Bible Study for Today

What essential element is Christ looking for in our character?

To be directly confronted by Christ with sin in your heart, as the disciples were in Mark 9:33, must have been powerfully convicting and embarrassing. We are told that “they kept silent”—they were speechless at His inquiry. They were caught in a dispute over “who would be the greatest” (v. 34), possibly triggered by the privilege granted Peter, James, and John to witness the Transfiguration. The disciples’ quarrel highlights their failure to apply Jesus’ explicit teaching on humility (Matt. 5:3) and the example of His own suffering and death (vv. 31, 32; 8:30–33). It also prompted them to ask Jesus to settle the issue, which He did—though not as they had expected.

Jesus “sat down” (v. 35)—rabbis usually sat down to teach—and said that “if anyone desires to be first,” as the disciples undeniably did (v. 34; see 10:35–37), “he shall be last of all and servant of all.” The disciples’ concept of greatness and leadership, drawn from their culture, needed to be completely reversed. Not those who lord their position over others are great in God’s kingdom, but those who humbly serve others (see 10:31, 43–45; Matt. 19:30–20:16; 23:11, 12; Luke 13:30; 14:8–11; 18:14; 22:24–27).

Then Jesus took “a little child”—the Greek word indicates an infant or toddler. If the house they were in was Peter’s, this may have been one of his children. The child became in Jesus’ masterful teaching an example of believers who have humbled themselves and become like trusting children.

Reading for Today:

Numbers 9:1–10:36Psalm 31:6-14Proverbs 11:7-11Mark 9:30-50

Notes:

Numbers 9:15 tabernacle…raised up. The presence of the Lord arrived when the tabernacle was completed and erected on the first day of the first month of the second year after they had come out of Egypt.

Numbers 9:16 cloud…fire. The presence of the Lord which was seen in the cloud by day became a fire that was seen at night (see Lev. 16:2).

Psalm 31:6 I have hated. See Psalm 26:5 on the proper basis for such hatred (see Ps. 139:21).useless idols. This is a common designation for false gods (see Deut. 32:21; 1 Kin. 16:13; Jer. 10:15; 14:22; 16:19; 18:15; Jon. 2:8). On the “idiocy” of idolatry, see Habakkuk 2:18–20.

Mark 9:43 cut it off. Jesus’ words are to be taken figuratively. No amount of self-mutilation can deal with sin, which is an issue of the heart. The Lord is emphasizing the seriousness of sin and the need to do whatever is necessary to deal with it. life. The contrast of “life” with “hell” indicates that Jesus was referring to eternal life. hell. The Greek word refers to the Valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem, a garbage dump where fires constantly burned, furnishing a graphic symbol of eternal torment. the fire that shall never be quenched. That the punishment of hell lasts for eternity is the unmistakable teaching of Scripture (see Dan. 12:2; Matt. 25:41; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 14:10, 11; 20:10).

Mark 9:50 Salt is good. Salt was an essential item in first-century Palestine. In a hot climate, without refrigeration, salt was the practical means of preserving food. Have salt in yourselves. The work of the “word of Christ” (Col. 3:16) and the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23) produce godly character, enabling a person to act as a preservative in society.