As Jesus progresses toward Jerusalem, he continues to teach his disciples and demonstrate what discipleship entails. But while Jesus' message seems almost painfully clear to us, his chosen followers repeatedly appear to miss the point. They don't even seem to recognize the significance of the "visual aids" Jesus offers along the way. Along with his passion predictions and his lessons on service and sacrifice, this journey to Jerusalem is punctuated by demonstrations of the unique powers Jesus possesses, the divine forces he draws on and deploys.

First, there is the event of the Transfiguration (9:2-8) - a mysterious, divinely saturated experience that reveals Jesus' access to a realm and a relationship beyond that of ordinary men and women. Next, there is a discussion of the sheer power co…