The Gospel of Mark 9:30-37

 

Brian Hirvela

8/31/24

“From there they went out and were going through Galilee, and He was not wanting anyone to know about it. For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise again three days later.” But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.

And they came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.
And sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” And taking a child, He set him before them. And taking him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

Jesus and His disciples were at the base of Mount Tabor after coming down and meeting the crowds. “From there they went out and were going through Galilee, and He was not wanting anyone to know about it. For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise again three days later.”

This is the second time Jesus has stated plainly what will happen to Him. How he will be betrayed in the hands of priests, delivered, “that scripture would be fulfilled,” by the son of perdition, to be killed, and that He will rise again on the third day. “He was already delivered in the sure counsel of God, and what God hath revealed shall be done, because of the certainty of the effect, is often in Scripture spoken of as a thing already done.” (M. Poole) This was not a teaching of what has happened but what will happen as though it was already done.

“But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.” For they still struggled with the notion that their savior would rescue them from the slavery of Rome and others.

The Jews were taught that their Messiah would rise and conquer their enemies and free them, “but they could not be reconciled to the thing and therefore would suppose them to have some mystical meaning which they did not understand, and they were afraid to ask him; not because he was difficult of access, or stern to those who consulted him, but either because they were loath to know the truth, or because they expected to be rebuked for their backwardness to receive it. Many remain ignorant because they are ashamed to enquire.” (M. Henry)

They arrived at Capernaum and went inside the house, their base of operations. Jesus sat them down and asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.” More so because they were operating under the notion that Jesus would be King of Israel, and they might have positions within His kingdom.

Jesus knew what the dispute was, in Matthew’s Gospel were told that John and James’s mother petitioned Jesus to let them sit at His right and left hand as He sat on the throne. “It has founded upon their mistake of the true nature of the kingdom of the Messiah, which they at this time, and a long time after, (even to the time of Christ’s ascension, as appeared by Acts 1:6), understood of a temporal, secular kingdom, in the administration of which he should deliver the Jews from all slavery and bondage: this made their minds so often run of dignities and places which he should, in that administration, have the power to dispose of.” (M. Henry)

“And sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” And taking a child, He set him before them. And taking him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

It's great when God sits down with His disciples and explains to them the right way of thinking. For he told them if one desires to be first one must humble himself as a child. This is about humility. Pride is deceitful and puts you in a position that lords over others. Some do it by might, others do it through the cunning of victimhood. Either way, people put themselves in a position of being first, being the center of attention, and demanding to be sought after.

I am this way, so I deserve special privileges! I have more anger and am mighty, so my way is right! These are not the ways of Jesus and not what He wants His children to be. In His kingdom, humility is desired. He said if you “desire to be first, you must be last of all and servant of all.” Yes, that means you cheerfully give of yourself to others.

First, one humbles himself before Jesus and loves God. Just like Jesus humbled Himself in obedience to His Father and loved Him to lay down His life for the salvation of many people, so those who follow Christ, must “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
(Gal 5:1-2)

Second, one must humble themselves in the service of others. For there is no “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” This means going that extra mile, giving that extra tunic, serving with cheerfulness the building of another person by the love poured into your heart by the Spirit who is given to those who believe.

And when you receive a humble person, one who is eager to learn, and be taught with abandonment how to love God and love others. You receive Christ, but not just Christ, but the Father who sent Jesus.

Jesus came to save sinners. Sinners suppress the truth and hide in their darkness because they love darkness. They are unbelieving, vile, foolish, rebellious, haters of God who have adopted the ideologies of this world and the doctrines of men. They have become slaves to their sexual desires, perverting the flesh and mind, and rebelling against the created order of God. They are doomed to condemnation and will be judged by Jesus and sent to Hell where they will burn for eternity in the lake of fire.

However, God so loved His creation, mankind, that He sent His Son Jesus, who can forgive you of your sins and redeem you because He has the authority and power. Jesus brings eternal life to all who repent and believe. For Jesus bore all our sins; He bore all the sins of all who believe in Him. Jesus was born and lived a perfect life of obedience to God as a man. Jesus was condemned to be executed and die in the sinner's place. He suffered the totality of God's wrath upon Himself on the Cross, which every sinner deserves, so that those who believe in Jesus may have peace with God.

Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death, and lives, and ascended to the right hand of God the Father. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and He is in your midst with us offering you salvation, repent, and believe Jesus.