Gospel of Mark: Transfiguration

Transfiguration

Text: 9:2-13

Comments: A. Context. We see this as a follow up to the first foretelling of Jesus' death and resurrection. Jesus got two responses: First, Peter rebuked Jesus. Second, there is no other response whatsoever. To give them a better understanding of the resurrection glory He takes 3 of His closer disciples to a mountain.

The mountain experience is overwhelming for them, and Jesus “charges them to tell no one until the Son of Man had risen from the dead” (v. 9). This triggers a conversation and He leaves it with a cliff hanger (v. 10-13).

B. Jesus and 3 others. Jesus selects James, John, and Peter as His “mighty men.” He spends more time with them and they see His glory of transfiguration. This is a pinnacle of Biblical leadership model. David had 3 mighty men: Josheb-Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, Eleazar son of Dodo, and Shammah son of Agee the Hararite (2 Samuel 23:8-12).

If we go even further in history, we should remember Moses and his three supporters: Aaron (his brother), Hur (community leader), and Joshua a son of Nun (military leader), helping Moses to pray and win the first battle of Israel after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 17:8-16). Also, we should remember Noah and three of his sons: Shem, Ham, Japheth (Genesis 6:9). Or Daniel with three of his friends: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 1:6-7). In the royal court we can see the following model: monarch, prime-minister (dealing mostly with the internal affairs), minister of foreign affairs, and chief military commander.

Ultimately this paradigm comes from the order of creation, however in reversed order. In human world/terms we have a leader and three supporters. In creation order we have Trinity who invites Adam into fellowship of God's counsel. So, if we begin from the Creation account we need to notice other stories of the Bible where a human was given this privilege: Abraham and three visitors (Genesis 18), Isaiah who see the LORD Sabaoth (Isaiah 6 and Isaiah 53:1).

C. Seven persons. We know that Jesus was met by Moses and Elijah. So. So far we have 6 personalities: Jesus, 3 disciples, Moses, and Elijah. Then the Father speaks, making seven persons total. This completeness is important. Because prior to that Peter said something really strange – he did not know what to say, and have decided to say something. Proverbs 17:28 says: even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise. Peter should've take a class on the Books of Wisdom... What's so strange about his words? The problem is that he equalized Jesus, whom he just confessed to be the Messiah, with Moses and Elijah. These later guys are great BUT (!) Christ is greater, far superior. Author of the Letter to Hebrews, comparing Jesus and Moses put it this way: For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses – as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor then the house itself (Hebrews 3:3).

That's why the voice of the Father is SO important – He rearranges everything to it's proper place: this is My beloved Son, listen to Him (Mark 9:7). Moses, Elijah, David, all the other writers of the Holy Scripture have no glory of their own. They are as important as long as they point to Jesus as Messiah.

D. Why Moses and Elijah? Why these two? Why not Abraham or David? I think there are at least two reasons for it. Moses and Elijah represent two very distinctive periods in Israel history enveloping (more or less) all of its span. Moses is the one who brought them from patriarchal period to the LAND. Elijah ministered in the period of divided kingdoms preparing Israel for the first (Assyrian) exile.

Second, both Moses and Elijah have “weird” death stories. We are told that Moses died, but no one knows where his grave is. Who dug the grave? OK, maybe Moses, but who put the dirt back into the grave?? With Elijah it's not simpler – if Jesus is the first being raised from the dead, where did the prophet go to await for the resurrection of Jesus? We have many questions... AS a result we end up with two mysterious people who passed through death in some different way – so, they are the perfect representatives to talk to Jesus about death and resurrection.

E. Bright glory of Jesus – a foretaste of the glory of resurrection. As I said in the very beginning, the mountain experience of the apostles and Jesus' request not to share it with anybody until resurrection triggered a thought process in the right direction – what this rising from the dead means? (9:10). What Jesus did is gave them a foretaste of His resurrected glory. When we compare this passage with what we see in the Book of Acts 9:3-6 and Revelation 1:9-19, the purpose of Jesus becomes clear.

Therefore, we can identify a few elements of heavenly glory: bright glorious apparel and profound conversations with the spiritual giants of all, and most importantly – fellowship with the beloved Son of God, our Lord and Savior! 

Genesis: Post Flood

Genesis: Post Flood

Text: Genesis 8:13 – 13:18

Structure: I'm sure you'll be surprised if I would tell you that the third lesson in out study of Genesis has a Biblical Waltz outline: A+B+C, related to being formless+empty+dark. Just like Genesis 1:1-2, and the Great Fall, people will face the same three challenges, and barely avoid another great judgment.

I. 8:13-19, God initiates the New World

A. 8:20-22, Noah builds the altar, formation of the merciful relationship with the LORD

  B. 9:1-7, God's blessing: be fruitful and multiply

    C. 9:8-17, Glorification, the colorful sign of the covenant – the rainbow

II. 9:18-19, Initiation of the story of the sons of Noah

A'. 9:20-28, Ham crosses the boundaries – breaking the form

  B'. 10:1 – 11:9, People don't want to fill the earth – building of the city and the tower.

    C'. 11:10 – 12:20, Abram is called to go into the land and interact with the “others.”

Comments: It's important to note that the flood had two purposes: cleaning the earth and protecting Noah with his family. I don't think that God expected everything to be perfect after the Flood – on one hand, we don't see the same magnitude of “badness” as we saw before (cp. Genesis 6:11). On the other hand, Noah and his sons are descendants of Adam – bringing the original sin into the New World with them. It's not a contraband of Methuselah (cp. Movie Noah, 2014), it's the sinful nature that began to play out in a corrupt way to distort the new beginnings...

Gospel of Mark: Jesus foretells His death and resurrection

Jesus foretells His death and resurrection

Text: 8:22 – 10:52

Outline:

A. 8:22-26, Jesus heals a blind man @ Bethsaida

 B. 8:27-30, Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ

  C. 8:31 – 9: 13, 1^st Foretelling of Jesus' death and resurrection + Transfiguration

   D. 9:14-29, Father with demon possessed son

    E. 9:30-50, 2^nd Foretelling of Jesus' death and resurrection + Who is greater?

   D'. 10:1-31, Family issues: divorce, little children, and rich YOUNG man

  C'. 10:32-34, 3^rd Foretelling of Jesus' death and resurrection

 B'. 10:35-45, James and John ask for positions at the throne of resurrected Christ

A'. 10:46-52, Healing of blind man – Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) @ Jericho

Comments: Since we have this long passage, I will divide it into three blocks. First we are going to talk about healing of the blind men. Then I will show the progression of Jesus' foretelling of His fate and the response He got from His disciples. Third, we will address some family issues. Transfiguration we will save for the next time – it is too important...

Celebration of the Church Family

Celebration of the Church Family

Zion Newsletter, May 2026

The month of May marks the celebration of Pentecost. Fifty days after the Resurrection, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and they began to preach. A few pages later you will read an article from Zion's President, August Selby, who visited our sister congregation in Lompoc, Bethany Lutheran Church, and how their pastor, Joseph Byrd, set a juxtaposition between the apostles who were in hiding after the crucifixion for the fear of the Jewish authorities and the same apostles who became bold witnesses and preachers of the Risen Lord Jesus.

Gospel of Mark: Bread and signs

Feeding the 4000, signs, and leaven

text: Mark 8:1-21

Outline:

A. 8:1-10, Bread of Jesus feeds 4000 (no bread, 8:2)

    B. 8:11-13, Demand of a sign

A'. 8:14-21, Leaven of Pharisees and Herod (no bread, 8:14)

Comments: Unlike the story of feeding of 5000 this story is presented in another context. Feeding of 5000 was done in the contrast to Herod's [deadly] birthday party. Here, the feeding of 4000 is a starting point for the future discussion of pharisees' leaven that followed by their demand of a sign. What other sign they want to receive but the bread coming from heaven?? That's the focus of the story as a whole.

Quasimodo transformation

Quasimodo transformation

I am sure that many of you are familiar with Victor Hugo' character Quasimodo. Even you did not read a lengthy The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, you probably saw a movie or a musical. If not that – what about the Disney cartoon? You know the disfigured guy who lived in the attic of the Paris cathedral. His love for Esmeralda. His fight for her... But do you know how he got his unique name?

Genesis: The Great Fall

Genesis: The Great Fall

text: Genesis 2:25 – 9:19

Structure – giant Biblical waltz

A. Sin against the form/boundaries, 2:25 – 3:24

  B. Sin against the filling/being fruitful, chapter 4

    C. Sin against the light/glorification, 5:1 – 6:8

A'. New beginning – Water covers the earth 6:9 – 9:19

Introduction: Most often people talk about the Fall, meaning the events of the Garden of Eden and their consequences. And it is totally justified. At the same time, have you ever thought why Adam didn't drop dead at the appearance of the LORD. Why God allowed their lives to unfold – through Cain to the Flood. That's why it is important to talk about the Great Fall – the point when God decides to start over (saving 8 souls total, see 1 Peter 3:20). To follow the lesson you need to remember the main pattern of creation that we talked about last time – forming, filling, and glorification.