Mark 9:33-50

13. THE CHILDLIKE SPIRIT 9:33-43

TEXT 9:33-43

And they came to Capernaum: and when he was in the house he asked them, What were ye reasoning in the way? But they held their peace: for they had disputed one with another in the way, who was the greatest, And he sat down, and called the twelve; and he saith unto them, If any man would be first, he shall be last of all, and minister of all. And he took a little child, and set him in the midst of them: and taking him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever receiveth me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
John said unto him, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name: and we forbade him, because he followed not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is for us. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink, because ye are Christ'S, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. And whosoever shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it were better for him if a great millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 9:33-43

469.

Didn-'t Jesus know of what they reasoned on the way? Why ask them?

470.

Had anything happened in the experience of the apostles which would suggest the topic of greatness in the kingdom? Discuss.

471.

What confession was made by the silence of the apostles?

472.

Why all the twelve to come close to Him?

473.

Show how the very nature of the desire to be first would place such a person last in the kingdom of Christ?

474.

What principle is at work in the one who wants to serve all that makes him first of all?

475.

Name two qualities of a child to be much desired by the citizen of Christ's kingdom.

476.

Please explain how receiving a child relates to receiving Christ?

477.

Discuss the meaning of the word receive as here used.

478.

What possible connection do the words of John in Mark 9:38 have to do with what Jesus said in Mark 9:37?

479.

These disciples fell into the terrible sin of sectarianismshow how.

480.

When and where had the apostles seen such a man?

481.

How was such a one enabled to cast out demons?

482.

Was it wrong for this unknown disciple to cast out demons? Why did John think it was wrong?

483.

What principle is involved in the words of Jesus in Mark 9:39-41 which is applicable to us today?

484.

For he that is not against us is for us. is this always absolutely true? Discuss.

485.

Why the illustration of the cup of cold water?

486.

Is there any connection between offending the little ones and forbidding one to cast out demons or giving a cup of water in the name of Christ? Please think on this question.

487.

Who are the little ones of Mark 9:42?

488.

What is the meaning of stumble as here used?

489.

Show how mention of sinking into the water of the sea fits the place where it was said.

490.

In what sense could the hand be the cause of sin? What basic lesson is taught here?

491.

Isn-'t Jesus suggesting rather drastic action to avoid sinning? Is it practiced today? Discuss.

492.

What is the meaning of life and hell as used in Mark 9:43-47.

493.

Give your own meaning of Mark 9:48-49.

494.

Show how Mark 9:50 relates to what has preceded.

COMMENT

TIME.The autumn of A.D. 29; probably five or six weeks after the last insident.
PLACEThe place of this event is Capernaum, the Lord's own city, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, to which he had now returned from the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, on the head waters of the Jordan.

PARALLEL ACCOUNTS.Matthew 18:1-14; Luke 9:46-50.

LESSON OUTLINE1. Who shall be Greatest? 2. Bigotry in the Kingdom. 3. Christ's Care of the Little Ones.

ANALYSIS

I.

WHO SHALL BE GREATEST? Mark 9:33-37.

1.

Disputing about Pre-eminence. Mark 9:1-2; Matthew 18:1; Luke 9:46; Luke 22:24.

2.

The Path to True Greatness. Mark 9:35; Mark 10:35-40; Matthew 20:26-27.

3.

The Child as a Text. Mark 9:36-37; Mark 10:13-16; Matthew 18:2.

II.

BIGOTRY IN THE KINGDOM. Mark 9:38-41.

1.

A confession of Bigotry. Mark 9:38; Luke 9:49-50; Numbers 11:26-29.

2.

Bigotry Rebuked. Mark 9:39-40; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Numbers 11:29.

3.

No Good Deed Lost. Mark 9:41; Matthew 10:42.

III.

CHRIST'S CARE OF THE LITTLE ONES. Mark 9:42-50.

1.

Offending the Little Ones, Mark 9:42; Matthew 18:6; Luke 17:1.

2.

Cutting off Offenses. Mark 9:43; Matthew 5:29; Matthew 18:8; Deuteronomy 13:6.

3.

Punishment for offenders. Mark 9:44-50.

INTRODUCTION

The great revelations of Caesarea Philippi, considered last were followed by the manifestation of the glory of the Savior on the Mount of Transfiguration, related in Mark 9:2-13, and parallel passages, and this wonderful event was evidently succeeded by a few weeks of partial retirement, during which the Lord sought to impress upon his apostles the great truths that had been so recently revealed. Shortly after the Transfiguration he healed a lunatic child (Mark 9:14-32), somewhere among the foot-hills of Mt. Hermon; and then, probably crossing the Jordan near its sources, he would enter the northern parts of Galilee, and thus journey towards Capernaum. Matthew's language (Matthew 17:22), And they abode in Galilee, implies that some time was spent there instructing the disciples in the truths he had just opened to them. During these journeyings, and probably just before their arrival at Capernaum the dispute referred to in the lesson had arisen among the disciples.

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

I.

WHO SHALL BE GREATEST?

Mark 9:33. And he came to Capernaum. On his return from his journey to Northern Galilee, from the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi and the Mount of Transfiguration. During his absence he had been confessed and had acknowledged himself as the Christ. Though this was followed by his declaration that he must be crucified, yet his disciples had so little conception of the true nature of his kingdom that they expected a speedy establishment of a royal Messianic throne on the earth with the various accompaniments of earthly royalty. Not free from earthly ambition, a strife had arisen among them as to which of them should be the great ministers of the Messianic King. This had occurred on the way back to Capernaum. The Lord had taken no part in it; they no doubt sought to conceal their dispute from him, but after their return and they had entered into the house where he was abiding he suddenly startled them by demanding the cause of their dispute. He asked, not for information, but as an introduction to the lesson he sought to impress.

Mark 9:34. But they held their peace. Deep shame kept them silent, and that silence was the most eloquent confession of their sinful ambitions. Who should be the greatest. Who should occupy the chief position under the Kingthe position of prime minister, as it were, in the kingdom that they thought he was about to inaugurate.Morison. What seductive dreams lay for Galilean fishermen in their being commissioned by the Messiah, as his confidential friends, and the first dignitaries of his kingdom! They had as yet no other notion of the kingdom that was shortly to appear than that it would be a temporal one; that their Master was to become a powerful prince, with places, honors, wealth, at his command.

Mark 9:35. And he sat down. As teachers did while teaching. The lesson, which touched the fundamental principle of the Christian life, was impressed formally and with all solemnity. And called the twelve. To come close to him. He wanted all of them to hear him. If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all. Simply because the desire to be first, self-seeking, is exactly opposite to the spirit which is the law of Christ's kingdom, the spirit of love, of self-denial, of helpfulness of others, of humility. Therefore the more any one has of the desire to be first, the less he has of Christ's kingdom. So that the very desire to be first makes him last by the very nature of things. And servant of all. Despotism, self-seeking, ambition, ever make a man a slave. No one is so much a slave as he who desires to be first of all. He is a slave to his ambition, to the whims and opinions of other people, to circumstances. But voluntary service in the kingdom of love, and under the impulse of humility and self-denial, makes a man a spiritual power, gives him an unconscious and blessed greatness. To be truly great one must (1) forget himself in his work, (2) be humble instead of conceited, and (3) be a helper of his race, or the servant of all. Paul, Luther, Washington and Lincoln were the servants of humanity.

Mark 9:36. And he took a child. Matthew's account indicates that the disciples asked him a question concerning who should be greatest, or the grounds of greatness in his kingdom. The Lord answers by an object lesson. He called a child (Matthew) and first placed the child in the midst, and then took it in his arms, possibly drawing a lesson for his disciples from its ready submission and trustfulness. Set him in the midst, As an illustration; as a living parable. Matthew says that he went on to say, Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, They not only should not be first, but they should not enter at all, if they indulged their present spirit. Chrysostom says: For such a little child is free from pride, and the mad desire of glory, and envy, and contentiousness, and all such passions, and having many virtuessimplicity, humility, unworldlinessprides itself on none of them; having a two-fold severity of goodnessto have these things and not to be puffed up about them.

Mark 9:37. Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me. There is scarcely a better test of a Christian's character than his bearing toward children and the childlike. Our Lord sets a little child in the midst of his disciples everywherein the family, in the Sunday-school, in the congregation, in the community; that child is our Lord's representative, and the object of his watchful care. Just in proportion as there would be a readiness to receive our Lord as he is, if he were visibly present in person, is that child welcomed in heartiness and cared for tenderly. How does that father treat his children, and his neighbor's children? How does that pastor minister to the children of his flock? How does that church provide for the children of its congregation and membership? How are those Christian citizens looking after the children of their community? These are questions which we may suppose our Lord to be asking as he searches the fidelity of his professed followers.Trumbull. In my name. Receiving in my name is serving with Christian love, and as belonging to Christ. Influenced by regard to my name. We should lay emphasis on this expression. Receiveth me. Observe that the true way to receive Christ is to receive into our hearts, for Christ's sake, those who need the hospitality of our sympathies, as the way to serve Christ is by serving the needy and suffering (Matthew 25:40).Abbott. Receiveth. him that sent me. When we love or receive him who was one with the Father, we enter into fellowship with him who is the Supreme and Eternal Love. Compare John 14:10; John 14:23.

II.

BIGOTRY IN THE KINGDOM

Mark 9:38. And John answered him. The words were so far an answer to what our Lord had said, that they were suggested by it. The disciple desired to show, as in self-vindication, that he not only received his Master, but that he was unwilling to receive any who did not openly follow him as a disciple.Ellicott. The expression, in my name, seems to have suggested to John a sudden question. They had seen, he said, a man who was casting out devils in Christ's name; but since the man was not one of them, they had forbidden him. Had they done right?Farrar. We saw one. The disciples had shortly before returned to Christ from their first missionary tour, in which they were empowered to cast out devils (Matthew 10:8). The man here referred to they probably met during this tour. He must have been a disciple of Christ, who was enabled by his faith, yet without a commission, to cure the possessed.Abbott. Casting out devils in thy name. Really, and not in a wrong spirit, as did the Jewish exorcists (Acts 19:13-14); for it was done in thy name. Such workers as this man believed in him, or they would not have used his name. And he followeth not us. What perplexed John was, that one not belonging to the apostolic band should have wrought precisely the miracle which stood foremost among the signs of apostleship; that which the disciples themselves had so lately attempted, but failed to work. See Mark 9:18; Mark 9:23. Nor are we able to explain the case because we know nothing more of the man or circumstances than is here stated. And we forbade him. Hindered him, so far as blaming him, and insisted on the abandonment of the exercise of his gift.

Mark 9:39. Forbid him not. He neither praises nor blames him for following an independent course, and not working with his disciples. He simply declares that he must not be forbidden, and that those who work the same kind of work that we do should be regarded not as enemies, but allies. Thousands, in every period of church history, have spent their lives in copying John's mistake. They have labored to stop every man who will not work for Christ in their way from working for Christ at all. Ryle. No man which shall do a miracle in my name. He who does a mighty work in the name of Christ cannot be an enemy of the Lord. The principle inculcated forbids discouraging any work, by whomsoever undertaken, minister or layman, man or woman, which is really accomplishing spiritual results.Abbott. If we see any one really accomplishing results that are for Christ it is wrong to hinder his work.

Mark 9:40. For he that is not against us is on our part. Note the social us. The Savior graciously associates the disciples with himself. On another occasion (Matthew 12:30) he said, He that is not with me is against me. There is no belt or border-land between right and wrong. He who is not good is bad; he who is not bad is good. In the highest sphere Christianity and goodness are identical. Christ is impersonated goodness.Morison.

III.

CHRIST'S CARE FOR HIS LITTLE ONES.

Mark 9:41. For whosoever shall give. The idea is, that, if so small a service as is here referred to goes not unrewarded, much more will the ejection of a demon in his name be approved and rewarded of him. A cup of water. Here mentioned as the cheapest of all bodily refreshments, and therefore suitable to represent the smallest act of kindness done by man to man. In my name. With this motive, because he belongs to Christ; with the desire to serve Christ, and honor him, and express his love to him. He shall not lose his reward. He shall be treated as if it were done to Christ himself. It will be accepted as an expression of love and honor to his Master.

Mark 9:42. Whosoever shall offend (cause to stumble) one of these little ones that believe in me. The weakest and feeblest of God's flock, not merely the children, but the little ones, in intellectual and spiritual power and in ecclesiastical position and earthly honor. The child yet nestling in his arms, and furnishing the text for his remarks, he warned them of the awful guilt and peril of offending, of tempting, of misleading, of seducing from the paths of innocence and righteousness, of teaching any wicked thing, or suggesting any wicked thought to one of those little ones. Better that a millstone were hanged about his neck. We are taken, in imagination, into the presence of a certain dreadful scene. We see a millstone attached to a man's neck. The fastening, passing through the central perforation of the stone is made secure. It is a sad sight. Yet, turning from another scene, we say, This is better. It is better than that the same man should act the part of a seducer, and entrap a childlike follower of Jesus. And were cast into the sea. Which was within sight. Death is a less evil than sinningmuch less than causing others to sin; for one kills the body, the other the soul. No language or figures could more powerfully portray the deep interest of the Master in the little children. How terrible to lead them astray!

Mark 9:43. If thy hand offend. Cause you to sin or stumble; ensnare you into evil, Are we to understand these passages literally? No, certainly not. The meaning is, if an object dear as the right eye, and useful as the right hand, stand between you and your progress to heaven, and your complete surrender to Christ, that object, however dear, you are to part with.Cumming. Hand. The temptation to do what is wrongforgery, stealing, murder. Eye. Lusting, coveting. Foot, Going into forbidden ways. He goes on to warn them that no sacrifice could be too great if it enabled them to escape any possible temptations to put such stumbling-blocks in the way of their own souls or the souls of others.Farrar. Into life maimed. The meaning is, not that any man is in such a case that he hath no better way to avoid sin and hell; but, if he had no better, he should choose this. Nor doth it mean that maimed persons are maimed in heaven; but, if it were so, it were a less evil.Richard Baxter. Into hell. Not Hades but Gehenna, the place of eternal punishment. The name was derived from the valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem where refuse was burned.

Mark 9:48. where their worm dieth not. Yet another strong figure, again in terms of Isaiah 66:24, and expressing a future penalty that does not exhaust itself.

Mark 9:49. every one shall be salted with fire. Once more the connection hangs on a phrase, here -fire-'; but in this case the continuity of thought between Mark 9:48 and Mark 9:49 is deep and strong, far more so than in the next case, that of the -salting-' in Mark 9:49 and the -salt-' in Mark 9:50. The clause added by the A. V., -and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt-' (cf. Leviticus 2:13), is no part of the original. The addition was originally an interpretation of the genuine text (which falls out in some early MSS.): then it was added to it. The genuine saying, a very striking one, seems connected with the preceding mention of a fire that is not quenched, thus: -Yes, the fire, I say, is not quenched; for with fireof one sort or anotherall must, sooner or later, be salted.-'

The key to its meaning is found probably in the Levitical regulation which provided that with all oblations salt was to be offered (Leviticus 2:13), as the glossing addition rightly suggests. Salt was used in connection with the making of covenants (Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5); and the sacrificial salt of the Levitical offerings was the symbol of the covenant-relation between God and Israel. It was interpreted by this time, at least, with reference to the properties of salt as a preservative against corruption in things apt to putrify, a preservative, however, with a stinging, painful effect on sentient life. In this respect it is like -fire,-' which also causes pain, yet it may be, wholesome and purifying pain; hence the combination of the two metaphors in the one idea -salted with (purifying) fire.-' To this discipline of suffering in one form or another, Jesus says, all men must submit, whether freely or by constraint. The form he here sets before his disciples, for their good, is that of discipline; voluntarily accepted for the sake of the true life, to be safeguarded thereby from corruption; and illustrations of this positive or cleansing function of moral fire have just been given in Mark 9:43-47. But these are only special cases of the general principle of suffering as integral to the path of his disciples, as of their Master, which Jesus had set himself to bring home to them ever since he had hinted, while near Caesarea Philippi, at the Cross looming before him (see Mark 9:31 f).

The best commentary on the whole saying is another equally striking, in Luke 12:49: -I came to cast fire (of testing) upon the earth: and what will I, if it is already kindled?-' There he adds that he has himself to be -baptized-' with this kind of searching -baptism-' (cf, Matthew 3:11, for the metaphor, -He shall baptize you with holy spirit and fire-'), and is sore pressed or -straitened-' in spirit -til it be fulfilled,-' The context which precedes this in Luke (Luke 12:47 f.) makes the parallel most illuminative, teaching as it does that -stripes-' for servants will be -few-' or -many,-' according as their unreadiness for the Lord's arrival is accompanied by knowledge or ignorance of his declared purpose to return ere long, so that they should be ready for Him. The broad moral for all (-every one-') is the necessity for practice of the sacrifice of self, that -life-' may be gained and loss escaped.

Mark 9:50. Salt is good, lost its saltness. The sweeping out of salt that has lost its virtue, and become useless or hurtful, is still, travellers tell us, a common sight in Palestine.

wherewith will ye season it? Salt once spoilt can never have its saltness restored. So if the qualities which make up the -saltness-' of the true disciplefidelity at all costs of pain, self-abnegation, and the likeare turned to faithlessness and selfishness, what becomes of the discipleship which should save others from the corruption of worldliness and selfhood? There is no human source of -saltness-' capable of renewing it.

Have salt in yourselves. Keep the purifying sacrificial fire alive in your souls, and in particular let it burn up the egoism that destroys unity.

and be at peace one with another. Let the saving salt of fidelity to your Divine calling fulfill itself in brotherly relations with one another, So the words seem to bring us back to the disputing of the disciples (Mark 9:33) with which the conversation started. Selfish claims for the chief places destroy peace among men, and are not of the spirit of Jesus-' disciples. (J. Vernon Bartlet).

FACT QUESTIONS 9:33-50

525.

State two very important things that had happened during Jesus-' absence from Capernaum.

526.

What was the basic misconception of the disciples as it related to the Messianic kingdom?

527.

What did the disciples mean by the use of the term greatest? Greatest what?

528.

Was there any significance in the fact that He sat down?

529.

The more one has a desire to be first the less he has of what?

530.

State the two things the truly great one must do.

531.

A little child is free from what undesirable qualities?

532.

Why is it true that there is scarcely a better test of a Christian's character than his bearing toward children or the childlike?

533.

In what sense was John in his comment of Mark 9:38 showing his self-vindication?

534.

How was it possible to cast out demons without being one of the twelve or one of the seventy?

535.

What does the principle laid down by Christ in Mark 9:39 inculcate?

536.

In what sense is Christ impersonated goodness?

537.

How does giving a cup of cold water relate to forbidding the casting out of a demon?

538.

Relate the offending or stumbling of the little ones to the context.

539.

Is death better than sin? Is this literally true?

540.

If we are not to understand the passages of Mark 9:43-44literally how are we to understand them?

541.

Explain the hell or Gehenna here mentioned by Christ.

542.

In what sense does the worm die not in the place of eternal punishment?

543.

Give your exegesis of Mark 9:49.

544.

There seems to be two or three uses of the word salt in Mark 9:49-50discuss them.