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Begin Section 1: Mark 9 Text & Questions

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Verses 1-13  The Transfiguration

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1And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”

2After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.

3His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.

4And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

5Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

6(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

7Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

8Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

10They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

11And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

12Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?

13But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

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1)       Is the kingdom of God physical or spiritual in nature, given that Jesus’ clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them?

 

2)       Is the kingdom of God temporal or eternal in nature, given that Elijah and Moses who were historical figures hundreds of years before Jesus were alive in it?

 

3)       Is the kingdom of God for the Jews only or does it transcend ethnic and national boundary, given that the demoniac in the region of the Gerasenes and the Greek woman from previous chapters were non-Jews?

 

4)       In accordance with verse 7 how did the testimony of God the Father to Jesus correct the disciples’ misunderstanding that Moses and Elijah were on an equal footing with Jesus?

 

5)       Why did the disciples discuss among themselves what rising from the dead meant without asking Jesus about it, given that they did not want their dream to be dashed to pieces?

 

6)       Would Jesus agree with the Jews’ understanding that the Christ is going to come as a conquering king, given that Jesus is going to come in his Father’s glory with the holy angels at the end of this age to judge the world?

 

7)       Who is the Elijah that had already come before the Christ, given that John the Baptist went before the Christ to prepare the way for him in chapter 1?

 

8)       What was Jesus’ portrayal of Elijah and of the Christ taken together, given that according to Jesus Elijah was a suffering messenger and the Christ was a suffering servant?

 

9)       According to Jesus, what is the composite picture of the Christ, a suffering servant in this life and a conquering king in the life to come, or a conquering king in this life and a suffering servant in the life to come?

 

10)   What did the disciples think that they were following when they followed Jesus, a conquering king or a suffering servant?

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Verses 1-13  The Transfiguration

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Verses 14-29  Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Unclean Spirit

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14When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.

15As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

16“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

17A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.

18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

19“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

21Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered.

22“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

23“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

24Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.”

27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

28After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

29He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

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11)   In accordance with verses 24 and 25 do we need to have perfect faith in Jesus before he would help us?

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Verses 14-29  Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Unclean Spirit

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Verses 30-37  Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

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30They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were,

31because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”

32But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

33They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?”

34But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

36He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,

37“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

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12)   What principle was Jesus advocating in verse 35 and what should we call that principle?

 

13)   Who was the one that sent Jesus, given that God the Father so loved the world that he gave his Son to the world?

 

14)   So according to verse 37 whom do we actually welcome when we welcome a little child in Jesus’ name?

 

15)   Who then needs to practice the principle of servanthood in leadership, given that everyone is capable of serving the least such as a child?

 

16)   What did the next milestone for the disciples include, given that Jesus had advocated self-denying and the principle of servanthood in leadership since their declaration of him as the Christ?

 

17)   What progress had the disciples made in self-denying, given that they were not willing to put aside their national hope and personal aspiration?

 

18)   What progress had the disciples made in practicing the principle of servanthood in leadership, given that they had shown propensity to jockey for position?

 

19)   Is it the self-giving motive of leadership or the self-serving motive of leadership that drove the disciples to argue about who was the greatest?

 

20)   Is it the self-giving motive of leadership or the self-serving motive of leadership that drove the disciples to serving a child, given that the child could not repay them?

 

21)   Is it the self-giving motive of leadership or the self-serving motive of leadership that is compatible with the principle of servanthood in leadership?

 

22)   What kind of motive was behind the disciples’ leveraging the Christ for fulfilling their national hope and personal aspiration?

 

23)   What kind of motive was behind Jesus’ dying for the sins of the whole world and then rising from the dead?

 

24)   What was the raging battle within the disciples, given that they knew that Jesus was not the self-serving Christ they would rather be following, but the self-giving Christ they had been fighting off?

 

25)   When Jesus prodded the disciples to ask him what he meant by rising from the dead in order to help them see the bright side of following the self-giving Christ, what did they do?

 

26)   What was the consequence of the disciples’ losing this raging battle as seen in what they eventually did to Jesus?

 

27)   How important is this battle in the discipleship of getting to know Jesus, given that it is the most potent determinant of the outcome of discipleship?

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Verses 30-37  Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

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Verses 38-41  Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us

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38“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

39“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me,

40for whoever is not against us is for us.

41Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Christ will certainly not lose their reward.

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28)   Why can no one who does a miracle in Jesus’ name say anything bad about him in, given that Jesus authorizes the performance of miracles?

 

29)   In accordance with what Jesus said in verses 39 and 40 is a person who does a miracle in his name for Jesus or against Jesus even though the person does not follow him around?

 

30)   According to verse 41 what happens to the reward of someone who in the name of Christ gives a disciple of Christ a cup of water?

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Verses 38-41  Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us

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Verses 42-50  Causing to Stumble

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42“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.

43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.

[44]

45And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

[46]

47And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,

48where

 

“‘the worms that eat them do not die,

    and the fire is not quenched.’

 

49Everyone will be salted with fire.

50“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

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31)   What would be better for a person according to Jesus, to cause a child who believes in him to stumble or to have a large millstone hung around their neck and be thrown into the sea?

 

32)   According to what Jesus said in verses 43 to 47 what did he hint might happen to a disciple who is not resolute in combating sin?

 

33)   What quality of salt makes it an agent of preservation and purification?

 

34)   Can the purity of a disciple be restored who does not combat sin with resoluteness, given that salt that has lost its saltiness cannot be made salty again?

 

35)   What happens to the usefulness of a disciple who has lost their purity, given that salt that has lost its saltiness loses its usefulness?

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Verses 42-50  Causing to Stumble

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End Section 1: Mark 9 Text & Questions

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Begin Section 2: Mark 9 Questions & Answers

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Verses 1-13  The Transfiguration

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Concerning the transfiguration,

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1)       Is the kingdom of God physical or spiritual in nature, given that Jesus’ clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them?

o   The kingdom of God is spiritual in nature.

 

2)       Is the kingdom of God temporal or eternal in nature, given that Elijah and Moses who were historical figures hundreds of years before Jesus were alive in it?

o   The kingdom of God is eternal in nature.

 

3)       Is the kingdom of God for the Jews only or does it transcend ethnic and national boundary, given that the demoniac in the region of the Gerasenes and the Greek woman from previous chapters were non-Jews?

o   The kingdom of God transcends

§  Ethnic.

§  And national boundary.

 

4)       In accordance with verse 7 how did the testimony of God the Father to Jesus correct the disciples’ misunderstanding that Moses and Elijah were on an equal footing with Jesus?

o   The testimony of God the Father placed Jesus above Moses and Elijah because

§  Jesus is the Son of God.

§  While Moses and Elijah are mere humans.

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Concerning the discussion after the transfiguration,

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5)       Why did the disciples discuss among themselves what rising from the dead meant without asking Jesus about it, given that they did not want their dream to be dashed to pieces?

o   They were not ready to accept Jesus’ prediction of the death of the Christ that would dash their dream to pieces.

 

6)       Would Jesus agree with the Jews’ understanding that the Christ is going to come as a conquering king, given that Jesus is going to come in his Father’s glory with the holy angels at the end of this age to judge the world?

o   Yes.

 

7)       Who is the Elijah that had already come before the Christ, given that John the Baptist went before the Christ to prepare the way for him in chapter 1?

o   John the Baptist was the Elijah that had already come before the Christ.

 

8)       What was Jesus’ portrayal of Elijah and of the Christ taken together, given that according to Jesus Elijah was a suffering messenger and the Christ was a suffering servant?

o   Jesus portrayed

§  Elijah as a suffering messenger.

§  Coming before.

§  The Christ as a suffering servant.

 

9)       According to Jesus, what is the composite picture of the Christ, a suffering servant in this life and a conquering king in the life to come, or a conquering king in this life and a suffering servant in the life to come?

o   The Christ is

§  A suffering servant in this life.

§  And a conquering king in the life to come.

 

10)   What did the disciples think that they were following when they followed Jesus, a conquering king or a suffering servant?

o   They thought that they were following a conquering king.

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Verses 1-13  The Transfiguration

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Verses 14-29  Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Unclean Spirit

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Concerning the healing of the boy with an impure spirit,

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11)   In accordance with verses 24 and 25 do we need to have perfect faith in Jesus before he would help us?

o   Jesus would help us

§  Even when

§  We don’t have perfect faith in him.

§  As long as

§  We ask him to help us overcome our unbelief.

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Verses 14-29  Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Unclean Spirit

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Verses 30-37  Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

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Concerning who is the greatest,

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12)   What principle was Jesus advocating in verse 35 and what should we call that principle?

o   Anyone who wants to be first must be

§  The very last.

§  And the servant of all.

o   We can call it the principle of servanthood in leadership.

 

13)   Who was the one that sent Jesus, given that God the Father so loved the world that he gave his Son to the world?

o   God the Father was the one that sent Jesus.

 

14)   So according to verse 37 whom do we actually welcome when we welcome a little child in Jesus’ name?

o   We actually welcome God the Father.

 

15)   Who then needs to practice the principle of servanthood in leadership, given that everyone is capable of serving the least such as a child?

o   Every disciple who is not a child needs to.

 

16)   What did the next milestone for the disciples include, given that Jesus had advocated self-denying and the principle of servanthood in leadership since their declaration of him as the Christ?

o   The next milestone for the disciples includes:

§  Self-denying.

§  And practicing the principle of servanthood in leadership.

 

17)   What progress had the disciples made in self-denying, given that they were not willing to put aside their national hope and personal aspiration?

o   They had made no progress.

 

18)   What progress had the disciples made in practicing the principle of servanthood in leadership, given that they had shown propensity to jockey for position?

o   Servanthood was not yet on their mind.

o   When

o   It came to leadership.

 

19)   Is it the self-giving motive of leadership or the self-serving motive of leadership that drove the disciples to argue about who was the greatest?

o   It was the self-serving motive of leadership.

 

20)   Is it the self-giving motive of leadership or the self-serving motive of leadership that drove the disciples to serving a child, given that the child could not repay them?

o   It was the self-giving motive of leadership.

 

21)   Is it the self-giving motive of leadership or the self-serving motive of leadership that is compatible with the principle of servanthood in leadership?

o   It is the self-giving motive of leadership that is compatible.

 

22)   What kind of motive was behind the disciples’ leveraging the Christ for fulfilling their national hope and personal aspiration?

o   It was a self-serving motive.

 

23)   What kind of motive was behind Jesus’ dying for the sins of the whole world and then rising from the dead?

o   It was a self-giving motive.

 

24)   What was the raging battle within the disciples, given that they knew that Jesus was not the self-serving Christ they would rather be following, but the self-giving Christ they had been fighting off?

o   The raging battle within them was whether they wanted to follow

§  The self-serving Christ.

§  Or the self-giving Christ.

 

25)   When Jesus prodded the disciples to ask him what he meant by rising from the dead in order to help them see the bright side of following the self-giving Christ, what did they do?

o   They backed away.

 

26)   What was the consequence of the disciples’ losing this raging battle as seen in what they eventually did to Jesus?

o   The consequence of losing the battle could be seen in varying severities among the disciples with:

§  Judas betraying Jesus.

§  Peter disowning Jesus three times.

§  And the rest of the disciples abandoning Jesus upon his arrest.

 

27)   How important is this battle in the discipleship of getting to know Jesus, given that it is the most potent determinant of the outcome of discipleship?

o   It is the most important battle in the discipleship of getting to know Jesus.

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Verses 30-37  Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

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Verses 38-41  Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us

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Concerning whoever is not against us is for us,

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28)   Why can no one who does a miracle in Jesus’ name say anything bad about him in, given that Jesus authorizes the performance of miracles?

o   Jesus does not authorize the performance of a miracle by a person only to have the person utter a message against him.

 

29)   In accordance with what Jesus said in verses 39 and 40 is a person who does a miracle in his name for Jesus or against Jesus even though the person does not follow him around?

o   The person is for Jesus.

 

30)   According to verse 41 what happens to the reward of someone who in the name of Christ gives a disciple of Christ a cup of water?

o   They will certainly not lose their reward.

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Verses 38-41  Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us

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Verses 42-50  Causing to Stumble

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Concerning causing to stumble,

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31)   What would be better for a person according to Jesus, to cause a child who believes in him to stumble or to have a large millstone hung around their neck and be thrown into the sea?

o   It would be better for the person to

§  Have a large millstone hung around their neck.

§  And be thrown into the sea.

 

32)   According to what Jesus said in verses 43 to 47 what did he hint might happen to a disciple who is not resolute in combating sin?

o   The disciple might end up in hell.

 

33)   What quality of salt makes it an agent of preservation and purification?

o   It is the quality of saltiness.

 

34)   Can the purity of a disciple be restored who does not combat sin with resoluteness, given that salt that has lost its saltiness cannot be made salty again?

o   No.

 

35)   What happens to the usefulness of a disciple who has lost their purity, given that salt that has lost its saltiness loses its usefulness?

o   A disciple loses their usefulness.

o   When

o   They have lost their purity.

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Verses 42-50  Causing to Stumble

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End Section 2: Mark 9 Questions & Answers

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