Mark 9:9

KJV

And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G1161} as they {G846} came down {G2597} from {G575} the mountain {G3735}, he charged {G1291} them {G846} that {G2443} they should tell {G1334} no man {G3367} what things {G3739} they had seen {G1492}, till {G1508}{G3752} the Son {G5207} of man {G444} were risen {G450} from {G1537} the dead {G3498}.

Complete Jewish Bible

As they came down the mountain, he warned them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Berean Standard Bible

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus admonished them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

American Standard Version

And as they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, save when the Son of man should have risen again from the dead.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Following the awe-inspiring Transfiguration, Mark 9:9 captures a pivotal moment as Jesus, descending from the mountain with Peter, James, and John, issues a strict and time-bound command for silence regarding the glorious vision they had just witnessed. This injunction, often referred to as the Messianic Secret, was not absolute but contingent upon a future event: the resurrection of the Son of Man from the dead, thereby linking the revelation of Christ's divine glory to the ultimate vindication of His identity and mission through His victory over death.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Mark 9:9 immediately follows the profound account of the Transfiguration in [Mark 9:2-8](/mark/9-2-8 "The Transfiguration of Jesus"). This miraculous event, witnessed by Peter, James, and John, revealed a glimpse of Jesus' divine glory, with His appearance transformed, His clothes dazzling, and Moses and Elijah appearing alongside Him. A divine voice from a cloud confirmed His identity as "my beloved Son." The command for silence in [Mark 9:9](/mark/9-9 "Jesus' Command for Silence After the Transfiguration") serves as a crucial transition from this peak experience of divine revelation back to the earthly reality of Jesus' journey toward the cross. It also sets the stage for the disciples' subsequent confusion and discussion about "rising from the dead" in [Mark 9:10](/mark/9-10 "Disciples Question the Resurrection"), highlighting their limited understanding of Jesus' true mission and destiny.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Mountains in biblical narratives often serve as places of divine encounter, revelation, and covenant, echoing events like Moses receiving the Law on Mount Sinai ([Exodus 19](/exodus/19 "Mount Sinai and the Giving of the Law")). The Transfiguration on a high mountain thus aligns with a pattern of God revealing Himself in elevated, sacred spaces. Culturally, the Jewish expectation of the Messiah was predominantly that of a conquering king who would liberate Israel from Roman rule and establish an earthly kingdom. This popular understanding contrasted sharply with Jesus' mission as the suffering servant ([Isaiah 53](/isaiah/53 "The Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53")) who would achieve victory through self-sacrifice. Jesus' command for silence (the "Messianic Secret") was a strategic measure to manage these expectations, preventing a premature political uprising and allowing His true identity and mission—culminating in His death and resurrection—to be properly understood.
* **Key Themes:** This verse is central to several key themes in Mark's Gospel. Firstly, it strongly reinforces the theme of the **Messianic Secret**, a recurring motif where Jesus often commands silence about His identity or miraculous deeds ([Mark 1:44](/mark/1-44 "Jesus Heals a Leper and Commands Silence"), [Mark 8:30](/mark/8-30 "Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ, Jesus Commands Silence")). Here, the secrecy is not absolute but time-bound, emphasizing that the full revelation of His glory must await His ultimate act of salvation. Secondly, it highlights the **Prophecy of Resurrection**, explicitly linking the understanding of Jesus' divine glory to His future triumph over death. This command underscores the centrality of the resurrection as the defining event that would validate Jesus' claims and provide the necessary context for His identity as the Son of Man, a title Jesus frequently uses to describe Himself, drawing from [Daniel 7:13](/daniel/7-13 "Daniel's Vision of the Son of Man") and emphasizing both His humanity and His divine authority. Lastly, it subtly points to the **Disciples' Limited Understanding**, as they struggle to grasp the concept of resurrection, a theme that continues to unfold throughout Mark's narrative ([Mark 9:32](/mark/9-32 "Disciples Fail to Understand Jesus' Words About His Suffering")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **charged (Greek, _diastéllomai'_):** This word, G1291, means "to set (oneself) apart (figuratively, distinguish), i.e. (by implication) to enjoin." It conveys a strong sense of authoritative command or injunction. Jesus is not merely suggesting but strictly instructing His disciples, indicating the gravity and importance of this particular directive. The middle voice implies that the action is for Jesus' own interest or benefit, underscoring the strategic nature of this command for His mission.
* **tell (Greek, _diēgéomai'_):** G1334, meaning "to relate fully" or "declare, show." This word implies a comprehensive and detailed recounting of what they had seen. The command is not just to keep quiet, but specifically to avoid a full exposition of the Transfiguration event, preventing a premature or incomplete understanding of Jesus' identity and mission before the resurrection provided the full interpretive key.
* **risen (Greek, _anístēmi'_):** G450, meaning "to stand up (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive):--arise, lift up, raise up (again), rise (again)." This term is crucial, as it directly refers to Jesus' bodily resurrection from the dead. The command for silence is explicitly tied to this future event, signifying that the resurrection is the necessary prerequisite for a proper and complete understanding of Jesus' glory and messianic identity.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And as they came down from the mountain":** This clause establishes the immediate aftermath and physical setting following the Transfiguration. The descent from the mountain signifies a return from a sacred, revelatory space to the ordinary world, where the implications of the divine encounter must be processed and understood in due time.
* **"he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen":** This is Jesus' direct command for silence, a manifestation of the "Messianic Secret." The disciples, having witnessed an extraordinary display of divine glory, are instructed to keep this vision confidential. This secrecy is strategic, designed to prevent misunderstandings about Jesus' Messiahship that could arise from a partial revelation of His power without the full context of His suffering and resurrection.
* **"till the Son of man were risen from the dead":** This critical qualification provides the temporal boundary for the command. The silence is not permanent but conditional upon Jesus' resurrection. This explicit link highlights the resurrection as the ultimate validation and interpretive key for understanding Jesus' true identity, His divine glory, and the nature of His kingdom. It underscores that the full significance of the Transfiguration could only be grasped in light of His victory over death.

#### Literary Devices
Mark 9:9 employs several significant literary devices. The most prominent is the **Messianic Secret**, a recurring narrative motif in Mark's Gospel where Jesus commands individuals or demons to keep His identity or miraculous deeds confidential. In this verse, the secret is not absolute but time-bound, adding a layer of **Foreshadowing** as Jesus explicitly links the revelation of His glory to His future resurrection. This creates dramatic irony, as the disciples, despite witnessing His glory, do not yet grasp the necessity or nature of His suffering and death, which the resurrection will ultimately vindicate. The **Symbolism** of the mountain, a traditional place of divine encounter and revelation (as seen in Moses on Sinai), contrasts with the descent, signifying a return to the earthly realm where the divine revelation must be integrated into the unfolding plan of salvation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Mark 9:9 profoundly connects the revelation of Christ's glory to the necessity of His suffering and resurrection. It underscores that true understanding of Jesus' identity as Messiah and Son of God is not found merely in spectacular displays of power or glory, but in the complete narrative arc that culminates in His victory over sin and death on the cross and through the resurrection. This verse emphasizes divine timing in revelation, teaching that God's full truth is often unveiled progressively, requiring patience and faith until the complete picture is revealed. It highlights the indispensable role of the resurrection as the ultimate validation of Jesus' claims and the foundation of Christian hope.

* [Matthew 17:9](/matthew/17-9 "Jesus Commands Silence After the Transfiguration")
* [Luke 9:36](/luke/9-36 "The Disciples Keep Silent About the Transfiguration")
* [Acts 1:3](/acts/1-3 "Jesus Appears to His Disciples After His Resurrection")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Mark 9:9 offers profound lessons for our spiritual journey. Just as the disciples needed the resurrection to fully comprehend the Transfiguration, we often need the full unfolding of God's plan to understand individual events or seasons in our lives. This verse encourages us to trust in God's perfect timing for revelation and understanding, even when His ways seem mysterious or counter-intuitive. It reminds us that God's wisdom often operates on a different timeline and with a different logic than our own, prioritizing the complete and redemptive narrative over immediate gratification or understanding. Furthermore, it reinforces the absolute centrality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the cornerstone of Christian faith, the ultimate proof of His divine authority, and the source of our hope for new life. Our faith is not built on fleeting moments of glory, but on the enduring reality of Christ's triumph over death.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the concept of "divine timing" in Mark 9:9 apply to areas of uncertainty or waiting in your own life?**
* **In what ways might we, like the disciples, be prone to misunderstand God's plan if we focus only on "glory" without embracing the necessity of "suffering" and "resurrection"?**
* **How does the resurrection of Jesus provide the ultimate context and meaning for all of His miracles and teachings?**

### FAQ
**Why did Jesus command silence about the Transfiguration?**

Answer: Jesus commanded silence primarily for two strategic reasons, often referred to as the "Messianic Secret." First, to prevent premature and politically motivated attempts to crown Him as an earthly king. The popular Jewish expectation of the Messiah was largely political, and a public display of His divine glory could have ignited a rebellion, diverting attention from His true mission. Second, and more critically, the command was given "till the Son of man were risen from the dead." This meant that the full significance of His divine identity and glory, as witnessed in the Transfiguration, could only be properly understood and proclaimed *after* His suffering, death, and resurrection. The resurrection would serve as the ultimate validation and interpretive key for who Jesus truly was and what He came to accomplish, ensuring that His Messiahship was understood in terms of redemptive sacrifice rather than worldly power ([Mark 8:31-33](/mark/8-31-33 "Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Mark 9:9, with its explicit reference to the "Son of man" rising from the dead, points directly to the very heart of Christ's redemptive work. The Transfiguration, a glimpse of Jesus' inherent divine glory, was not meant for immediate public consumption because its full meaning could only be unlocked by the resurrection. This foreshadows the ultimate revelation of Christ's identity and power through His victory over death, making Him the "firstfruits of those who are asleep" ([1 Corinthians 15:20](/1_corinthians/15-20 "Christ as the Firstfruits of the Resurrection")). The "Son of man," a title that encompasses both Jesus' humanity and His eschatological authority derived from [Daniel 7:13](/daniel/7-13 "Daniel's Vision of the Son of Man"), demonstrates that His glory is not merely a display of power, but the power to conquer sin and death. His resurrection is the climactic event that validates His claims, confirms His divine sonship ([Romans 1:4](/romans/1-4 "Declared Son of God by Resurrection")), and inaugurates the new creation. Thus, the command in [Mark 9:9](/mark/9-9 "Jesus' Command for Silence After the Transfiguration") ensures that the disciples, and indeed all believers, would understand Christ's glory not as an isolated phenomenon, but as intrinsically linked to His atoning sacrifice and triumphant resurrection, forming the complete gospel message ([1 Corinthians 15:3-4](/1_corinthians/15-3-4 "The Gospel: Christ Died, Was Buried, and Rose Again")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 12:40

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Matthew 17:9

And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

Matthew 17:13

Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Mark 5:43

And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

Matthew 27:63

Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

Luke 24:46

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

Matthew 16:21

¶ From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.