Mark 9:12-16: a reflection

12He said to them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and restores all things. How is it written about the Son of Man, that he should suffer many things and be despised? 13But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they have also done to him whatever they wanted to, even as it is written about him.” 14Coming to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes questioning them. 15Immediately all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, greeted him. 16He asked the scribes, “What are you asking them?”

When Jesus speaks of Elijah having come and being mistreated, and of the Son of Man who must suffer and be despised, he shows that the rejection of God's messengers, and even of the Son of Man, was foretold and within God's plan. Elijah indeed comes first, Jesus says, and how is it written of the Son of Man, that he should suffer many things and be despised? Elijah has come, and they have done to him whatever they wanted. The messenger who was to come, John the Baptist in the spirit of Elijah, had been rejected and mistreated, as had been foretold. And the Son of Man himself, Jesus says, was written of as one who should suffer and be despised. The rejection of God's messengers, and of Christ himself, was not a surprise or a defeat of God's plan, but foretold within it. This shows that the rejection of God's messengers, and of Christ, was foretold and within God's plan. The rejection of God's messengers, and of Christ, was foretold, not a surprise. The world's rejection of God's truth-bearers did not thwart his plan. Christ's suffering and being despised were written of beforehand. God's purposes are not defeated by the rejection of his messengers.

Notice how Jesus frames the mistreatment of God's messengers. He speaks of Elijah, that is, the messenger who came in Elijah's spirit, John the Baptist, and notes that they did to him whatever they wanted; he was rejected and mistreated. And he speaks of the Son of Man, himself, and asks how it is written that he should suffer many things and be despised. In both cases, Jesus points out that this rejection and suffering was written of beforehand, foretold in Scripture. The mistreatment of God's messengers, and the suffering of the Son of Man, was not an unforeseen disaster, a defeat of God's plan; it was foretold within it. This holds a truth worth taking in. The world's rejection and mistreatment of God's messengers, of those who bear his truth, and supremely of Christ himself, is not something that catches God by surprise or overturns his purposes. It was foretold; it lies within his plan, not outside it. This does not make the rejection right, but it means it does not thwart God. God's truth-bearers have often been rejected, and Christ himself was despised and suffered, as was written; yet through it all, God's purposes went forward, and in Christ's very suffering, God's saving plan was accomplished. We need not be shaken when God's messengers, or God's truth, are rejected by the world, as though this defeated God; it was foretold, and God's purposes go forward even through it. We do well not to be shaken by the world's rejection of God's messengers and truth, knowing it was foretold and does not thwart God's plan. The world's rejection of God's messengers and truth was foretold, not a surprise. Do not be shaken when God's truth-bearers, or Christ, are rejected; it does not defeat God. Christ's suffering was written of beforehand and accomplished God's plan. God's purposes go forward even through the rejection of his messengers.

That is worth taking to heart, for the rejection of God's messengers, and of Christ, was foretold and within God's plan, and we need not be shaken by it, as Jesus showed it was written beforehand. We can be shaken when God's truth-bearers or God's truth are rejected, as though God were defeated; but Jesus showed that the mistreatment of the messenger and the suffering of the Son of Man were foretold. It did not thwart God. When you see God's messengers or God's truth rejected by the world, do not be shaken as though God were defeated; it was foretold, and his purposes go forward even through it. Do not be shaken by the world's rejection of God's messengers and truth, knowing it was foretold and does not thwart God's plan, as when Jesus spoke of Elijah having come and being mistreated, and of the Son of Man who must suffer and be despised, he showed that the rejection of God's messengers and even of the Son of Man was foretold and within God's plan, saying Elijah had come and they had done to him whatever they wanted, and asking how it is written of the Son of Man that he should suffer and be despised; for the messenger who came, John the Baptist in the spirit of Elijah, had been rejected and mistreated as foretold, and the Son of Man himself was written of as one who should suffer and be despised, so that the rejection of God's messengers and of Christ was not a surprise or a defeat of God's plan but foretold within it, which holds a truth worth taking in, that the world's rejection and mistreatment of God's messengers and truth-bearers, and supremely of Christ, does not catch God by surprise or overturn his purposes but was foretold and lies within his plan, which does not make the rejection right but means it does not thwart God, since God's truth-bearers have often been rejected and Christ himself was despised as written, yet through it all God's purposes went forward and in Christ's suffering his saving plan was accomplished, so that we need not be shaken when God's messengers or truth are rejected as though this defeated God, and we do well not to be shaken by it.

Lord Jesus, when you speak of Elijah having come and being mistreated, and of the Son of Man who must suffer and be despised, you show that the rejection of God's messengers, and even of the Son of Man, was foretold and within God's plan. Elijah indeed comes first, you say, and how is it written of the Son of Man, that he should suffer many things and be despised? Elijah has come, and they have done to him whatever they wanted. The messenger who was to come, John the Baptist in the spirit of Elijah, had been rejected and mistreated, as had been foretold. And you yourself, the Son of Man, were written of as one who should suffer and be despised. The rejection of God's messengers, and of you, was not a surprise or a defeat of God's plan, but foretold within it. Show me how you frame the mistreatment of God's messengers. You speak of John the Baptist, who came in Elijah's spirit, and note that they did to him whatever they wanted; he was rejected and mistreated. And you speak of yourself, the Son of Man, and ask how it is written that you should suffer and be despised. In both cases, you point out that this rejection and suffering was written of beforehand. The mistreatment of God's messengers, and your suffering, was not an unforeseen disaster, but foretold within God's plan. This holds a truth worth taking in. The world's rejection of those who bear God's truth, and supremely of you, does not catch God by surprise or overturn his purposes. It was foretold; it lies within his plan. This does not make the rejection right, but it means it does not thwart God. Through it all, God's purposes went forward, and in your very suffering, God's saving plan was accomplished. Take that to my heart. When I see God's messengers or God's truth rejected by the world, keep me from being shaken as though God were defeated; help me remember, Lord, that it was foretold and does not thwart God's plan, and that his purposes go forward even through the rejection of his messengers, as your own suffering accomplished his saving plan.