Mark 9:9–13
9 As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean. 11 Then they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 He said to them, “Elijah is indeed coming first to restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him.”
This is a confusing passage of scripture that raises many questions for even the smartest biblical scholars. For us, there is an easy question to ask and answer: “Why is this an appointed reading for the Advent/Christmas season?” The answer is that Easter was celebrated by the church before Christmas ever was. Easter is the more important holiday. Jesus’ resurrection is the greatest gift of God to us. Jesus was born to live and die for us. While the Christmas story brings us joy, it is the Easter story that brings eternal joy and life. (more…)
