Mark
9:33-50
Lesson 82
9:33-50
Lesson 82
Mark: 9:33-50
The disciples are taught humility 33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? 34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. 35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. 36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, 37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. 38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. 39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. 40 For he that is not against us is on our part. 41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. 42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. 43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. 50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. Some original manuscripts do not include verses 44 and 46. |
Margin notes:
"Being in the house." (9:33) - Peter owned a house in Capernaum, so this was probably his home. "What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way." (9:33) - "What were you quarreling about on the road." "They held their peace." (9:34) - The disciples kept silent out of embarrassment. "Who should be the greatest." (9:34) - Apparently, the disciples forgot Jesus' teaching on humility (Matthew 5:3). "Whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me." (9:37) - Jesus is reinforcing this message from Luke 9:48 and John 12:44 "Forbid him not." (9:39) - God will use the positive testimony from any source (Numbers 11:26-29). "That can lightly speak evil of me." (9:39) - Means, "that will soon speak evil of me." "He that is not against us is on our part." (9:40) - "He that is not against us is on our side." When it comes to Jesus, you either believe, or you don't. There is no middle road, no neutrality. See also Matthew 12:30, Luke 9:50 and 11:23. "Whosoever shall offend." (9:42) - "Whoever tempts, leads astray." "Cut it off." (9:43) - A symbolic statement. Cutting off a limb doesn't deal with the root cause of sin. Here, Jesus is advising us to cut off an ungodly relationship or a sinful lifestyle. "It is better for thee to enter halt into life." (9:45) - "It is better for you to enter life crippled." "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (9:48) - This is a paraphrase, referring to everlasting destruction, from Isaiah 66:24. "Salt is good." (9:50) - "Jesus used salt to illustrate three qualities that should be found in his people: (1) We should remember God's faithfulness, just as salt when used with a sacrifice recalled God's covenant with his people (Leviticus 2:13). (2) We should make a difference in the flavor of the world we live in, just as salt changes meat's flavor (see Matthew 5:13). (3) We should counteract the moral decay in society, just as salt preserves food from decay. When we lose this desire to salt the earth with the love and message of God, we become useless to him." (From the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; page 1905). See also Luke 14:34; and Colossians 4:6). |