“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.”
Jesus replied, to be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be treated with contempt? — the answer confirms the Elijah-first expectation but immediately adds the passion prediction: if Elijah comes to restore, why does the Son of Man suffer? The question within the answer forces the disciples to hold both realities simultaneously: Elijah comes and restores (preparation), and the Son of Man suffers (the path the restored preparation leads to). The cross is not the failure of the restoration but its mechanism.
Church Fathers on Mark 9:12
After the shewing of the mystery on the mount, the Lord commanded His disciples, as they were coming down from the mount, not to reveal His transfiguration, before the glory of His Passion and Resurrection.
Which He did lest men should be offended, hearing such glorious things of Him Whom they were about to see crucified. It was not therefore fitting to say such things of Christ before He suffered, but after His resurrection they were likely to be believed.
This, which is peculiar to Mark, means, that when death shall have been swallowed up in victory, we shall have no memory for the former things.
Read all 8 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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