Rachel Workman: 30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did
not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was
teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered
into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But
they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. After
the transformation they witnessed I find it hard to believe that they would have
any doubts. But I have to look at my life and see the things Jesus has done for
me and yet I still have doubts about things. Who am I to judge.
33 They
came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you
arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on
the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
35 Sitting
down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be
the very last, and the servant of all.”
36 He
took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he
said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children
in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one
who sent me.”
Jesus
is comparing welcoming God’s presence to welcoming a child. Welcoming a child
means welcoming a promise. The kingdom of God on earth is never a finished
reality but rather a promise.
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John Burnett:
30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not
want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The
Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill
him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to
ask him about it.
33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the
house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the
road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had
argued about who was the greatest. They still didn’t have the picture of who Jesus
was or what He was capable of. He knew their thoughts and that’s why He
asked the question.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and
said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant
of all.” Just as Jesus came to serve as our Savior, so are we to sacrifice
our time and resources to serve others. The meek shall inherit the earth
and will be first in His Kingdom.
36 He took a little child whom he placed among
them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes
me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
There is a transference of welcome in this verse, just as there is a
transference of Christ’s righteousness when we humble ourselves and accept
God’s gift of grace and the helper He gives us in the Holy Spirit.
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Allen Michaels: 30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want
anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his
disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the
hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” It takes time to learn. Deep spiritual growth isn’t instant,
regardless of the quality of experience or teaching. If even the disciples
needed to lay aside their work periodically in order to learn from the Master,
how much more do I need to alternate working and learning. 32 But
they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. In the disciple’s minds, Jesus seemed morbidly preoccupied
with death. Actually it was the disciples who were wrongly
preoccupied—constantly thinking about the kingdom they hoped Jesus would bring
and what their position in it would be. If Jesus died, the kingdom as they
imagined it could not come. Consequently they preferred not to ask him about
his predictions.
33 They came to
Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing
about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way
they had argued about who was the greatest. The
disciples, caught up in their constant struggle for personal success, were
embarrassed to answer Jesus’ question. It’s always painful and embarrassing to
compare my motives with Christ’s’. It’s not wrong for believers to be
industrious or ambitious. But when ambition pushes obedience and service to one
side it becomes sin. Pride or insecurity can cause us to overvalue position and
prestige. In God’s kingdom such motives are very destructive. The only safe
ambition is directed toward Christ’s kingdom, not our own advancement.
35 Sitting down,
Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the
very last, and the servant of all.”
36 He took a little
child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,
37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name
welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent
me.” Jesus taught the disciples to welcome children.
This was a new approach in a society where children were usually treated as
second-class citizens. It is important not only to treat children well, but
also to teach them about Jesus. Children’s ministries should never be regarded
as less important than those for adults.
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Tomorrow's reading for Mark 9:38-50
39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. [44] [b] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. [46] [c] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where
“‘the worms
that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’[d]
and the fire is not quenched.’[d]
49 Everyone
will be salted with fire.
50 “Salt is good, but if it loses
its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and
be at peace with each other.”
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