Mark 9:11

9:11 The disciples wanted to understand the prediction that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes (see Mal 4:5-6). How did this prediction fit with Jesus’ proclamation of God’s Kingdom and his prediction of his own death, resurrection, and return (Mark 8:31, 38; 9:9)?

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 9:11. Ὅτι λέγουσιν, they say) An interrogation by implication.[3] [τρῶτον, first) before that the great and terrible day of the Lord shall come, Mal 4:5. The disciples appear to have supposed, that it was to be on that day that the resurrection, even as of all the dead of every class, so also of Christ, since even He must die, would take place; and that it is for that reason the exceedingly long silence is imposed on them.—V. g.]

[3] Ὅτι, for τί ὅτι, is often found in LXX. See Mar 2:16.—ED. and TRANSL.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 9:11 . ὅτι λέγουσιν , etc.: this may be taken as an indirect or suggested rather than expressed question, ὅτι being recitative, as in Mar 2:16 = the Pharisees and scribes say, etc., how about that? (Weiss in Meyer), or, writing not ὅτι but ὅ , τι (neuter of ὅστις ), as an instance of the use of this pronoun as an interrogative in a direct question (Meyer, Schanz, vide also Burton, M. and T., § 349). De Wette takes ὅτι = τί ὅτι after Beza and Grotius (who calls it one of Mk.’s Hebraisms).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. ἐπηρώτων. Conversational imperf. which Mt., as often, changes to aor. Some would place Mar 9:11-13 after Mar 8:38, and they would fit that position; but there is no other evidence that they ever had it.

Ὅτι λέγουσιν. Here and in Mar 9:28 R.V. makes ὅτι recitative; but it is probably interrogative in both places, as perhaps in 1Ch 17:6. In Mar 2:16 the reading is doubtful. The question seems to imply that the appearance of Elijah after the appearance of the Messiah had perplexed them. It reminded them of Mal 4:5, which the Scribes interpreted to mean that Elijah would appear again before the Messiah came. Cf. Sir 48:10.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The foolish opinion of the Rabbis is here repelled touching Elijah’s coming, which was that either Elijah should rise again from the dead, or that his soul should enter into some other body.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

11. first come] that is before the Messiah (Mal_4:5). The Pharisees and Scribes may have urged as a capital objection against the Messiah-ship of their Master that no Elias went before Him. “It would be an infinite task,” says Lightfoot, “to produce all the passages out of the Jewish writings which one might concerning the expected coming of Elias.” He was to restore to the Jews the pot of manna and the rod of Aaron, to cry to the mountains, “Peace and blessing come into the world, peace and blessing come into the world!” “Salvation cometh, Salvation cometh, to gather all the scattered sons of Jacob, and restore all things to Israel as in ancient times.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they asked him, saying,.... Being put in mind of it, by seeing Elias on the mount, or else by what Christ had said concerning his resurrection, or both:

why say the Scribes, the Vulgate Latin adds, "and Pharisees",

that Elias must first come? before the Messiah comes, or before the setting up his kingdom in greater glory; See Gill on Mat 17:10.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?

Ver. 11. {See Trapp on "Mat 17:10"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Why say the scribes ... - See the notes at Mat 17:10-13.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Christ had been telling his disciples that he should suffer. The Jews had a prophecy, not only that the Messias should come, but that he should be cut off, but not for himself, Dan 9:26. Only this hindered the certainty of their persuasion that Christ was he, because Elias was not yet come, whom they did expect, Mal 4:5; for they expected the coming of Elias in person, whereas the prophecy was to be understood of one in the spirit and power of Elias, as the angel expounded it, Luk 1:17. They also expected that Elias, when he came, should make a great change in their world, and bring all things again into order; but still their eye was upon a secular change, and a restoring of them to that liberty of their country which they formerly enjoyed, whereas the prophecy, Mal 4:6, is expounded by the angel, Luk 1:16,17, And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. —to turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. The disciples, being Jews, were under the prejudices of these notions about Elias, so commonly received by the doctors of their church and the generality of their people. To this our Saviour answers, The thing was true, Elias (that is, one in the spirit and power of Elias) was, according to the prophecy of Malachi, to come before the Messias; but they had overlooked him, for indeed this Elias was come, Mat 11:14, and by his preaching the doctrine of repentance for the remission of sins had endeavoured to restore all things, that is, to make a great change in the hearts and lives of the Jews, but they had put him to death. He further telleth them, that John had told them of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. He did indeed tell them so, when he pointed to him passing by, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away (or taketh up or beareth) the sins of the world, Joh 1:29. So that this was no just prejudice to their believing that he was the true Messiah.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Elias

See, Mal 4:5; Mal 4:6 (See Scofield "Mat 17:10")

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A question of the disciples:

v. 11. And they asked Him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?

v. 12. And He answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of Man that He must suffer many things and be set at naught.

v. 13. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

Peter, James, and John were still busy straightening out matters in their own understanding. They had seen Elijah on the mountain, there was no doubt about that. But now the scribes, on the basis of Mal 4:5, were teaching that Elijah was to come before the appearance of the Messiah and restore things to the proper state for the coming of the great Lord. They wanted this apparent contradiction explained. Jesus gladly furnishes them the necessary information. Their statement is right: Elijah, coming in advance, was to prepare the way. Their mistake consisted in applying the prophecy to the wrong person. It was not Elijah, the ancient prophet, in his own person, that would reappear on earth, but his antitype. And that antitype, John, had appeared and done his work. But Jesus immediately adds a few words of instruction concerning the question that had bothered them. How is it written about the Son of Man? He asks. They should remember the Scripture-passages which dealt of His person and work, and make the right application. He Himself gives the answer: That He must suffer much and be utterly despised. Those prophecies would be fulfilled in Him. As for those concerning Elijah, they had been fulfilled. John had come, and they, the Jews and especially Herod and Herodias, had worked their spite against him and put him to death. The disciples were familiar with the fate of the precursor, and they could and should expect nothing else for Him, since the Scripture must be fulfilled. It was the obligation which He had taken upon Himself; it was the work which He would carry out to the end for the redemption of the world.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Connecting Statement:

Though Peter, James, and John wondered what Jesus might mean by "rising from the dead," they asked him instead about Elijah's coming.

They asked him

The word "they" refers to Peter, James, and John.

Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?

Prophecy foretold that Elijah would come again from heaven. Then the Messiah, who is the Son of Man, would come to rule and reign. The disciples are confused about how the Son of Man could die and rise again. AT: "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first before the Messiah comes?" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Elijah does come first to restore all things

By saying this, Jesus affirms that Elijah would come first.

Why then is it written ... be despised?

Jesus uses this question to remind his disciples that the scriptures also teach that the Son of Man must suffer and be despised. This may be expressed as a statement. AT: "But I also want you to consider what is written about the Son of Man. The scriptures say that he must suffer many things and be hated." (See: Rhetorical Question)

be despised

This may be stated in active form. AT: "people would hate him" (See: Active or Passive)

they did whatever they wanted to him

It may be helpful to state what people did to Elijah. AT: "our leaders treated him very badly, just as they wanted to do" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

scribe

Elijah

restore

written

Son of Man

word of God

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

11.] The ὅτι may be merely recitantis, ‘they asked him, saying (that) the Scribes say, that Elias must first come:’ leaving ἐπηρώτων to find its application in the difficulty thus suggested by them. But it is better to take it in the unusual sense (undoubted there) of ver. 28 [see Moulton on Winer, p. 208, note 4]: see further on in this note.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. Ὅτι λέγουσιν οἱ γραμματεῖς—why do the Scribes say …? The difficulty with this rendering is, that the direct question, rendered necessary by the introduction of λέγοντες, is introduced by the indirect interrogative ὅτι. An alternative rendering is, the Scribes say, the demonstrative ὅτι being used to introduce a direct quotation. The difficulty with this is, that it is a statement, instead of the question required by ἐπηρώτων. But the question is easily implied. However, the rendering of it as a question is on the whole more probable.3 It is suggested by this appearance of Elijah on the mountain, which leads them to ask how it is, that Elijah’s appearance is treated by the scribes as a sign of the advent of the Messiah, while this appearance follows the advent, and Jesus commands them to keep his appearing silent. πρῶτον—first, that is, before the manifestation of the Messiah.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.