Mark 9, Part Two

Jesus speaks again of His coming death (vs. 30-32)—As He had done earlier, Jesus tells His apostles of His coming betrayal, death, and resurrection (v. 31). Verse 32 is interesting: “But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.” They didn’t understand it because of their preconceived Jewish notions about the Messiah; we don’t exactly know why they were afraid to ask Him about it, except they might have remembered His reaction when Peter rebuked Him the first time He told them. See Mark 8:31ff.

Who is the greatest? (vs. 33-37)—Jesus caught the disciples in a childish dispute over which one of them would be the greatest (vs. 33-34). Of course, He knew what they had been arguing about, so He made it a teaching point. The greatest, He said, “shall be last of all and servant of all” (v. 35). The statement “servant of all” effectively explains the “last of all.” To further illustrate His point, He “took a little child and set him in the midst of them” (v. 36), and said, “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me" (v. 37). We don’t have to do noteworthy public deeds to be pleasing to God. The smallest service to one in need is just as acceptable to Him as a powerful sermon that converts hundreds. We simply need to do what we can. That’s all He expects of us—humble service to others.

More on service (vs. 38-41)—The disciples said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us" (v. 38). We have no idea who this fellow was, but he could scarcely have been working miracles in Jesus’ name without the Lord’s authority. He was probably a disciple of John the Baptist or one of the 70 Jesus sent out on the “limited commission” (Luke 10). Jesus told His apostles not to forbid the man, for “he who is not against us is on our side” (v. 40). He again makes the point about humble service: “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward” (v. 41). It might be a small thing to us, but the Lord sees it.

The flip side (vs. 42-50)—But if we aren’t humbly serving mankind, we are most likely leading them astray. Thus, “whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea” (v. 42). Nothing is more precious than our souls (vs. 43, 45,47); whatever the cost, avoid sin, rather than “to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched, where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.” (vs. 44, 46, 48). All of us will be tested (v. 49), and those who pass the test--“salt is good,” v. 50—will be of benefit to the kingdom of God. “Ye are the salt of the earth,” Jesus said in Matthew 5:13. “But if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?” (v. 50). What good is savorless salt? “It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out” (Luke 14:35). So, don’t lose your flavor as salt, and you will be a blessing to others and “have peace with one another” (v. 50).