To Be Great in the Kingdom of God is to Be Servant to All

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 10:32) And they were on the way going up to Jerusalem and Jesus went before them; and they were amazed, and as they followed, they were afraid. And He again took the twelve and began to tell them what things would happen to Him.

In the last post Jesus had been on the road when the rich man came to Him asking how to have eternal life.  He and His disciples apparently continued on the way and were headed to Jerusalem.  Jesus went ahead of the disciples which amazed them that He boldly pressed forward headed into danger as He had already told them that He must go to Jerusalen to suffer many things and be killed (Matthew 16:21).  That scripture said that from that particular time forth He had begun to tell them about His death and resurrection, so they knew well what awaited Jesus in Jerusalem.  As they followed behind Him, they were afraid.  They surely had ominous feelings about what awaited Him and that made them fearful for Him, and perhaps even for themselves.  Jesus took them aside and began to tell them again what would happen to Him.

(33) "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles."

Jesus did not try to make the disciples feel better by telling them things weren't going to be as bad as they thought or feed them hopes that He might be able to escape what was to happen to Him.  He told them the truth.  There is power in the truth.  We humans fear the unknown more than the known.  He told them that they were going to Jerusalem where He would be delivered to the chief priests and scribes.  They would condemn Him to death and then deliver Him to the Gentiles.  This was it!  It was all to happen soon.

(34) "And they will mock Him and scourge Him and will spit on Him and will kill Him, and the third day He will rise again."

Jesus gave the disciples more details about how they would torment Him, scourging Him, mocking Him and spitting on Him, and finally killing Him.  However, on the third day after that He would rise again.

(35) And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Master, we want that you would do for us whatever we desire."

According to Matthew 20:20, it was actually James and John's mother who came to Jesus with them and asked if He would do them a favor.  Therefore, it could not have happened immediately after what Jesus had just said to them, thankfully, as it would have seemed heartless to ask what they were about to ask after what He had just told them.

(36) And He said to them, "What would you want that I should do for you?"

The way the question was apparently asked was they desired Jesus to do whatever they asked.  Jesus, however, wanted to know what it was first.  Of course, He already knew, but He wanted them to voice it.

(37) They said to Him, "Grant to us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left hand, in Your glory."

They asked Jesus, or rather their mother with them was the one who probably asked, according to Matthew, if one of them could sit at the right hand of Jesus and the other on His left in His glory.  I couldn't help but ponder how Mark chose to tell the story versus how Matthew told it.  Matthew said it was James and John's mother who did all the talking and asking.  He very specifically stated that their mother had asked that her sons be allowed to sit on the right and left hands of Jesus in His kingdom.  However, Mark, who was likely Peter's scribe, and writing his view of the account put all the blame on James and John, suggesting that it was them who had the audacity to make such a request.

(38) But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Can you drink of the cup that I drink of? And be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"

However, Jesus said to James and John and their mother that they really didn't know what they asked for.  They probably saw Jesus's glory and kingdom as they did a worldly one.  If Jesus was king and on the throne, then His disciples would naturally be highest rank in His court, they probably reasoned.  Jesus had already rebuked His disciples when they had argued about which one of them would be the greatest in the kingdom, and here James and John were asking to have the highest honor.  Jesus asked could they really drink of the cup that He did, or be baptized as He was about to be baptized.  The brothers saw Jesus as a worldly king with all the pomp and circumstance and honor that went with it.  However, Jesus drank from a cup of sorrows, soon to be afflictions and suffering.  He was about to be totally immersed in a bloody baptism, His purpose for coming into the world.  Could the brothers be on either side of Him as He did that?

(39) And they said to Him, "We can." And Jesus said to them, "You shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized with, you will be baptized."

James and John told Jesus that they could drink of His bitter cup and be baptized as He was about to be baptized.  Of course, they were ignorant of what that really meant.  However, Jesus answered that they indeed would, as He knew they would suffer for being His follower, not in the way that He would, of course.  Jesus suffered greatly for a greater purpose and bore the entire weight and punishment for the sins of the entire world, but James and John would indeed suffer for His sake, perhaps a sip of His cup.

(40) "But to sit on My right hand and on My left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it is prepared."

Jesus added that positions on His right and left hands were not His to give, but were to be given to whom they were already prepared by God.  There were still two thousand years ahead of them of Christian saints doing God's will, and each would be rewarded according to his own labor, and of course, God already knew to whom the richest rewards would go.

(41) And when the ten heard, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.

The ten other disciples were all angry with James and John, not their mother, proving that Peter's opinion through his scribe Mark that it was James and John who really desired what their mother asked, although they may have used their mother to ask for them.  At the very least, they certainly didn't rebuke her for asking.  

(42) But Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and their great ones exercise authority on them."

Jesus called all His disciples to Him and began to teach them.  He described how rulers really lorded their superiority over their subjects usually in a tyrannical way.  Likewise, the rulers' superiors exercised authority over them.

(43) "But so shall it not be among you, but whoever will be great among you shall be your minister."

Jesus explained that it was not that way with Christian disciples.  Whoever was considered great in Christ's kingdom would be servants to others, not ruling over them. 

(44) "And whoever of you will be the chiefest will be servant of all."

To serve Christ, or be his righthand man, as James and John desired, meant to serve and minister to a physically and spiritually sick world.  Whoever was the greatest would be servant to all.

(45) "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Jesus explained that even He, their king, didn't come into the world to be attended and ministered to as a worldly king, but He came to minister to a lost world, and to even give His life to save many, all who would accept His sacrifice. 

(46) And they came to Jericho, and as He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the side of the road begging.

On their way to Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples went through Jericho, and a multitude of people from the city followed them as they went out of Jericho.  On the side of the road was a blind man, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, begging.  If this is the same encounter that was recorded in Matthew 20:30, Matthew said there were two blind men.  However, the fact that Bartimaeus was named, and additionally his father was named, might indicate that Timaeus was prominent and well known in the area.  It doesn't mean there weren't two blind men, but he was the prominent one well-remembered.  It's also possible that there were multiple healings of blind men, as the account in Luke gives different details about the time and location, according to commentators.  I'm quite sure Jesus healed many blind people in His short ministry on earth.

(47) And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

As there was a multitude of people passing by Bartimaeus on the side of the road, he had occasion to hear or even ask who it was that passed by.  When he heard it was Jesus, he began to cry out to Him, calling Him the Son of David, and asked Him to have mercy on him.

(48) And many rebuked him that he should hold his peace, but he cried all the more a great deal, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Many people among the multitude rebuked him and told him to keep his peace, that same "Don't bother Jesus" attitude that we have heard before.  However, Bartimaeus didn't let them stop him and he cried out all the more to Jesus.

(49) And Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good comfort; rise, He is calling you."

Jesus stopped and directed the people to call Bartimaeus to Him.  Jesus has time for all people, no matter how lowly their status, the blind beggars, the children, etc.  They indeed called Bartimaeus and told him to be of good cheer and get up, as Jesus was calling him.

(50) And he, casting away his garment, rose and came to Jesus.

Probably Bartimaeus sat with a blanket or something of the sort wrapped around him as he sat by the side of the road.  He threw that off and went to Jesus.  I love that picture!  He was persistent in calling on Jesus, regardless of how people tried to discourage him, and when Jesus called him, he threw off the rags defining him and his situation, and came to Jesus.  Some Bible commentators suggest throwing off one's own garments might more rightly express the throwing off or setting aside of one's own self-righteousness, admitting he can't do it on his own and his need for Jesus.

(51) And Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want that I should do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Lord, that I might receive my sight."

Jesus asked Bartimaeus what it was he wanted.  Of course, He knew, and it was rather obvious, but He wanted Bartimaeus to confess what he needed from Jesus.  Calling Him Lord, he asked that he might receive his sight.

(52) And Jesus said to him, "Go your way, your faith has made you whole." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the way.

Jesus told Bartimaeus to go on his way, that his faith had made him whole.  Immediately he received his sight and he followed Jesus along the way.  Bartimaeus had shown great faith in Jesus, knowing He was the promised Son of David, and acknowledging Him as Lord.  Jesus didn't lay hands on Bartimaeus, or touch his eyes, or command he receive sight; he just told him to go his way and he was made whole, able to fully see.  And he followed Jesus.  A perfect end to that picture of someone throwing off self and coming to Jesus for salvation and following Him.

"Who Then Can Be Saved?"

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 10:1) And He arose from there and came into the coasts of Judea by the other side of the Jordan, and the people gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  

At the end of the last chapter Jesus had been teaching His disciples in a house in Capernaum.  He then left there and went to the region of Judea by the further side of the Jordan eastward.  People began to assemble with Him, and as He had become accustomed, He taught them again.

(2) And the Pharisees came to Him and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?" tempting Him.

Once again the Pharisees came to Him, as they always did, to test Him and try to ensnare Him.  They asked if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife, knowing full well the answer, but desiring to trip Him up, as if they ever could.

(3) And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"

As He so often did, Jesus answered the Pharisees by first asking them a question, what was it that Moses had commanded?

(4) And they said, "Moses allowed to write a bill of divorcement and to put her away."

They answered Jesus that Moses's law allowed a man to write a bill of divorcement and to divorce his wife.

(5) And Jesus answered and said to them, "For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept."

Jesus then answered the Pharisees that that particular law had only been written because of the hardness of men's hearts.  It was never intended that men should divorce their wives, but because the Jewish men were cruel and hard-hearted, divorce was allowed.  Had it not been allowed, their meanness and hard heartedness might have led to physical harm to their wives.  Divorce was only allowed to prevent further sin and harm.

(6) "But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. (7) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. (8) And the two shall be one flesh, so then they are no more two but one flesh. (9) What therefore God has joined together let no man put asunder."

Indeed, Jesus went on to quote Genesis about what God had intended from the beginning.  He had made a man and a woman to come together as one in marriage.  Note that God only created man and woman; He did not create 57 different genders!  A man's father and mother were one in marriage, and he was likewise to leave his father and mother and join together with his own wife to become one.  He wasn't to join together with another man, only a woman, his wife.  Those two were to become one flesh, a singular unit, a married couple, parents, Mr. and Mrs., and what God had joined together, it was originally intended that no man should separate, and in fact, spiritually and intimately, they really can never be totally separated.

(10) And in the house the disciples asked Him again about the same matter.

Later when they had all retired to a house, the disciples asked Jesus again about the same matter.

(11) And He said to them, "Whoever shall divorce his wife, and marry another, commits adultery against her."

Jesus told His disciples that if a man divorced his wife and married another, it was considered adultery to God.  Moses's law did allow for certain circumstances under which a man could divorce his wife, but in God's eyes, once that union was formed and consummated in the marriage bed, that was a union created by God, and should be honored as such.  To flippantly throw that God-honored union away is to dishonor and sin against God.  The sexual union of a man with a woman is not to be taken lightly and outside marriage.  Even though our current laws allow for no-fault divorce and same-sex marriage, it doesn't mean that it is okay in God's eyes.  However, that is not to say that either is a sin that cannot be forgiven.

(12) "And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

Likewise, Jesus said that if a woman divorced and married another man, she was guilty of committing adultery.

(13) And they brought young children to Him that He might touch them, and His disciples rebuked those who brought them.

Then some people brought young children to Jesus so that He might touch them, putting His hands on them and praying for them, as the account in Matthew said.  His disciples rebuked the people who had brought the children, as if to say, "Don't bother Jesus."

(14) But when Jesus saw that, He was much displeased and said to them, "Permit the little children to come to Me and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God."

When Jesus saw His disciples rebuking the people bringing children to Him, He was displeased with them and told them not to forbid the children to come to Him.  He reminded them that such was the kingdom of heaven.  He had just recently taught them that new believers were like children in their amateurish lowliness of mind and not to be discouraged.  So all should come to Him, as children, not as pompous arrogant Pharisees. 

(15) "Verily, I say to you, whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter."

In fact, Jesus did say that if one did not approach and receive the Gospel message of the kingdom of God as a little child, he would not be able to enter it.

(16) And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them.

Jesus then took the little children in His arms, laying His hands upon them, and blessed them.  With this message, I believe Jesus tells us that an innocent child, no matter how young, is never too young to come to Him.  Perhaps he is too young to completely understand his actions, but coming to Jesus at any age is never wrong or to be discouraged.  He may come again at a more advanced age, but that coming as a small child may provide a foundation that will forever be with that child.

(17) And when He had gone forth on the road, there came one running, and kneeled to Him and asked Him, "Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"

Jesus then left the house and when He had gone forth on the road a man came running up to Him, kneeled before Him, referred to Him as Good Master, and asked what it was he must do to inherit eternal life.

(18) And Jesus said to Him, "Why do you call Me good? There is none good but One, that is God."

Jesus asked the man why he had called Him good because there was only One who was really good, and that was God.  Jesus was not rebuking the man or denying He was good; His point was to show that for Him to be called good, the man was rightfully looking upon Him as God.

(19) "You know the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother."

Jesus referred to the commandments, suggesting that the man undoubtedly knew them and should keep them.  He then named the six commandments that had to do with our relationships with other people, prohibitions against adultery, killing, stealing, lying, defrauding, which is the natural expected result of one who covets, and honoring one's parents.

(20) And he answered and said to Him, "Master, all these I have observed from my youth."

The man told Jesus that he had observed all those commandments since his youth.

(21) Then Jesus beholding him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack; go your way, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

Jesus looked upon the man and loved him.  It is noteworthy that that point was emphasized.  God loves all His children, but it seems Jesus looked upon the man with a different level of love, perhaps love for his earnestness, for the good He saw in him, but I imagine a loving sadness for the huge impediment He saw standing in the man's way to eternal life.  Jesus told him that there was just one thing he lacked knowing the greatest treasure of his heart; he needed to go sell all he had, give it to the poor, and then take up his cross, bearing all things without his money, and follow Jesus.  Did he love God more than money?  His observance of the commandments was an outward show of his love for God, but did he love the Lord above all else?

(22) And he was sad at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions.

Jesus lovingly knew this about the man before he realized it.  He was greatly saddened by Jesus's answer because he had great possessions and knew he was not willing to give those up.

(23) And Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"

After the rich young man went his way, Jesus looked around at His disciples and commented on how hard it was for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.

(24) And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for them who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"

The disciples were taken aback by Jesus's words, but He only repeated them, declaring how very hard it was for someone who trusted in his riches to enter the kingdom of heaven.

(25) "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

Jesus then told the disciples it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, which was impossible, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.  That certainly had to be a scary thought, as Jesus seemed to be saying that it was absolutely impossible for a rich man to ever enter heaven.

(26) And they were astonished beyond measure, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"

The disciples were even more astonished at this, and discussed among themselves that if that were true, then how could anyone be saved?  I can't help but think that this shows a little bit of dependence on wealth to make all things right.  They didn't ask about how then a rich man could ever be saved, but the assumption seemed to be that if a rich man couldn't do it with all his wealth and assets, then how could anyone else ever do it?

(27) And Jesus, looking upon them, said, "With men, it is impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible."

Jesus, knowing their thoughts and what they were discussing among themselves, looked at them and told them that it was indeed impossible for men to be saved on their own, but with God, all things were possible.  With God, one could move mountains, lead a camel through the eye of a needle, and work on a rich man's heart to take his trust and confidence off worldly wealth and onto God alone.

(28) Then Peter began to say to Him, "Lo, we have left all and have followed You."

Peter, perhaps questioning if it was enough, told Jesus that he and the other disciples had left all they had, although it was very little compared to a rich man's possessions, and were following Him.

(29) And Jesus answered and said, "Verily I say to you, there is no man who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, (30) But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life."

Jesus answered that assuredly any man who had left all, his house, family, and lands, for the sake of Jesus and His Gospel, would receive a hundredfold in the present time.  Jesus said a hundredfold houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands.  This is not necessarily to be taken completely literally in the way man's selfish hearts might interpret it, but the blessings he will receive will be a hundredfold what he left behind.  He will gain many more valued brothers and sisters in Christ.  He will gain many more children who look up to him and value him as a father figure, and many mother figures who wish to serve and minister to him.  He may not actually own a hundredfold lands, but may have the blessings of the usage in gratitude to him.  I couldn't help but notice that Jesus didn't include fathers and wives in the second part of His message.  That was probably intentional in that we all have but one true Father God in heaven, and should call no man father (Matthew 23:9) on earth, with the obvious exception of one's biological earthly father whom God recognized as one's father in His Ten Commandments.  Although it may not be a literal hundredfold possessions, the man who gives all will definitely find that the blessings he receives by giving his life to Jesus and the Gospel tremendously outweigh anything he left behind.  However, it won't be without persecutions as anyone who follows Christ will be hated and persecuted for His name's sake (Matthew 10:22-23).  However, in the end he will have eternal life with God in heaven.

(31) "But many who are first shall be last, and the last first."

There can be many interpretations of this statement by Jesus.  As often the case, I believe all can be meant, as scripture so often has multiple meanings that are all true.  As in the case of the rich man they had so recently encountered, although rich and among the first in superiority in the world, he would be last because he loved his worldly riches more than God.  Also the first saved would not necessarily be first in the kingdom of God in heaven, but according to God's will and purposes, as well as His pleasure and grace.  I see something additional now that I did not perceive when I read this account in Matthew (Matthew 19:30).  The Jews were God's chosen people; they were the ones Jesus came to save.  They were the first; however, most of them rejected Jesus, and Jesus then offered His gift of salvation to the Gentiles, who were last among men chosen by God.  In the end Jews will see the truth of Jesus Christ the Messiah.  In this case, very definitely the first called by God will be the last, and the last called became the first to accept Him.  However, this was by design of our wonderful merciful Father in heaven that we should all be given the chance to receive eternal life with Him:

"For I would not want, brethren, for you to be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." - Romans 11:25

This seems a perfect place to end this post.  I will continue a study of Mark 10 in the next post.

The Gospel of Peace and Humility with No Prohibitions Against Any Believers, No Matter How Small

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 9:30) And they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want any man to know it.

In the last post, in the first part of chapter 9, Jesus and His disciples had been in the region of Caesarea Philippi where Jesus was transfigured on the mountain and where He had cast out the demon that His disciples could not cast out.  They now left there and passed through Galilee, but Jesus did not want anyone to know He was there.

(31) For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men and they shall kill Him; and after He is killed, He shall rise the third day."

Jesus apparently had wanted privacy so that He could teach His disciples more about what was to happen to Him.  He told them again about how He would be delivered into the hands of men who would kill Him, but after He was killed, He would rise again on the third day after.

(32) But they did not understand this saying and were afraid to ask Him.

Still the disciples did not understand what Jesus was talking about, but they were afraid to ask Him for further explanation.

(33) And He came to Capernaum, and being in the house, He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the way?"

Jesus and His disciples had passed through Galilee and now had come to Capernaum.  When they were inside a house and probably alone, Jesus asked the disciples what it was they had been arguing about on their way there.  Jesus surely already knew, but it was time to bring it to their attention for another lesson.

(34) But they held their peace for on the way they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.

However, the disciples held their peace and did not want to tell Jesus because they were obviously ashamed that they had been arguing about which one of them would be the greatest.

(35) And He sat down and called the twelve and said to them, "If any man desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."

Jesus then sat down and called all the disciples to Him for their "lesson."  He told them that if any man wanted to be first, he would be last and servant to all.  There could be two different ways of interpreting this.  One, if one desired to be first, his pride and vanity would be checked and his selfish ambitions would be frustrated, and instead of having superior reverence and respect, he would instead be debased and treated with contempt.  Another way of looking at this is that to be first in the eyes of heaven was to be last, to be servant to all, as Jesus was when He came to earth.  

(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 to them, (37) "Whoever receives one of such children in My name, receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me, but Him who sent Me."

Jesus then took a child who had apparently been in the house with them and held him in His arms.  He then said to His disciples that whoever welcomed a child such as the one He held in His arms in His name welcomed and received Him.  Although Jesus could have meant a literal small child, He surely was also referring to those baby Christians, or actually any believer, who was like a child in his meekness and lowliness of mind.  Anyone who welcomed and received such a one in His name was receiving Jesus, and therefore receiving the One who sent Jesus, Father God in heaven.  He didn't mean anyone who received a child into his arms, but one who received him or any believer in Jesus's name, meaning that he showed him the love and kindness and service of Jesus Christ.  That person was welcoming and receiving God.

(38) And John answered Him, saying, "Master, we saw one casting out devils in Your name and he does not follow us, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."

His disciple John then told Jesus that they, the disciples, had seen someone casting out devils in Jesus's name, but they forbade him to do that because he did not follow Jesus and His chosen disciples.

(39) But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for there is no man who shall do a miracle in My name who can shortly speak evil of Me."

Jesus told John and His disciples not to forbid the man to cast out devils in His name, for if he was doing miracles, and therefore doing good, in the name of Jesus, then he certainly wasn't likely to turn around and speak evil of Jesus.  Even though he was not a follower and surely did not know the entire truth about Jesus and His gospel message, he certainly could not be considered an enemy and doing harm.  Besides, if a man was able to perform miracles, he had to be doing it by the power of God, so even if he wasn't a true follower of Jesus, or think of it as not of the proper denomination with the correct doctrine, he was not to be discouraged and forbidden to do the work he did in the name of Jesus.  What a beautiful lesson about how we must not be prejudiced against other denominations or baby Christians who do not appear to walk perfectly in the correct doctrine.  This beautiful grace of Jesus Christ forgives and covers the imperfections and non-adherence to laws and looks at the heart of man.  What we need to realize is that if a person loves the Lord and wants to do good in His name, the Lord will lead him into truth and in the way he should go.  As Proverbs 3:6 says, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  A lesson I have come to learn is that the Lord teaches each of us what we need to know, and it won't be the same for each person.  Jesus meets us where we are, and what we need most is not what our neighbor needs most, and because we don't know the hearts as Jesus does, we cannot rightly discern what another needs and insist they do it our way.

(40) "For he who is not against us is on our side."

Jesus went on to add that he who was not against them could be said to be on their side.  In Matthew 12:30, Jesus had said that whoever was not with Him was against Him.  There is no contradiction when taken in context.  Matthew 12:30 went on to say, "...and he who does not gather with me scatters abroad."  He who did not gather souls to God scattered them from Him.  The context of Matthew 12:30 was that there are no neutrals in spiritual warfare.  One is either for Christ or against Him.  In the case of the man casting out devils in Jesus's name, he was certainly trying to direct souls to Jesus, whether he did it perfectly or not.  Once again, as always, it comes down to the heart of man.  If the heart of man was not with Jesus, then he was against Him.  If his heart was not against Jesus, then he was on Jesus's side.

(41) "For whoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, verily I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."

Jesus was reiterating what He had said in verse 37 before John told Him about the man casting out devils who wasn't one of them.  Whoever received a believer in His name, received Him; and whoever gave a cup of water to one of Christ's followers, therefore in His name, would be rewarded.  Actually, it was all related.  The children, the baby Christians, the believers in Jesus Christ, as well as those who were not against Him, but did good in His name, all such people were doing so for Christ, and for helping them one would be rewarded.

(42) "And whoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in Me, it is better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea."

Jesus went on to add the contrary fact that whoever offended one of the least little believers in Him would be better off had a millstone been tied around his neck and he was cast into the sea and drowned.  The original word translated as "offended" has a stronger meaning than to merely annoy or hurt the feelings; it's that word "skandalizo" which when used in scripture most often means to entrap, to trip up or cause to stumble, to entice to sin or apostasy.  Those who purposely pull others away from Christ will suffer great punishment.

(43) "And if your hand offends you, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life maimed than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched."

Jesus's meaning was that anything in one's life that caused him to spiritually stumble must be cut out, for it would be far better to enter eternal life in heaven without that guilty pleasure than it would be to have it on earth and spend eternity in hellfire.  It might be something as dear to one as his own hand, or perhaps it is something that his hand does, like to steal for instance.  It would be much better even literally to cut one's hand off if that actually prevented the sin, for that might mean eternity in heaven rather than in hell.

(44) "Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."

In verse 44 Jesus further described what hell would be like quoting Isaiah 66:24.  Some translations quote it as "where maggots never die and the fire never goes out."  While that does sound terrible, Jesus's words and the original in Isaiah say "their worm" and Isaiah even said "their fire."  These may be analogical terms for what the soul would endure forever and ever in eternity.  As a worm or maggot feeding on the dead or an intestinal worm gnawing on the entrails of a man, so will the guilty conscience of man eternally torment him, and the fire of divine wrath, whether literal or spiritual or both, will never be quenched.  Whether literal or not, you can be sure it will be awful torment and terror forever.  

For those who don't believe in a literal hell or that God would be so cruel to send His children there, think of it this way.  God cannot look upon sin; Jesus provided a way for us to be able to be in the presence of God.  If one doesn't accept that offering of Jesus, then that person cannot be in the presence of God.  Rather than being gathered to heaven, he will be left behind.  As it says in scripture, "every knee will bow."  In the end everyone will know that God is true and His awesomeness will overwhelm them, just as the soldiers were knocked down when Jesus said "I AM" (John 18:6).  Even though their consciences might not have bothered them on earth, when they know the truth, their consciences that God created in them to know truth, will burn and torment them forever, an anguish and torment they never knew on earth.

(45) "And if your foot offends you, cut it off; it is better for you to enter lame into life than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. (46) Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."

Jesus gave the same dire warning about one's feet that cause him to sin and reject God.  It is better to cut them off, or cut out the sinful things one does with those feet, and have eternal life than to go to hell retaining them.  Again Jesus described the anguish of one in hell.

(47) "And if your eye offends you, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. (48) Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."

The same goes for the eye.  Perhaps the eyes enjoy pornography.  If one's eye causes him to fall away from God, then he should pluck it out, more specifically meaning pluck that guilty pleasure out of his life.  However, even taken literally, it is far better to enter heaven blind than to have life on earth with two eyes and spend eternity in hell.  It was intentional of Jesus to tell the horror of hell three times.  It is said throughout scripture that a thing will be established when in the mouth of two or three witnesses.  Although Jesus was just One, I do believe it is no coincidence that He chose to say the same thing three times to solidify the fact about hell.  That is often the way in scripture.  I have learned that if there is an obscure verse that is difficult to interpret, and one interprets it in a way that is unique and nowhere else in the Bible, then that interpretation is false, because throughout the Bible, a fact you can rely on is always reiterated elsewhere in scripture.

I have a personal testimony about losing one's eye(s).  My husband was blinded in one eye as a teenager and then lost the sight in the other as a result of a stroke when he was an adult.  Although you know that had to be difficult, he came to realize if he had been allowed to go on in the direction he was going, he would have spent eternity in hell fire.  He personally knew what it was like to give up both eyes and come to Christ, leaning on Him, following Him, and knowing he would spend eternity with Him.  We must learn that God is always good; He can be nothing else.  Anything He does or allows to happen is for our ultimate good.  He meets us where we are in life, knows what we need to come to Him, and is gracious enough to do it for us!  "All things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)  Even this many times sad and painful life, a blip on the line of eternity, can be given up for everlasting life in glory with God.

(49) "For everyone shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt."

The one thing that Bible commentators agree on with regard to this verse is that it is a difficult one to understand.  Without going into all the different ways it was explained that don't add up for me, I will write what it speaks to me.  Everyone will be salted with fire.  Every single person, not just the ones who go to hell, will be salted with fire.  I believe that refers to all our trials and tribulations in life.  God even said that He uses fire to refine us as silver and gold (Zechariah 13:9).  Every sacrifice will be salted with salt.  We are living sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1).  The law in Leviticus 2:13 stated that every offering of flesh was to be salted.  The verse explained further what that salt represented when it went on to state that one must never allow the salt of the covenant of God to be lacking from any of their sacrifices.  We living sacrifices must always be salted with the covenant of God.

(50) "Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves and have peace one with another."

Jesus went on to say that salt was good, but it must retain its saltiness.  If that salt of the covenant of God is gone from us, there is nothing else that can replace it.  As Matthew 5:13 stated, we are to be the salt of the earth, but if our salt loses its flavor, it is good for nothing except to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.  Jesus said for us to retain that salt in ourselves and to have peace with one another.  Something I did not realize or remember until I read John Gill's commentary was that in Numbers the covenant of salt was also called a covenant of peace.  Having peace with one another is one of the main ingredients in that covenant of God, that Gospel of Peace.  When Jesus was asked in Matthew 22 which was the greatest commandment, He answered it was to love God with all one's heart, soul, and mind, and that the second greatest was to love your neighbor as yourself.  He added that all of the laws were centered on those two commandments.  Certainly, loving your neighbor is to have peace with him.

All of Jesus's lessons in this post are related to one another.  First, we must have humility and not seek the highest position of honor.  That humility would have us non-judgmental against those who don't think as we do.  If they are not against Christ, then they are with Christ to some degree and not to be discouraged.  The same with baby Christians and all believers, none should be discouraged or offended for their faith, although it may not be as ours.  Having peace with one another encompasses all these things:  we will not seek the highest honor, but esteem others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3); we will not judge others who honor God in their own ways, we will not discourage those who love God in their own ways, and we will have peace with one another.

The Transfiguration; All Things Are Possible to Him Who Believes

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 9:1) And He said to them, "Verily, I say to you that there are some who stand here who shall not taste of death till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power."

This first verse actually is a proper ending for the message Jesus had been giving at the end of the last chapter.  Jesus had been talking about what it meant to follow Him.  He concluded with this statement that there were some people there among His disciples and the other people who were listening to Him, who would not die before they got to see the kingdom of God come with power on the earth.  He was referring to the time when the Holy Spirit would descend upon three thousand in a baptism of fire that would ignite the Christian church.

(2) And after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up in a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.

Six days after that Jesus took Peter, James, and John, apart from the other disciples, and led them up on a mountain.  He was transfigured before them.  It seems whenever Jesus desired two or three witnesses, He usually always took Peter, James, and John, who seemed to be His closest disciples.  The original word used that was translated as "transfigured" is entirely recognizable as "metamorphoo."  However, more than just a metamorphosis to another form, John Wesley, in his Notes on the Bible, stated that the word seemed to refer to a transformation into a form of God.  Indeed, the only two other places in scripture it is used refer to a Godly transformation into the image and character of God.  In 2 Corinthians 3:18, although the word is translated as "changed," the original is "metamorphoo" and speaks of us changing into the same image of Christ's glory.  In Romans 12:2, Paul speaks of a transformation of our minds in opposition to conformity to the world to a Christlike mind that can discern the perfect will of God.  In all three cases that the word "metamorphoo" was used, although it was translated three different ways, it does indeed seem to mean a Godly metamorphosis.

(3) And His clothing became shining, exceedingly white as snow such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

In His transfiguration, Jesus's clothing became shining bright white, whiter than any white that could be produced by man.

(4) And there appeared to them Elijah and Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

Not only was Jesus transfigured before the three disciples, but Elijah and Moses also appeared, and they were talking with Jesus.  The account in Luke states they were discussing Jesus's "decease" that He would "accomplish" at Jerusalem.

(5) And Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here, and let us make three tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." (6) For he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.

Peter spoke to Jesus and told Him how good it was to be there with Him and witness such a glorious event.  Then he, rather oddly, added that they should make three tabernacles, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.  However, we are told that he really didn't know what to say for the three disciples were greatly afraid of what they were witnessing.  What Peter failed to realize in his proposal to make three tabernacles was that what he was witnessing was the law, represented by Moses, and the prophets, represented by Elijah, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ being brought together in perfect unity.  And isn't it interesting that the disciples knew it was Moses and Elijah they saw with Jesus?  It's not as if they had ever seen photographs of them.  It was surely by the Holy Spirit of God that they knew who they were witnessing, but they didn't quite grasp why they were witnessing them or rather, what was represented by it.

(7) And there was a cloud that overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son; hear Him."

A cloud overshadowed all of them, probably a cloud of glory such as accompanied Israel in the wilderness, and God's voice came out of the cloud proclaiming that Jesus was His beloved Son and that they hear Him, perhaps meaning in preference to Moses and Elijah who were just harbingers of the coming Christ the Messiah.

(8) And suddenly when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore except Jesus only with themselves.

The disciples apparently looked around or perhaps down, as indicated in Matthew 17:8, when they heard God speak, and when they looked up or back toward the transfigured trio there was no longer anyone there except for Jesus and the disciples themselves.  

(9) And as they came down from the mountain, He charged them that they should tell no one what things they had seen till the Son of man was risen from the dead.

Jesus and the three disciples then came down from the mountain, and as they were coming down, Jesus instructed the three not to tell anyone of the things they had witnessed there until He was risen from the dead.

(10) And they kept it to themselves, questioning one another what the rising from the dead meant.

They indeed kept it to themselves, but they discussed with one another about what Jesus had meant by rising from the dead.  It's not that the idea of resurrection was foreign to them; it was not.  However, they probably pondered among themselves just what form it would take with Jesus.

(11) And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

The three disciples did however ask Jesus a different question about why the scribes said that Elijah must come first, that is, before the Messiah.

(12) And He answered and told them, "Elijah indeed comes first and restores all things, and how it is written of the Son of man that He must suffer many things and be set as nothing."

Jesus confirmed that Elijah was indeed to come first and begin to set things right.  Part of that restoring or fulfilling prophecy would include what had been written about the Son of man that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt as if He were nothing.

(13) "But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they have done to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."

Jesus went on to tell the disciples that Elijah had indeed already come, and by that He meant in the form of John the Baptist, just as it had been written or prophesied about him.  The clause "and they have done to him whatever they wished" was a parenthetical statement about what the powers that be had done to John the Baptist, an additional fact that proved that Elijah was John the Baptist who had already come and had been killed.

(14) And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them and the scribes questioning with them.

When Jesus and the three disciples who had gone with Him came down from the mountain to the rest of the disciples, Jesus saw them with a great multitude of people around them and scribes were questioning and arguing with them.

(15) And immediately all the people, when they saw Him, were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.

All the people who had surrounded the disciples were surprised when they saw Jesus coming and they ran to greet Him.

(16) And He asked the scribes, "What question have you with them?"

Jesus asked the scribes what they had been questioning the disciples about.

(17) And one of the multitude answered and said, "Master, I have brought to You my son who has a dumb spirit."

One among the multitude spoke up and told Jesus that he had brought his son to Him because he had a dumb or mute spirit that prevented him from speaking.

(18) "And wherever it takes him, it tears him and he foams and gnashes with his teeth and withers away; and I spoke to Your disciples that they cast it out, and they could not."

The man who spoke up to answer Jesus continued to tell Him about how the spirit would take hold of his son, thrashing him about and hurting him.  He would foam at the mouth and gnash his teeth until he fell limp.  The man had asked the disciples to cast out the evil spirit but they could not do it.

(19) He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."

Jesus answered the man and spoke to him and all the people around him, calling them a faithless generation and asking how long He would have to bear with their faithlessness.  He then told the man to bring his son to Him.

(20) And they brought him to Him, and when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming.

The people brought the man's son to Jesus, and as soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it convulsed the young man so that he fell rolling on the ground and foaming at the mouth.

(21) And He asked his father, "How long has it been since this came to him?" And he said, "As a child."

Jesus asked the father how long the evil spirit had possessed his son, and he told Him it had been with him since he was a child.  We don't know how old the son was now, but it had evidently been a long time with him.

(22) "And often times it has cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him; but if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."

The man continued to tell Jesus about how the spirit would often cast him into fire or into bodies of water in an effort apparently to destroy him.  The man doesn't appear to have much faith; perhaps it had diminished because the disciples had been unable to help him.  He asked "if" He could do anything, would He please have compassion on him and his son.

(23) Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

Jesus told the man that if he would only believe, all things would be possible to the one who would believe.  The man had said "if" Jesus could help, and Jesus put it back on him that it was "if" the man had faith in Him, not that there was any power lacking in Jesus to heal the man's son.

(24) And immediately the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, "Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!"

This is one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible!  I guess because I have often felt this way.  The man cried out that he did believe his Lord but asked Him to help with his unbelief.  He did believe in the power of the Lord, but asked for help with any measure of unbelief that was blocking the healing of his son.  Sometimes we want to put Jesus into a little human box of our understanding, and although we desire to believe all things, our human understanding of things sometimes gets in the way of believing that literally all things are possible.  It's why we don't always observe incredibly great miracles in our modern civilized world like converts in simpler third world countries can.  There are some amazing accounts of fantastic miracles in some isolated parts of the world when people are introduced to Jesus.  They believe and don't have all the worldly garbage to get in the way of their belief.

(25) When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the foul spirit, saying to him, "Dumb and deaf spirit, I charge you, come out of him and enter him no more."

Jesus saw more people running toward them and the crowd was getting larger, probably because they heard the commotion and the man crying out.  At that point He rebuked the demonic spirit and spoke to it directly, commanding it to come out of the man's son and never enter him again.

(26) And the spirit cried out and convulsed him greatly and came out of him, and he was as one dead, in that many said, "He is dead."

The spirit cried out and greatly convulsed the young man and came out of him so violently that it left him limp and looking as if he were dead.  Actually, many people even said that he was dead.

(27) But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

However, Jesus took the young man by the hand and lifted him up and he indeed arose and was not dead.

(28) And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"

Perhaps Jesus led the young man into his own house, or it could have been any house that Jesus entered to rest and refresh.  The important point is that it was when they were in private that the disciples asked Jesus why it was that they were not able to cast the demon out of the young man.

(29) And He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

Jesus told the disciples that that particular spirit could only come out by prayer and fasting.  In the account in Matthew Jesus additionally told them that it was because of their unbelief.  The disciples surely believed they could cast the demon out, or else they wouldn't be asking why they were unable.  This is similar to what the father of the possessed man had said.  He did believe but he asked the Lord to help him with his unbelief that was hindering any healing.  That is what the disciples should have done.  Jesus was pointing out to them that not everything was free and easy and at their fingertips.  That spirit had been with the young man a long time and was not so easily dispossessed.  Jesus could do it with a word, but the disciples needed that strength from Jesus, what they could only get through prayer and fasting, and in close communion with God.  It's important to stay rooted and continue to get our strength from the source; it is never of ourselves that miracles are performed and we must be made brutally aware of that fact sometimes.  Another reason for staying rooted is to know the will of God.  All things are possible to him who believes, yes, but it must be within the will of God.  Belief must be in Him and in His will; it is never of ourselves or of our own selfish wills.

This is a rather long chapter, so I will end this post here for now, and continue with the ninth chapter of Mark in the next post.