Charles Spurgeon Commentary Mark 9:9-10

"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. And they kept the saying, questioning among themselves what the rising again from the dead should mean." — Mark 9:9-10 (ASV)

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. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

For they did not understand the Master's words—not even these apostles—because the Spirit of God had not yet been fully given.

Happy indeed is the one upon whom the Spirit of God rests, and in whom He dwells. For as John says, You have an anointing from the Holy One, and know all things (John). Yet these men, without that measure of anointing, did not know at that time even such a simple word as this: that the Son of Man should rise again from the dead.

Brothers, we must be taught by the Holy Spirit, or we will never know anything profoundly.

We might go to school with Christ Himself—now, mark this word—we might go to school with Christ Himself and yet learn nothing until the Holy Spirit comes upon us to write the truth on our hearts that Christ has spoken to the ear.

Oh, if you lack wisdom, ask of God, and He will give you His Spirit.

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. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

You see the great modesty and patience of our Lord. Though these three favored apostles might see his glory, and afterwards bear witness concerning it, yet for the time being they must hold their tongues. All this glory, and only three men to see it, and these three must be quite silent!

Our Lord seeks not honor from men; neither should we do so. His mind was even then occupied with thoughts of his great sacrifice. When he spoke to Moses and Elijah, his theme was, his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem, and when he spoke with these three eyewitnesses of his majesty, the subject of his conversation was his own death and resurrection. That was the object on which his heart's affection was set.

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. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

These were Peter, and James, and John, the three most privileged disciples of Christ – probably, the best scholars in that class which had the Lord Jesus Christ himself for its Teacher; yet his plain language was without meaning to them: questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. I wonder whether, when our Lord comes the second time, we shall discover that the prophecies concerning his advent were wonderfully clear, but that we could not understand them until he came. Plain as his teaching concerning his resurrection was, his disciples could not understand it until that great event had really occurred.