Chapter # 9 Paragraph # 6 Study # 1
May 30, 2023
Moss Bluff, Louisiana
(406)
1901 ASV
9:38 John said unto him, Teacher, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followed not us.
9:39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man who shall do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me.
9:40 For he that is not against us is for us.
9:41 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.
9:42 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.
9:43 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.
9:44 [where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.]
9:45 And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell.
9:46 [where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.]
9:47 And if thine eye cause thee to stumble, cast it out: it is good for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell;
9:48 where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
9:49 For every one shall be salted with fire.
9:50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another.
- I. The Larger Context.
- A. 9:1-13 -- Jesus Identified As the Kingdom's King.
- B. 9:14-29 -- Identity Reinforced By Power.
- C. 9:30-37 -- The Kingdom's Requirement Of Servanthood.
- D. 9:38-50 -- The Kingdom's Practice Of Reward.
- E. 10:1-12 -- The Attitude Which Blocks Participation.
- F. 10:13-16 -- The Attitude Which Enables Participation.
- e. 10:17-27 -- The Attitude Which Blocks Participation.
- d. 10:28-31 -- The Kingdom's Practice Of Reward.
- c. 10:32-45 -- The Kingdom's Requirement Of Servanthood.
- b. 10:46-52 -- Identity Reinforced By Power.
- a. 11:1-11 -- Jesus Identified As the Kingdom's King.
- II. The Particulars.
- A. 9:38-41 -- The "out of left field" statement by John.
- 1. "The John" interrupting Jesus.
- a. "The John"
- 1) Is a "son of thunder" (3:17).
- 2) Was one of three who witnessed the raising of Jairus' daughter (5:37).
- 3) Has his name preceded by "the" for the first time (along with Jesus, Peter, and James) in 9:2.
- 4) Our text: 9:38.
- 5) No "the" before his name in 10:35, but is, along with his brother, seeking the highest "status places" in the Kingdom.
- 6) Has stirred up the other disciples against himself and his brother in 10:41 (No "The" before his name here).
- 7) Is one of the four (Peter, James, John ((No "The")), and Andrew) who leads into Jesus' teaching of the Tribulation to come: 13:3.
- 8) Is grouped one final time with "the Peter, and James" in 14:33 at the time of Jesus' prayer in the Garden (textual issue here).
- 9) Question: why the definite article before "John" in this text?
- a) "The John" is mostly reserved for John the Baptizer in Mark.
- b) That he, in this chapter (9:2 and 38) puts the definite article before the name definitely links both paragraphs. The first paragraph is all about Jesus' transfiguration into a visible form of the Kingdom and its power, and the definite article precedes all three of the named observers. This second thought-unit is about how contrary "the John" is, in attitude, to the "Kingdom attitude".
- c) "The John" is most likely Mark's way of highlighting the issue of false Kingdom ambitions.
- i. These "ambitions" all rest upon the strong conviction that Jesus is the King of the Kingdom; there is no false "faith" in this truth.
- ii. But, these "ambitions" are clearly destructive of Kingdom harmony, which threaten to turn the Kingdom of God into a variation of the Kingdom of Darkness.
- b. In the chiastic structure of this portion of Mark's Gospel, it is clear that these ambitions are not going to result in kingdom glory for those who entertain them.
- 2. As an "interruption", the thought-flow is jerked away from "receiving"...one of these children... Me...The One Who Sent Me" to John's attitude that no one but "they" (The Twelve) has any business casting out demons.
- a. The record of Numbers 11:24-30 seems to be a parallel paragraph to this one of Mark's.
- b. At issue in our current text is the question of whether "those greatest in the kingdom" (i.e., those specially privileged Twelve) have any right whatsoever to render judgment upon God's choice(s) for blessing.
- c. There is "arrogance in the pot" (see 2 Kings 4:40) every time a "servant of The Kingdom" attempts to put himself above others who are obviously empowered by God for a task that is outside of the tasks assigned to him.
- 3. At issue is "the John's" witnessing of someone who was using the name of Jesus to cast out demons and his apparent jealousy because that "task" had been given to him/them.
- a. He claims that he/they "were hindering" (attempting to stop) a certain one who was using Jesus' name to do works of power that were making the Kingdom of Darkness falter.
- b. His reason: "He was not following us".
- 4. Jesus' response.
- a. Do not try to hinder because the use of His name would make it impossible for the one using it to speak evil of Jesus.
- b. Do not try to hinder because there is this principle: "The one who is not against us is for us".
- 1) This appears "backwards" to those of us who want "greater loyalty" from others than they are appearing to give.
- 2) This is s record of "grace" extended beyond any "norm" we may have set up.
- B. 9:42-50 -- The return to "those considered 'least' by the disciples" (the children).
