Mark 9:4. Ἡλίας σὺν Μ.: Elijah first, not as the more important, but because of his special significance in connection with Messiah’s advent, which was the subject of subsequent conversation (Mark 9:9 ff.).

4. there appeared unto them] The three Apostles had not witnessed the beginning of this marvellous change. They had been weighed down with sleep (Luke 9:32), lying wrapped like all Orientals in their abbas on the ground, but awakened probably by the supernatural light, they thoroughly roused themselves (Luke 9:32), and saw His glory, and the two men standing with Him. It was clearly no waking vision or dream.

Elias with Moses] (i) Among all the prophets and saints of the Old Testament these were the two, of whom one had not died (2 Kings 2:11), and the other had no sooner tasted of death than his body was withdrawn from under the dominion of death and of him that had the power of death (Deuteronomy 34:6; Judges 9). Both, therefore, came from the grave, but from the grave conquered. (ii) Again, these two were the acknowledged heads and representatives, the one of the Law, the other of the Prophets (comp. Matthew 7:12).

they were talking] St Luke tells us what was the subject of mysterious converse which the Three were privileged to hear—“the decease, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31). St Peter himself reproduces this remarkable word in his second Epistle Mark 1:15. “Vocabulum valde grave, quo continetur Passio, Crux, Mors, Resurrectio, Ascensio.” Bengel.

Mark 9:4. Σὺν, with) The appearance of Moses had been less anticipated by the disciples than that of Elias, Mark 9:11.

Verse 4. - And there appeared unto them Elijah with Moses. Moses and Elijah were there because Moses was the lawgiver of the old covenant, and Elijah was conspicuous among the prophets; so that they were the representatives, the one of the Law, and the other of the "goodly fellowship of the prophets. They appear together to bear witness to Christ as the true Messiah, the Savior of the world, prefigured in the Law, and foretold by the prophets. They appear to bear witness to him, and then to resign their offices to the great Lawgiver and Prophet whom they foreshadowed. Then, further, Moses died, but Elijah was translated. Moses, therefore, represents the dead saints who shall rise from their graves and come forth at his coming, while Elijah represents those who shall be found alive at his advent. Our Lord brought with him, at his transfiguration, Moses who had died, and Elijah who had been translated, that he might show his power over both "the quick and the dead." St. Luke 9:31 says that Moses and Elijah "appeared in glory, and spake of his decease (τὴν ἔξοδον αὐτοῦ) which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." They appeared in glory; the Divine splendor irradiated them. They "spake of his decease," literally, his departure - his departure not only out of Jerusalem, but out of this life, by his death upon the cross. The death of Christ was thus shown to be the ultimate end to which the Law and the prophets pointed. Even in that hour of his glory, on the Mount of Transfiguration, this was their theme; and thus the disciples were nerved to look with hope and faith to that which they had contemplated with dismay. Mark 9:4Mark 9:4 Interlinear
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