Mark 9:12

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 nought.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Mark 9:12-13. Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things, and how it is written — That is, And, he told them, how it is written. As if he had said, Elijah’s coming is not inconsistent with my suffering. He is come; yet I shall suffer. The first part of the verse answers their question concerning Elijah; the second refutes their error concerning the Messiah’s continuing for ever.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:1-13 Here is a prediction of the near approach Christ's kingdom. A glimpse of that kingdom was given in the transfiguration of Christ. It is good to be away from the world, and alone with Christ: and how good to be with Christ glorified in heaven with all the saints! But when it is well with us, we are apt not to care for others, and in the fulness of our enjoyments, we forget the many wants of our brethren. God owns Jesus, and accepts him as his beloved Son, and is ready to accept us in him. Therefore we must own and accept him as our beloved Saviour, and must give up ourselves to be ruled by him. Christ does not leave the soul, when joys and comforts leave it. Jesus explained to the disciples the prophecy about Elias. This was very suitable to the ill usage of John Baptist.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 9

Mr 9:1-13. Jesus Is Transfigured—Conversation about Elias. ( = Mt 16:28-17:13; Lu 9:27-36).

See on [1462]Lu 9:27-36.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Mark 9:11"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he answered, and told them,.... Allowing that their observation was right, and that this was the sense of the Scribes, and that there was something of truth in it, when rightly understood:

Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things: See Gill on Matthew 17:11;

and how it is written of the son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. The sense of Christ is, that John the Baptist, whom he means by Elias, comes first, and restores all things: and among the rest of the things he sets right, this is one, and not of the least; namely, that he gives the true sense of such passages of the sacred writings, which related to the contemptuous usage, rejection, and sufferings of the Messiah; as that in these he was the Lamb of God typified in the sacrifices of the law, who by his sufferings and death takes away the sin, of the world; and therefore he exhorted and directed those to whom he ministered, to look unto him, and believe in him; see John 1:29.

Geneva Study Bible

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 nought.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 9:12. The construction of this sentence also is somewhat puzzling. After Ἡλίας comes μὲν in the best MSS., raising expectation of a δὲ in the apodosis, instead of which we have καὶ (πῶς γέγραπται). Examples of such substitution occur in classic authors; concerning which Klotz, Devar., p. 659, remarks: when καὶ, τὲ, or the like are put for δὲ after μὲν, it is not properly a case of construction, but rather: “quaedam quasi legitima orationis ἀνακολουθία”. Perhaps we are at a loss from merely reading the words instead of hearing them spoken with a pause between first and second half of sentence, thus: Elias, indeed, coming first, restoreth all things (so teach the scribes)—and how stands it written about the Son of Man?—that He should suffer many things and be set at nought! The aim is to awaken thought in the mind of the disciples by putting together things incongruous. All things to be restored in preparation for Messiah; Messiah Himself to suffer and be set at nought: what then can the real function and fate of Elijah the restorer be? Who is Elijah?—ἐξουδενηθῆ: this form, found in [74] [75] and adopted by W.H[76], is rare. The verb occurs in three forms—ἐξουδενέω, ἐξουδενόω (T.R.), ἐξουθενέω; the latter two in more common use. The word in any form is late Greek. Vide Grimm’s Lexicon, and Lobeck, Phryn., p. 181 (from ἐξ, οὐδέν or οὐθέν=to treat as nought).

[74] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[75] Codex Bezae

[76] Westcott and Hort.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12. and how] Rather, but how is it written of the Son of Man that He must suffer many things and he set at naught? See Tischendorf, Synop. Evang. The words that He must, or in order that He may, are very striking. They set before us the design of the It is written. “Elias cometh first. But how or to what purpose is it written of the Son of Man that He cometh? In order that He may suffer, not conquer like a mighty prince.”

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 9:12. Εἶπεν, told) In this discourse, Jesus acts as a president would in a discussion, allowing its just weight to the argument of the opponent, and then meeting it fully in His reply.—πρῶτον, first) This is construed with coming, ἐλθὼν, and with restoreth, ἀποκαθιστάνει, although in the preceding verse it is joined with come, ἐλθεῖν, only. For so also forty years is construed in a double connection, Hebrews 3:9 [Tempted and Saw My works forty years], 17 [was He grieved forty years].—ἀποκαθιστᾷ, restoreth) The present indefinite, as in Matthew 2:4.—καὶ πῶς, and how[4]) That is, the expectation of Elias as a restorer of all things, and the Scripture concerning the death of the Messiah, seems to you as not capable of standing together [seem irreconcileable]: but yet, for all that, they do stand together.—ἵνα, in order that) Because it was written, therefore He was bound to suffer.—ἐξουδενωθῇ, be set at nought) Isaiah 53:3. To reason, the restoration of all things seems not possibly compatible with this setting at nought.

[4] Engl. Ver. has no interrogation at Mark 9:12, but seems to mean (Ye should know) how it is written of the Son of Man, that He must suffer, etc. Lachm. puts an interrogation at ἀνθρώπου; and so in Vulg.: and (yet) how is it written concerning the Son of Man? (It is written) that He must suffer, etc. Tisch. puts the interrogation at ἐξουδενήθῃ; and (yet) how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer, etc.?—ED. and TRANSL.

Mark 9:12