If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all

 

 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him. 

Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  

Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward." 

 

- Mark 9:30–41 

 

On Saturday we read that when Jesus (together with Peter, John, and James) came down from the Mount of the Transfiguration to the other nine disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.  Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.  And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?"  Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.  And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid.  So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."  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."  Then they brought him to Him.  And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.  So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?"  And he said, "From childhood.  And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.  But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."  Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it:  "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"  Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him.  And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.  And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"  So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."   

 

Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.   My study Bible notes here that this is the second time Jesus predicts His death and Resurrection (see Mark 8:31).  This is to show, it says, that He is going to His Passion freely, and not being taken against His will.  Note also the attitude of the disciples at this stage of His ministry; they do not understand, and are afraid to ask Him. 

Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  The disciples misunderstand the nature of Christ's kingdom.  Moreover, it's possible that they have taken Christ's prediction that "He will rise on the third day" (above) to mean that a worldly kingdom will be made manifest under Him.  Thus they were disputing who would be greatest in such a worldly kingdom under Christ.  In other words, who among them would have the highest rank or place.  My study Bible comments that, not only have they misunderstood the nature of what is to come,  but that this indicates a selfish desire in worldly power.   Jesus points to the notion of service as that which defines greatness in His Kingdom.  Even a little child received by them should be understood as if they are receiving Christ Himself, and even beyond, as if they are receiving the one who sent Him, God the Father.  This is the illustration Jesus makes of what it is to truly be first in His Kingdom.

 

 Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."  My study Bible cites the commentary of Theophylact, who sees John's comment as regret, his conscience being pricked by what Christ said about receiving a "little child," above.  But, on the other hand, St. Ambrose sees John as expecting full obedience to accompany such blessings.  Either way, my study Bible notes, Christ's response shows that those who act in good faith are not excluded, even if they are not currently numbered among the disciples. Theophylact is quoted as saying, "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples" (see also Numbers 11:24-30).  On those who use Christ's name without good faith, see Matthew 11:23; Acts 19:13-16.  Note how recognition of those are part of Christ's Kingdom is a kind of reciprocal action.  A little child received by them is like receiving Christ Himself, or even the Father.  Here, even one who so much as gives a cup of water to drink in His name, to one who belongs to Christ, will by no means lose his reward.  

In a sense, the teachings given by Jesus in today's reading teach us what it is to live in the Kingdom of God, which must then by definition be a kingdom of love.  The action of service and serving, of receiving even one of the least status in the Church, because they are a believer, is as if one were serving Christ Himself, and even God the Father.  These are the actions of love, for God is love (1 John 4:8).  And even if someone is to give, in a simple act of kindness, a cup of water to drink in Christ's name, and for the sake of one who believes, there is reward in it because of this power of grace at work, the power of the Kingdom.  This reciprocal, mutual service -- the kindness even to one without status or power, in faith and by recognition of faith in Christ -- is what we understand as truly gracious living.  It is the practice of grace, a sharing in the love of God and God's mercy, in which we all must seek to participate who believe, who follow Christ.  This is what Jesus is sharing with the disciples in today's reading, and teaching them about the nature of the Kingdom, and what must follow in the Church of the believers to come, in which they seek to be "first," or great.  He is teaching His disciples, those who will become leaders, bishops, and presbyters of His Church, what it is to bring His Kingdom into the world, and to be truly great in that Kingdom.  This sort of behavior is that which calls upon us for humility, a willingness to serve in His name, for His sake, on behalf of those who believe, who come for direction and guidance in the Church and to find and follow Christ.  This would be understood and fulfilled in time through many activities of the Church to come, from the establishment of the first hospitals which sought to give care to all, to prison ministries, and even to our own notion of gracious living, common courtesy.  Over time it would extend to the notion of "noblesse oblige" due to the earliest higher educational institutions evolving out of the Church and the sons of the aristocracy who were the earliest non-ecclesiastical pupils. Thus, of what it means to be a "gentleperson."  But we must begin and end with Christ, in our conduct and how we live our lives, and this is particularly true within the Church itself.  For if our Churches cannot be models of this loving and humble behavior, how are we ourselves models of what Christ has called for?  The key here is humility and what it truly means.  Many people think of humility as a kind of self-debasement or slavery to others, but as presented here by Christ it does not mean that at all.  It means, in fact, that we serve Him, above all, and the One who sent Him.  We serve the God of love, and the Son who came above all else to serve us, and to give us grace and mercy.  Let us remember what that means, and always be mindful of how that asks us to conduct ourselves -- especially to the all the "little ones," those who cannot necessarily pay us back (Luke 14:12-14).  At the very least, we can say that Christ calls us to a way of thinking that is not purely transactional, but gracious, merciful, and based on love.  Let us recognize His presence among us.

Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me

 

 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.  

Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  

Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.  

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 

'Their worm does not die,

And the fire is not quenched.'

"And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet,  to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where

'Their worm does not die,

And the fire is not quenched.'

"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where

'Their worm does not die,

And the fire is not quenched.'

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

 

- Mark 9:30-50

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus came to the disciples (as He came down from the Mount of Transfiguration), He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.  Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.  And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?"  Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who has a mute spirit.  And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid.  So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."  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."  Then they brought him to Him.  And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.  So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?"  And he said, "From childhood.  And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.  But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."  Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it:  "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"  Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him.  And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.    And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"  So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

 

 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.   My study Bible comments that Jesus here predicts His death and Resurrection a second time (see this previous reading) to show that He is going to His passion freely, and not being taken against His will.  

 

 Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."   Perhaps Jesus' warnings about His Passion, and especially that He will rise on the third day has convinced the disciples that He will come into a worldly kingdom as Messiah, and thus they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest in that kingdom.  But my study Bible comments that such a question indicates a selfish interest in worldly power.  Jesus points to a little child as the model of true discipleship, and thus emphasizes the virtues which are required for entrance into Christ's kingdom.  My study Bible names those virtues of the "little child" as humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  In the iconography and tradition of the Orthodox Church, St. Ignatius of Antioch is depicted as this child.  In certain legends of saints, he is the boy who gave the loaves and fishes in John 6:9.   Let note that the kind of humility, and expression of love, that Christ asks for is to condescend to even a little child, in the same sense that Christ as Son so deeply condescended to become one of us as human being.  Within the name of Christ ("whoever receives one of these little children in My name") there are no disparities; this is a communion and kingdom of love.

Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."  According to Theophylact, John makes this comment with regret, and his conscience has been pricked by what Christ said earlier.  But St. Ambrose, on the other hand, sees John as expected full obedience to accompany such blessings.  But in either interpretation, Christ's response teaches us that those who act in good faith are not excluded, even if they are not currently numbered among the disciples.  Theophylact writes (on the similar passage at Luke 9:46-50), "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples" (see also Numbers 11:24-30).  On those who use Christ's name without good faith see Luke 11:23; Acts 19:13-16.   Once again, let us notice in this passage the pervasive nature of the communion between those who act in good faith in Christ's name.  Any act of kindness or compassion in His name, no matter how seemingly small or trivial ("a cup of water to drink, because you belong to Christ"), results in the same outcome, one will by no means lose one's reward.

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea."  My study Bible adds that little ones include all who have childlike humility and simplicity, all who are poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3).  Here Jesus makes it clear that not only are the good things we do in His name rewarded, but to harm the "little ones" -- the humble and meek of the Church, those with less agency and power, and especially those dependent upon teachers such as these disciples will be -- will result in disaster for the one responsible for misleading them, and causing them to stumble.  The power and authority of the name of Christ works both ways:  for the good, and against abuse.

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'their worm does not die,

and the fire is not quenched.'  And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet,  to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"  This reference to forms of mutilation is an illustration of decisive and strong action, deliberately shocking as it is meant to give us a sense of what measures we are to go to in order to prevent abusive behavior.  It's not an advocacy of literal amputation, but an illustration regarding what it is to avoid sin, to cut off even what is so habitual that it feels as if it is indeed a part of ourselves.  A hand may go where it is not welcome, intruding upon others, to take what does not belong to the person.  A foot may hurt, or cross boundaries not open to it, treading upon others or where it should not go.  An eye may gaze with covetousness or with envy, or even malice.  My study Bible comments that these illustrations of drastic steps to cut off sinful behavior can also refer to harmful relationships that must be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).  Jesus quotes from the prophesy of Isaiah 66:24.

 

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."  My study Bible explains that to be seasoned with fire means to be tested to see if one's faith and works are genuine (see 1 Corinthians 3:11-15).  When Christ states that every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt, He quotes from Leviticus 2:13, in which salt stands for the remembrance of God's covenant with God's people.  Especially for the ancient world, but still today, salt had preservative powers, was necessary for life, and the ability to give flavor.  Thereby it had religious and sacrificial significance.  My study Bible explains further that to eat salt with someone meant to be bound together in loyalty.  In Matthew 5:13, Jesus says to His disciples, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."

Jesus gives the starkest warnings possible regarding abuses of power and authority in His Church, especially in harming or misleading the "little ones."  As my study Bible says, "little ones" does not refer only to little children, but to those who are simple and have the heart of the poor, all those who are poor in spirit and look to the authorities and teachers in the Church for guidance.  Overall, Jesus gives to the disciples a clear sense of the power and authority regarding actions done in His name.  The smallest and least significant act of charity done in His name ("a cup of water to drink") results in reward for those who do so because the recipient belongs to Christ.  And, on the other hand, Jesus gives the starkest and most shocking warnings possible -- in language that is meant to startle and cause the hearer to pay attention -- regarding doing harm to the little ones in the Church.  In this way, the disciples who apparently were engaged in a somewhat too flippant dispute regarding who would be greatest (have the most powerful positions) in the kingdom they anticipate, are startled into the solemnity of their future service in the Church, and what powerful forces are at work in their choices.  Humility is the number one requirement, an understanding of what it means to be like a "little child" and what it means to care for the "little ones" -- being aware and mindful of how they function as future leaders and pillars of the Church.  It is time for Christ to give them a strong lesson in what leadership will mean in His kingdom, in His Church, and for the missions that will be ahead of them in service to Christ and in His name.  We should seek to pay equally close attention to Christ startling words and images, and take it equally seriously in terms of how we live out our faith, and what it means to show real leadership and shoulder such responsibility.  How would our lives look if we all took the power of acting in Christ's name so seriously as He describes it?  What would that look like if we were so careful of the little ones -- or so conscientious about the harm we might do?  Let us also pay close attention to Christ's words when He says that dire consequences would follow for one who "causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble."  Perhaps we might try to imagine what it would mean to cause one of them to stumble:  a misleading teaching, some form of abuse that results in terrible consequences and problems to deal with, or abuse of a darker kind that misleads and causes little ones to stumble.  There are all kinds of ways we might imagine what He is talking about -- but there is no doubt about the stark nature of His warning and the consequences to ourselves, and especially for those in positions of leadership.  Let us consider the powerful words Christ has reserved for this occasion, because He does not always speak so harshly.  Let us only imagine the real power of the teaching that we are to hear Christ's sayings (teachings) and do them (Matthew 7:24-25), and to keep His words, remembering that "the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me" (John 14:24).  Jesus gives us a taste, a stark clue, of the power that is at work in those words either to harm or to do good -- and how that power will also be at work in the ones who use it for good or for ill (to cause a little one to stumble).   Let us think about how powerful a force our own lives can be if we choose to live them in good faith.   For, after all, to receive a little one in His name is not only to receive Christ, the also the One who sent Him.