabbath millennium before the end).
- 2. All of these "six day" events end with the "Sabbath Rest Of The People Of God", which is a powerful metaphor in Hebrews 4.
- B. The second "choice" concerned the three men Jesus chose to experience the "vision".
- 1. Peter, the soon-to-be "apostle to the circumcision" who was foundational to the establishment of the Church.
- 2. James, one of the "sons of thunder", who was martyred by Herod in Acts 12.
- 3. John, the other "son of thunder" who survived all of the other apostles and wrote the final book of our Bible.
- C. The third "choice" concerned Jesus' "setting" for His revelation of the coming of the Kingdom: a high mountain.
