Mark 9:4

9:4 The appearance of Elijah and Moses might indicate the fulfillment of the law and the prophets in Jesus (see Matt 5:17; cp. Mal 4:4-5).

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

Mar 9:4. Σὺν, with) The appearance of Moses had been less anticipated by the disciples than that of Elias, Mar 9:11.

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

Mar 9:4 . Ἡλίας σὺν Μ .: 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.).

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

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these were the two, of whom one had not died (2Ki_2:11), and the other had no sooner tasted of death than his body was withdrawn from under the dominion of death and of him that had the power of death (Deu_34:6; Judges 9).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.

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 there appeared unto them Elias with Moses,.... Or Moses and Elias, as all the Oriental versions read, as in Mat_. 17:3; see Gill on Mat 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 Gill on Mat 17:3.

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

4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

Ver. 4. {See Trapp on "Mat 17:3"}

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.

The law and the prophets were signified by Moses and Elias; both bear testimony to the divinity of Jesus Christ’s mission, which was effectually to close the old, and open the new dispensation. By the apparitions of these two illustrious personages, we learn also that sometimes, though not often, there is, by the permission of heaven, a certain intercourse between the living and the dead. (Bristow)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

And there appeared unto them Elijah with Moses. Moses and Elijah were there because Moses was the lawgiver of the old covenant, and Elijah was conspicuous among the prophets; so that they were the representatives, the one of the Law, and the other of the "goodly fellowship of the prophets. They appear together to bear witness to Christ as the true Messiah, the Savior of the world, prefigured in the Law, and foretold by the prophets. They appear to bear witness to him, and then to resign their offices to the great Lawgiver and Prophet whom they foreshadowed. Then, further, Moses died, but Elijah was translated. Moses, therefore, represents the dead saints who shall rise from their graves and come forth at his coming, while Elijah represents those who shall be found alive at his advent. Our Lord brought with him, at his transfiguration, Moses who had died, and Elijah who had been translated, that he might show his power over both "the quick and the dead." St. Luk_9:31 says that Moses and Elijah "appeared in glory, and spake of his decease (th) which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." They appeared in glory; the Divine splendor irradiated them. They "spake of his decease," literally, his departure his departure not only out of Jerusalem, but out of this life, by his death upon the cross. The death of Christ was thus shown to be the ultimate end to which the Law and the prophets pointed. Even in that hour of his glory, on the Mount of Transfiguration, this was their theme; and thus the disciples were nerved to look with hope and faith to that which they had contemplated with dismay.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Elijah - Whom they expected: Moses, whom they did not.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Elijah with Moses appeared

It may be helpful to state who these men are. AT: "two prophets who had lived long ago, Elijah and Moses, appeared" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

they were talking

The word "they" refers to Elijah and Moses.

Peter answered and said to Jesus

"Peter said to Jesus." Here the word "answered" is used to introduce Peter into the conversation. Peter was not answering a question.

it is good for us to be here

It is not clear whether "us" refers only to Peter, James, and John, or if it refers to everyone there, including Jesus, Elijah, and Moses. If you can translate so that both options are possible, do so. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive "We" and Inclusive "We")

shelters

simple, temporary places in which to sit or sleep

For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified

This parenthetical sentence tells background information about Peter, James, and John. (See: Background Information)

they were terrified

"they were very frightened" or "they were very afraid"

translationWords

Elijah

Moses

Jesus

Peter

Rabbi

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

4. ὤφθη. The word used of the appearances of Christ after the Resurrection (Luk 24:34; Act 9:17; Act 13:31; Act 26:16; 1Co 15:5-8). The three were thoroughly awake (Luk 9:32). The ὅραμα (Mat 17:9) was no dream.

Ἠλείας σὺν Μωυσεῖ. Mt. and Lk. have “Moses and Elijah,” which is the more natural order. But Elijah was expected to return (Mar 6:15, Mar 8:28), whereas Moses was an unexpected addition; hence Mk’s expression. The possible reappearance of Moses seems to have been a later idea of the Jews. In spite of Deu 34:5 and Jos 1:1-2, it was believed that he was taken up to heaven alive (Assumption of Moses). The power to recognize these representatives of the Law and the Prophets is analogous to that of St Paul recognizing Ananias in a vision (Act 9:12). The recognition was necessary for the purposes of the Transfiguration, and it might confirm them in the belief that Christ was not overturning the Law and the Prophets, for the representatives of both were in conference with Him. “The Law and the Prophets paid homage to the Gospel” (Loisy).

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.

4. Ἡλείας σὺν Μωϋσεῖ—Elijah with Moses. Elijah is generally said to be the representative of O.T. prophecy, Moses of the Law. But this distinction is more apparent than real. Moses was a prophet, and the law that he gave was a part of his prophetic utterance; while Elijah had nothing to do with the predictive, certainly with the Messianic side of prophecy, according to the record, but it was his province to reveal to men the Divine law and make real to them the Divine lawgiver. But these were two men in the O.T. history who made a mysterious exit from this world, and they are the ones selected for a mysterious return in the N.T.1 The subject of their conversation with Jesus is not given in Mt., or Mk., but Lk. tells us that it was “his decease which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem” (9:31).

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