This passage finds the Lord's disciples sailing some treacherous seas. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to die on the cross and these men are a long way from being ready for His death and departure back to heaven.
Earlier in this passage, they were actually fighting over who was the greatest V. 34. Jesus used their argument to teach them a very important truth. He taught them that greatness is obtained through service. V. [ 35-37]. The way to become great in the kingdom of God is by serving the least. V. [41]. The path to the top leads through humble service to those who cannot serve us back. That was a lesson the disciples needed. Far too many want to occupy the chief seat and far too few have a servant's heart..
On the heels of this event, Jesus issues a series of stern warnings to his disciples. These verses uses harsh, straight to the point language that cautions us to be careful how we live our lives.
More than one person has said, the last few messages from Mark's gospel were " moving him out of his comfort zone." That person is exactly right! The word of God will comfort the afflicted, but it will also afflict the comfortable. Like the disciples, the modern church has become far too comfortable in this world. Jesus knew that his men needed to be shocked into becoming the men He had saved them to be. He knows the same thing about us. Left to ourselves we amount to nothing. Therefore, the Lord had to come along every now and then and shake us up to get our attention. That is what these verses are designed to do.
I want to talk about these verses: on " Warnings from the master." A "Warning from the Saints;" A "Warning about Sin." "Warning about service."
Let us look at the "Saints and see what our Lord has to say to us through our text. [V. 42].
Jesus had used a child to illustrate the kind of people we are to serve in this world. [V. 36-37].
We are to serve those who are neglected and rejected by others. We are to serve those who cannot serve us in return. We must be willing to be a slave and take our place in the kingdom of God, serving Christ by humbly serving our fellowman. Not only are we to serve the least, Jesus uses the same child to teach us another important principle. not only are we tor serve the least among us, we are also to protect them from sin. Jesus says, we are to protect the least from sin.
The " Word offend" means to scandalize. It has the idea of leading someone else into sin. Jesus says it's a very serious matter when we cause one of God's children to fall into sin. It's better to have a millstone ( translated) " donkey stone") tied around your neck. If such a stone were tied around the neck and that person was tossed into the sea, that person would be pulled to the bottom and they would drown. His listeners were very familiar with what He said. On more then one occasion the Romans had carried out executions by tying heavy stones around the necks of their victims and throwing them in the rivers. The image is very graphic! Jesus is describing death as horrible as any can imagine. Yet, he says it would be preferable for a person to die this way than for them to cause one of His little one's to fall into sin. Jesus says this is a grievous sin! In fact, the person who harms one of his children is actually harming the Lord himself. Zech. 2:8, "For he who touches you toucheth the apple of his eye. The person who reaches out his foot and causes one of God's children to stumble
is sticking his finger in God's eye. How do believers cause other's to stumble?
By directly tempting others to sin. This kind of behavior is seen through out the bible. Eve, Aaron, Jeroboam, and the Pharisees. Matt. 5:32; the church at Pergamum, Rev. 2:14; the church at Thyatira,
Rev.2:20. If a believer who is weak in the faith sees a respected believer commit a sin, that younger believer could fall into sin by following that evil example. (1 Thess. 5:22; I Tim. 4:12).
People can be led away through false doctrine. We fail to share the riches of Christ with new believers, we fail to disciple them, and they remain weak and never grow up in the Lord.
We fail to give them their spiritual food they need and they starve in the midst of plenty!
I am a grandparent. I can forgive a slight against me pretty easily, but you touch one of my grandchildren and I will have a harder time in the forgiving department. But, I am in good company! God says that the person who offends one of his little ones is in big trouble.
In the early days of the church, some took the words literally. One of the more notable examples was "Origin of Alexandria." He had such a problem with sexual lust that he had himself emasculated, (castrated) to get rid of temptation. What Origin discovered is what you and I to know today. No amount of surgery on the outside will cure the problem on the inside.! Man does not need a change on the outside; man needs a change of heart! All sins proceeds from the heart! ( Mark 7: 18-23).
What Jesus is talking about in these verses is how we are to deal with our sins. When temptation to sin comes into our lives, we must deal with it immediately, harshly, ruthlessly,
In Jewish society, the right eye, the right foot, and the right hand represented a person's best and most precious faculties. The right eye spoke of one's best vision. The right foot spoke of one's best walk. The right hand spoke of one's best skills. Jesus is simply saying we must be willing to give up the most precious, the most valuable things we have in our effort to avoid sin.
Jesus warns his disciples that nothing in this world is so valuable that it is worth going to "Hell"
over. Yes, Jesus believed in Hell! His references to "Hell" are very graphic Let's examine what Jesus said. The word "Hell" comes from the word "Gehenna." Gehenna was a place in the valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem. In ancient times it had been a sight devoted to pagan worship. It was here that the people of Israel had sacrificed their children to the false god's of the Canaanites. King Josiah tore down the pagan altars and desecrated the site, turning it into a garbage dump.
By Jesus day Gehenna was a horrible place! Fires burned there continually. Wild dogs roamed the dump, feeding on the carcasses or animals and criminals. The insane and other outcasts lived there as well. It was a fitting description of what " Hell" will be like.
Jesus is trying to teach His men that even if radical surgery is required for a person to be saved, that surgery is necessary and warranted. The Lord wants people to know that there is a horrible place called "Hell" and that lost people will spend eternity there.
Jesus says "Hell" will be characterized by two terrible realities. Jesus quotes Isa. 66:24 and tells us that people in "Hell" will suffer in two terrible ways.
First, " their worm dieth not..." This phrase has been interpreted many ways over the years. Some thinks it refers to actual worms , that will gnaw on the body in Hell. Others think Jesus is talking about the soul. They feel that He is saying those who go to "Hell" will live for ever. They do! I don't think it is what He is talking about here. When Jesus says, " And their worm dieth not..." I think He is speaking about internal torments man will suffer in hell. When the rich man died and went to hell in Luke 16, we are told that he had an active memory, Luke 16:25-31. Those in "HELL" will remember every opportunity they had to be saved. They will remember the love and grace of God.
They will remember the cross and the empty tomb.. They will be reminded for all eternity that they did not have to be in that horrible place..
Second, Jesus says, " and the fire is not quenched." This phrase refers to the physical agonies of "Hell."
Above all, they are avoidable! You do not have to go there!
Hell is a place of punishment-Matt.25:41.
Hell is a place of fire-Luke 16:24; Mark 9:43-44
Hell is a place of thirst-Luke 16: 24-25.
Hell is a place of pain-Luke 16:24,25,28; Rev.14: 10-11.
Hell is a place of divine wrath- 2 thes.1:8-9.
Hell is a place of frustration and anger- Matt.13:42; Matt 24; 51.
Hell is a place of eternal separation from God-2 Thes. 1:8-9.
This is a warning about "hell."
The two verses that close this chapter are among the most difficult. Jesus is to talking His people. He is talking to the people of God. In verse 42, Jesus warns His people against offending weaker believers.
Second, In verses 43-48, Jesus warns His people of the tragic consequences of sin. Jesus (warns), that sin is a destroyer!
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