4/13/26

Mark 9:12 NASB95 And He said to them, “Elijah does first come and restore all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt?

As Jesus and His disciples descended down the mountain of transfiguration Jesus began to explain to them again that He must die and raise again. Although He had explained this to them before they still struggled to understand. They questioned Him about the scriptures being taught about Elijah coming first to restore all things. Jesus in the long-suffering of Himself again begins to teach them scripture. Knowing that Isaiah 53 speaks of His suffering, death, and resurrection to life. There are Psalms and many other prophecies that speak of this. Jesus is explaining to them that they can not hold on to one scripture without continually seeking a better understanding of them all.

Scripture never contradicts so He goes on to explain that an Elijah-type preacher had come in John the Baptist.

Of course, we will never have the understanding of scripture that Jesus has. He is the giver of the word. He is the word. God is omniscient and therefore knows ALL.

Although we do not have all His knowledge we do have the Holy Spirit's guidance, and He has the omniscience. I encourage you as Jesus encouraged His disciples and us to familiarize ourselves with the word. Never stop seeking to know it. Realize it never contradicts and that it always explains itself through and by itself.

With the development of the study bibles, people have begun to think that the study notes in their bibles are scripture. They are nothing more than one man's commentary. If we are going to use commentaries which there is nothing wrong with we need to make sure of a few things.

1. The author of the commentary is not a wolf in sheep's clothing.

2. That we are checking multiple commentaries so as not to be overly influenced by one person.

3. Realize that no commentary is as knowledgeable as the All-Knowing Holy Spirit.

4. We interpret all Scripture with all Scripture.

Many people have bought into study bibles to the point that they lift the author of the study notes (commentary) to the level of the Holy Spirit.

Notice Jesus didn't send the disciples to a man, to seek guidance on understanding the scripture, but instead He sent them to the scripture.

I am praying that you will use these devotionals as an opportunity to go to the word and study it more making sure that you always check fallible man against infallible scripture.

The Pharisees were not wrong in teaching that Elijah would come first. They just missed that an Elijah type prophet had already come in the person of John the Baptist. This meant the next thing to come was the suffering dying and resurrection of the Son of God!

That has happened now so you can be saved by Grace through faith.

Have you?

Love Bro. Scott