The Bible Recap — Day 294 (Matthew 17, Mark 9)

Host: Tara-Leigh Cobble
Date: October 21, 2025
Episode Focus: The Transfiguration, Jesus’ Power, Reliance on God, and a Miraculous Tax Payment

Episode Overview

In this episode, Tara-Leigh Cobble recaps Matthew 17 and Mark 9, focusing on pivotal moments in Jesus’ ministry: the Transfiguration, the healing of a demonized boy, a miraculous temple tax payment, and the ongoing struggles of faith and understanding among the disciples. Tara-Leigh unpacks theological nuances, points out significant textual details, and offers practical faith applications with her signature wit and warmth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Context and Verse Divisions (00:02–02:00)

• Tara-Leigh opens with a note on the structure of the Bible, explaining that chapters and verses were introduced centuries after the texts were written, and don't always reflect natural breaks.
  • Quote:
    "These verse and chapter divisions aren’t part of the original scripture. They serve their purpose in helping us find things easily, but just be aware that they don’t always fall at the best breaking point." — Tara-Leigh (00:40)
• She sets the scene for Mark 9, linking it to Mark 8 and contextualizing Jesus’ statement about some not tasting death before seeing the kingdom’s power.

2. Jesus’ Statement: “Some Will Not Taste Death…” (02:01–04:10)

• Explores theories about what Jesus’ cryptic prophecy means:
  • The Transfiguration (immediate context; occurs a week later)
  • The Resurrection (six months later)
  • Pentecost (Holy Spirit’s arrival; eight months later)
• Each event showcases God’s power and the kingdom being revealed in different ways.

3. The Transfiguration (04:11–06:45)

• Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain, revealing his divine glory; his appearance is transformed.
• Moses and Elijah suddenly appear, representing “the Law and the Prophets”—the whole Old Testament bearing witness to Jesus.
  • Quote:
    "Moses represents the law, since he was the lawgiver, and Elijah represents the prophets since he was one of the most prominent prophets to ever live." — Tara-Leigh (05:03)
• Peter, overwhelmed, wants to camp out on the mountain, hilariously suggesting, “I just got three new tents at Target. You guys can have them and we’ll sleep on the ground.” (05:20)
• God the Father interrupts, affirming Jesus’ identity and telling the apostles to listen to him.
  • Quote:
    "It’s like when they start playing the exit music over your acceptance speech at the Oscars, but 1 million times more humbling because it’s Yahweh." — Tara-Leigh (05:35)
• Disciples are terrified but reassured by Jesus.

4. Jesus’ Private Explanation of His Death and Resurrection (06:46–07:25)

• Jesus urges secrecy about the mountaintop event until after his resurrection.
• Disciples remain confused about Jesus’ coming death and resurrection—Luke suggests God is keeping them from fully understanding for now.

5. The Miraculous Temple Tax Payment (07:26–09:20)

• Unique to Matthew, Jesus and Peter have a conversation about the temple tax (only required of males 20+; Peter, younger, wasn’t obligated).
• Jesus notes that, as the Son, he technically shouldn’t have to pay to support his own Father’s house, but pays anyway to avoid causing offense.
  • Quote:
    "He lays down his rights and privileges and says, I’ll pay it anyway. I don’t want to offend anyone by opting out. It would set a bad example." — Tara-Leigh (08:22)
• Jesus arranges a miracle: Peter will find the tax money in the mouth of a fish.
• Jesus pays for both himself and Peter, going beyond what’s required.

6. Healing the Demonized Boy: Lessons on Faith (09:21–12:15)

• The disciples fail to cast out a demon; Jesus succeeds, highlighting issues of faith and reliance.
• The boy’s desperate father says, “I believe; help my unbelief.”
  • Quote:
    "Both components are there. Belief and unbelief. I love that he asked Jesus to help him believe. God can grant faith. And God clearly isn’t offended by that prayer..." — Tara-Leigh (10:57)
• Tara-Leigh draws a parallel: like the boy’s father, we can (and should) ask God to grow our faith.
• The disciples’ struggle: Were they relying on their own power instead of God’s? Tara-Leigh suggests their lack of prayer showed self-reliance—a form of “self-idolatry.”
  • Quote:
    "They tried to access the power of God without connecting to the person of God. That’s self-idolatry." — Tara-Leigh (11:40)
• God wants us to rely on Him and ask for help; our requests honor, not burden Him.

7. Encouragement: Weekly Check-in (12:16–13:10)

• Tara-Leigh encourages listeners who are struggling with New Testament readings.
• Reminds us that, like the father in the story, we can ask God to change our hearts and help us love His Word.
  • Quote:
    "If that’s you, good news: you can ask God to change your heart. You can ask God for help just like the man did in today’s story." — Tara-Leigh (12:50)
• “The King of the universe is cheering you on.”

Memorable Moments

• Peter’s Target Tent Joke (05:20):
  Tara-Leigh humorously modernizes Peter’s awkward attempt to prolong the mountaintop experience, making the scene relatable.
• Oscar Speech Analogy (05:35):
  Joking about God’s interruption: “It’s like when they start playing the exit music over your acceptance speech at the Oscars, but 1 million times more humbling because it’s Yahweh.”
• God’s Invitation to Ask for Faith (10:57):
  Emphasizing it’s OK to bring our doubts and ask God for faith, and that God is never offended by honest prayers.

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• On Scripture Structure:
  “These verse and chapter divisions aren’t part of the original scripture…” (00:40)
• On Moses and Elijah’s Symbolism:
  “Moses represents the law… Elijah represents the prophets…” (05:03)
• On Self-Reliance and Prayer:
  "They tried to access the power of God without connecting to the person of God. That’s self-idolatry." (11:40)
• On Asking God for Help:
  “You can ask God to change your heart. You can ask God for help just like the man did in today’s story.” (12:50)

Conclusion

Tara-Leigh delivers another insightful, encouraging episode, weaving together biblical analysis, relatable humor, and pastoral care. She challenges listeners to move beyond self-reliance, embrace honest faith, and remember: God wants us to depend on Him—because “He’s where the joy is!”