GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 9-8
Jesus Alone with Themselves
Before beginning work on a translation of Mark 9:8, my selected Old Testament reading was Deuteronomy chapter 13. In this Old Testament passage, the Israelites had been wandering in the desert for nearly forty years. Now they were preparing for the battles that lay ahead, so Moses warned them about being led astray by other religions. Even if a prophet came, performed wonders, and offered prophecies that came true, he was to be rejected if he said, “Let us follow other gods.” (Deut. 13:1-3) Even if a family member wanted to follow another god, they were to refuse to follow. Or if the gods of a town looked appealing, they were to be rejected. Then Moses concluded by saying that if they remained true to Yahweh, “He will show you mercy, have compassion on you, and increase your numbers, as he promised on oath to your forefathers, because you obey the Lord your God, keeping all his commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right in his eyes.” (Deut. 13:17)
In his record of Jesus’ transfiguration, Mark wrote, “And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with themselves.” (Mark 9:8) Mark’s record of this entire episode occupies only a few sentences and can be read in less than five minutes. However, his use of the adverb “no longer” (οὐκέτι, ouketi) suggests that some time had passed before the disciples suddenly realized that they were once again alone with Jesus. Matthew wrote that the disciples were “facedown on the ground, terrified.” (Matt. 17:6) Events of this magnitude throughout history have often been the spark for some new teaching, some new god, or some new cult. In this case, when the cloud disappeared along with the majestic visitors, the disciples were left alone with Jesus, and those words—“Jesus alone with themselves”—are some of the most magnificent of all time. Peter later summarized the importance of this when he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
The message of these few words is that Jesus Christ must take first place before everything else. Jesus Christ alone is the Savior—this is true, simple, evangelical religion. It is Jesus who can save, keep, console, and sanctify—“Jesus alone with themselves.”
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