Mark 9:14-29 – Jesus returns to find a crowd arguing with His disciples over their failure to cast out a demon from a boy suffering seizures. The boy’s father, struggling with doubt, pleads for help. Jesus rebukes the demon, casting it out after a final violent convulsion. The boy appears dead, but Jesus lifts him up. Later, He tells the disciples that such demons can only be driven out by prayer.
Mark 9:1-13 describes the Transfiguration, where Jesus reveals His glory alongside Moses and Elijah. A heavenly voice affirms Him as God’s Son. Peter reacts in fear, and Jesus later clarifies that John the Baptist fulfilled Elijah’s role, foretelling His own suffering and resurrection.
In Mark 8:27-38, Jesus reveals His identity as the suffering Messiah, teaches the cost of true discipleship, and rebukes Peter for misunderstanding God’s purpose.
Mark 8:1-26 shows Jesus feeding 4,000, warning against false teaching, and healing a blind man in stages. The disciples struggle to understand.
Mark 7:24-37: Jesus heals a Gentile woman’s daughter in Tyre and later restores a deaf and mute man in Decapolis, demonstrating His power, compassion, and the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s plan as He continues training His disciples.
Mark 7:1-23 records Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees over their traditions, specifically their handwashing rituals and Corban practice, which undermined God’s commandments. Jesus teaches that true defilement comes from within, not external rituals, emphasizing inner purity over human traditions. He declares all foods clean, foreshadowing the new covenant and shifting focus to the heart rather than legalistic observance.
