Mark 9:12
And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
Mark 9:12
Jesus responds that Elijah truly comes first and will restore all things. He then ties this to the Son of Man suffering and being rejected. The juxtaposition of restoration with suffering reveals the paradox of God’s redemptive plan: through seemingly weakness comes ultimate triumph.
This ties the prophetic expectation to Jesus’ passion. Elijah’s restoration work prefigures John the Baptist’s ministry and points to the necessary suffering before glory. The “set at nought” language foreshadows the cross as a real humiliation that yields salvation.
- Recognize suffering and humiliation as potential vessels of restoration and growth.
- Seek God’s redemptive purposes in painful circumstances, trusting that God can restore all things through Jesus’ suffering.
Cross-References: Isaiah 53; Luke 1:17; 2 Corinthians 4:7-12; Romans 8:18-30