SEE (head)
Having predicted that some of his disciples would see "'the Kingdom of God arrive in great power'" (Mark 9:1), Jesus takes the inner circle of Peter, James, and John to a mountain and reveals his glory to them. Moses and Elijah appear. As usual, Peter speaks up and says the wrong thing. God commands the disciples to listen to his Son, Jesus. Jesus instructs the three disciples not to say anything about what they've just witnessed until he (Jesus) comes back to life. They then question Jesus concerning Elijah, who was to be the forerunner to the Messiah.

The kingdom ... in great power (v. 1). Jesus spoke of his disciples "see[ing] the kingdom of God after it has come with power" (Mark 9:1 NASB). As God's rule or reign, the kingdom was the central focus of Jesus' message and mission. There are a number of ways in which the power of God's kingdom was demonstrated in and through Christ, including:

• his casting out demons (Luke 11:20)
• his promised future return (Mark 13:26; 14:26)
• "the coming of the Holy Spirit on the great Day of Pentecost," [ref] when the disciples were empowered to carry out the Great Commission (Acts 1:8)
• the Transfiguration, which "offers the most dramatic proof that the kingdom had indeed come in the preaching and ministry of Jesus" [ref]

Thus "Jesus' point was that his listeners would not have to wait for another, future Messiah because the kingdom was among them, and it would soon come in power." [ref]

Transformed (v. 2). Mark records that as Peter, James, and John looked on, Jesus was "transformed" ("transfigured" NASB; Greek metamorphoo), a term meaning "to take on a different physical form or appearance." [ref] This is the same idea expressed in our English word metamorphosis: "a striking alteration in appearance, character, or circumstances." [ref] Jesus' transfiguration was a "wonderful visual revelation of his divine glory," [ref] "a substantial prefiguring of the consummation of the kingdom," [ref] "a striking preview and guarantee of His future coming in glory" [ref] (see John 1:14; 2 Peter 1:16-19). During his transfiguration, "the whole body of Jesus was allowed to shine with the light and refulgence [ = "a radiant or resplendent quality or state" [ref]] of its heavenly divinity. Jesus now shines thus in heaven forever. From his conception onward he was the very Son of God, and here on the mount his divine glory was for a little while permitted to shine out through his body." [ref]  

Just prior to his transfiguration, Jesus had been instructing his disciples concerning the mistreatment and death awaiting him in Jerusalem. He also predicted a similar fate for anyone wanting to follow him. The transfiguration was "a heavenly endorsement" of Jesus, [ref] "God's divine affirmation of everything Jesus had done and was about to do. ... The Transfiguration clearly revealed not only that [the disciples] were correct in believing Jesus to be the Messiah (Mark 8:29), but that their commitment was well placed and their eternity was secure. Jesus was truly the Messiah, the divine Son of God." [ref] It also offered testimony to the fact that "[f]uture glory would follow present suffering for Him and [his disciples]." [ref] Thus: 1) "God's seal of approval comes on the heals of Jesus' commitment to the way of the cross" [ref]; 2) the disciples are told to remain silent concerning Jesus' transfiguration until after the public display of his victorious resurrection power; and 3) the same word used to describe Jesus' change in appearance (metamorphoo) is used elsewhere in the NT to describe the process of becoming more Christlike in our attitudes and actions (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Regarding this third point, we should note that metamorphoo refers to "an outward change that comes from within," [ref] a change in "the essential form or nature of something." [ref] ("Dazzling white" [v.3] "suggests supreme glory, purity, and holiness." [ref]) In regards to the transformation that is to characterize the Christian, it means nothing less than "a radical, thorough, and universal change, both outward and inward." [ref]

Moses and Elijah (v. 4). The Bible of Jesus' day - our OT - was commonly divided into the Law and the Prophets. [ref] At Jesus' transfiguration Moses appeared as a representative of the Law, and Elijah appeared as a representative of the Prophets [ref] - "both of which Christ had come to fulfill." [ref] "Their appearance showed Jesus as the fulfillment of both the Old Testament law and the prophetic promises." [ref] (Jewish rabbis drew many comparisons between Moses and Elijah, including seeing Moses as the first major prophet of Israel and Elijah the last. [ref]) It is also possible to understand Moses as representing "the prophetic office (Acts 3:18-22)" and Elijah as picturing "the presence of the last days (Malachi 4:5-6)." [ref] "These two figures were both expected to return in some sense before the time of the end," [ref] and they are mentioned together at the close of the OT, where it is foretold that Elijah will arrive ahead of the Messiah to prepare the way for him by "call[ing] the people back to the law of Moses" (see Malachi 4:1-6). [ref] ("Malachi 4:4-6 forms a kind of double appendix to the book. The appeal to Moses looks back to remind the nation that it is still under the law, thus linking the prophets to the ancient tradition, and the reference to Elijah, by looking forward, anticipates Yahweh's future return. ... [It is certain that Yahweh will come.] The only question is Israel's fate when he does, and that depends entirely on their response to Elijah." [ref]) Both Moses and Elijah had received God's instructions on a mountain, and both of them had seen theophonies (= "any direct, visual manifestation of the presence of God" [ref]) (Exodus 24:12-18; 1 Kings 19:8-18). [ref] [ref]

There are a number of parallels between Moses's experience at Mt. Sinai and Jesus' transfiguration:

• "Six days" - Exodus 24:16; Mark 9:2
• The cloud - Exodus 24:16; Mark 9:7
• God's voice - Exodus 24:16; Mark 9:7
• Three companions - Exodus 24:1, 9; Mark 9:2
• Transformation (Matthew and Luke specifically mention Jesus' face.) - Exodus 34:30; Mark 9:3
• Fear - Exodus 34:30; Mark 9:6
• A perverse generation - Exodus 32:20; Mark 9:19 [ref] [ref]  

Three shelters (v. 5). Peter's offer to make "three shelters as memorials" ("tabernacles" NASB) recalls the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles, [ref]  established to commemorate the Exodus but "also understood by many as looking ahead to the glorious day of Israel's deliverance." [ref] Peter was ecstatic at the sight of Jesus' transfiguration - and rightly so. However, his offer to "make three shrines" reflects his desire for that "mountaintop experience" to continue. [ref] "Peter had forgotten (or was hoping to put aside) Jesus' words that suffering and death would come before glory. Peter saw the fulfillment of Christ's glory for a moment. He wanted the experience to continue, so he tried to capture it without going through Christ's suffering." [ref]   

A cloud (v. 7). During the transfiguration God's voice was heard from a cloud commanding the disciples to listen - meaning "be obedient" [ref] [ref]  - to Jesus, God's Word incarnate (see John 1:1). "This was not a vapor cloud, but was, in fact, the glory of God. This was the cloud that had guided Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 13:21), that had appeared to the people in the desert (Exodus 16:10; 24:15-18; 34:5; 40:34-38), that had appeared to Moses (Exodus 19:9), and that had filled the temple with the glory of the Lord (1 Kings 8:10).

Peter's limited understanding was challenged by God's "unqualified endorsement" of Jesus. [ref] Jesus was/is greater than Moses and Elijah, and he is to be listened to (and obeyed). Moses had said: " ... 'The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him'" (Deuteronomy 18:15), and now that prophet (= Jesus) had come. The sudden disappearance of Moses and Elijah is both a literal and symbolic reminder that "[t]he time of Moses and Elijah is over. It is time to heed the words of Jesus." [ref] As one source puts it: "Their work was done and they were superseded. Jesus, not Moses or Elijah, is now God's authorized Ruler and Spokesman." [ref]

HEAR (heart)
"U.S. editor, publisher, and author" [ref] Elbert Hubbard once wisely observed: "Complete success alienates a man from his fellows, but suffering makes kinsmen of us all." [ref] 

Like all of us, Peter preferred "the mountaintop of transfiguration" over "the flatland of common experience," "a reassuring experience of God's presence" over "a frightening experience of evil." [ref] Here it is vitally important to remember two things: 1) the flatland where we encounter evil is home to countless people in dire need of the Gospel message that only we, as Jesus' followers, can offer them; and 2) we are never truly alone, since Jesus is always with us via God's holy Word and God's Holy Spirit. "As our spiritual vision improves and allows us to see and understand God better, we will also be able to see and understand evil better. We would be overcome by its horror if we did not have Jesus with us to take us through it safely." [ref] What's more, we are called not merely to endure evil and suffering, but to confront them with the power of the Gospel. [ref] "Christians today need to worship and pray, but they must also go out into the needy world to serve, work, confront, and intercept Satan just as Jesus did." [ref]   

We might also wish to note how "Peter mistakenly made all three men equal. He had missed Jesus' true identity as God himself." [ref] While certainly we are to respect Christian leaders, we must be diligent to guard against the ever-present danger of putting them on a pedestal and begin interpreting God's Word (the Bible) through their teaching rather than vice versa. We should be especially cautious - as in, "Shields up!" - when it comes to any leader who claims it is God's will that we be completely free of all suffering and hardship in this life.

DO (hands)
??? What can this passage teach us about our common human tendency to choose ease and comfort over hardship and pain?

SEE (head)
Jesus returns from the mountain to find his disciples being harassed by the religious leaders because they (the disciples) are unable to cast out an evil spirit. Jesus denounces the evident lack of faith and then commands the spirit to depart. When asked by his disciples why they could not cast out the spirit, Jesus says that they were lacking in prayer.  

Arguing (v. 14). Jesus moved from the cloud to the crowd. "While Jesus had been up on the mountain in Mark 9:2-13, a crowd had gathered around several of his disciples. An argument had erupted between them and some scribes. The argument may very well have had to do with what means were necessary to effect a successful exorcism." [ref] As one source puts it: "We may also surmise the cause of the dispute. The scribes were delighted by the failure of the disciples and taunted them and shamed them before the crowd; and the disciples were defending themselves as best they could. The situation was painful indeed." [ref] In essence, the religious leaders were casting aspersions on the disciples' power and authority and, by extension, that of Jesus. Their aim was "to discredit Jesus in any way possible." [ref]   

Possessed (v. 17). A father brought his demon-possessed son - his only child (Luke 9:38) [ref] - to Jesus to be healed. For years the demon had been blocking the boys ability to speak, and it had been causing the boy to go into epileptic seizures. [ref] [ref]  This was "not a case of simple epilepsy; no, it was a very complicated condition, in which the boy did not merely fall to the ground but was actually again and again knocked down by the evil spirit." [ref] [ref] The demon had also been throwing the boy "into the fire or into water, trying to kill [Greek apollumi: "to destroy or to cause the destruction of persons, objects, or institutions" [ref]] him" (Mark 9:22). Thus his "condition was long-standing and critical" [ref] and an example of Satan's aim "'to steal and kill and destroy' [apollumi]" (see John 10:10). [ref]

Faithless people (v. 19). "Jesus addressed the crowd but especially His disciples with deep emotion," [ref] calling them a "faithless people" ("unbelieving generation" NASB; compare Deuteronomy 32:5, 20; Numbers 14:11; Isaiah 63:8-10 [ref]). "Jesus allows his deep feeling to be expressed in words. Pain and disappointment wring this cry from his heart." [ref] Jesus' solemn and deeply emotional rebuke sprang from his frustration "with the unbelieving and unresponsive generation, including the crowd, the teachers of the law (scribes), the man, and the nine disciples. His disciples merely reflected that attitude of unbelief so prevalent in the society." [ref] Certainly "[f]rom his own disciples Jesus had a right to expect more than this unbelieving generation offered him." [ref] The people could gain the victory over "Satan and his unholy allies" only to the extent that they chose to respond in faith to Jesus and his Gospel message - something most of them refused to do. [ref] "Because of a lack of faith in Jesus' proclamation, gaining freedom from Satan's oppression is hindered." [ref]

"The main lesson of this miracle is the power of faith to overcome the enemy." [ref] And because our enemy never takes a break, neither can our faith. "Mark tells this story to show that the battle with Satan is a difficult, ongoing struggle. Victory over sin and temptation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, not through our own efforts." [ref] Some manuscripts show Jesus saying that the disciples were lacking in both prayer and fasting. "Dependence on God and denial of self are meant." [ref] Fasting is "a practical means of focusing one's attention more fully on God for a specific purpose, for a limited period of time." [ref] [ref]  

Anything is possible (v. 23). The father said to Jesus: "But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" And Jesus replied: "'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes" (see Mark 9:23-24, NASB). "Jesus repeated the father's words and turned them around to put doubt in the right place. In a sense, Jesus was saying, 'If I am able to do anything? I can do all things - but it depends on whether you believe that I can.' Spiritual power comes only when a person turns from self to God in faith. Then the possibilities are limitless." [ref] That said, we should be sure to note that

Jesus' words do not mean that we can automatically obtain anything we want if we just think positively. Jesus meant that anything is possible if we believe because nothing is too difficult for God, even when our experience seems to indicate otherwise. We cannot have everything for which we pray as if by magic; but with faith, we can have everything we need to serve Christ. We are free to ask whatever we want, as long as we realize that God will answer according to his will (1 John 3:21-22; 5:14). When we will what he wills, then we truly will have the mind of Christ and can ask anything, being assured of God's answers (see also John 14:13-14; 15:7). [ref] (quoted verbatim)

Or, as another source puts it: "'[A]ll things' are here concrete: all those things which faith trusts to the power of Jesus who, moreover, always exerts his power and ability according to his good and gracious will. Faith never asks anything foolish or wrong of Jesus; requests of that kind are never the product of faith. Moreover, faith always bows to the will of Jesus in those things of which we cannot be sure that they are good for us." [ref]  

"Mark recorded this story to show that the battle with Satan is a difficult, ongoing struggle. Victory over sin and temptation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, never through our own efforts (see John 15:5)." The disciples would soon be experiencing tremendous uncertainty during Jesus' trial and execution. They would struggle with doubt and question their faith. Their "demon of doubt" could be cast out only by prayer and reliance on God. And, following his resurrection, Jesus would fully restore the disciples' faith. [ref]

Believe ... unbelief (v. 24). It seems that the father of the demon-possessed boy had in good faith come seeking Jesus. When Jesus was not to be found, and Jesus' disciples failed to deliver his son, the man's faith - that is, "his trust in the ability of Jesus" [ref] - faltered. He was now afraid "that the ability of Jesus [was] perhaps no greater or only a little greater than that of the nine disciples." [ref] The father offers us a double lesson in faith. First of all, Christian faith "is possible only with the help of the One who is its Object." [ref] Here it is good to remember that "[n]o matter how much faith we have, we never reach the point of being self-sufficient. Faith is not stored away like money in the bank. Growing in faith is a constant process of daily renewing our trust in Jesus." [ref] The key thought here is "trust in Jesus" - not trust in those who claim to speak for him. Secondly, at times every believer struggles with trusting in and relying on God. And so Christian faith is both objective and subjective: "Objectively our faith is in Jesus, and He is unshakable. Subjectively our faith is often mixed with hesitancy and doubt. The way to overcome uncertainty is to remember that what makes faith valid is not its subjective strength, but the trustworthiness of its object. We can confidently affirm this truth: 'I can't, but Jesus can.'" [ref] What's more, the realization that our faith is weak or small is a very good place to be - provided it leads us to Jesus, the only one who can strengthen and grow it. [ref] This is something like what the apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote: "when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10, NASB).

Only by prayer (v. 29). Despite the fact that Jesus had commissioned his disciples to cast out demons and that they had already done so (3:15; 6:13), [ref] they were unable - literally "lacked the strength" [ref] [ref] - to cast out this demon on this occasion. Why? Jesus said: "This kind [of demon] cannot come out by anything but prayer" (Mark 9:29, NASB). Apparently the disciples were trusting in past successes, [ref] perhaps even thinking they were in permanent possession of the power to cast out demons and so had no need to pray. "Prayer is what the nine had failed to use. They were powerless because they were prayerless. Their self-complacency spelled defeat. Matthew 17:20 has 'because of your little faith' (oligopistian). That is true also. They had too much faith in themselves, too little in Christ. 'They had trusted to the semi-magical power with which they thought themselves invested.'" [ref] Prayer is absolutely vital. It demonstrates our faith in (= reliance upon) God. Without it, even the most sincere act of service can quickly change from a humble offering into a pride-filled performance. [ref] As one source reminds us: "Where there is little faith, there is little prayer. Conversely, where there is an abundance of genuine, persevering faith, there is also fervent, unrelenting prayer." [ref]

HEAR (heart)
Bedpan Faith

The story is told of a Roman Catholic nun who was given a mission assignment to a tribe of Apache Indians. In her excitement and haste, on the way to the reservation she drove past the last gas station without noticing that her gas gauge was reading "empty." Her car ran out of gas about a mile past the station, and so she got out and walked back.

The attendant said he would love to help except for the fact that he did not have a gas can.

After some prodding from the kindly sister, however, he searched his storage shed and found an old bedpan - which the nun gratefully accepted and filled with gasoline.

After walking gingerly back to her car, the nun removed the gas cap and began slowly transferring the gas from the bedpan to her car's gas tank.

Just then a trucker drove by, saw the nun emptying the contents of the bedpan into her gas tank, and yelled out his window at her: "I sure wish I had that kind of faith, sister!" [ref] (paraphrased)

To those without a personal, saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, placing faith in him makes about as much sense as pouring the (usual) contents of a bedpan into a gas tank. Those of us who are privileged to call ourselves his disciples know differently, however. The Scriptures, the testimonies of fellow believers, and our own experiences - all these teach us that God will never fail to give us what we truly need. And oftentimes it will be at the very moment we need it most.

That said, we also know that because our hearts contain a mixture of faith and unbelief, we must do our part in fostering faith and resisting unbelief. Which means focusing on Christ's ability, recognizing our own inability, and calling on the faith and prayers of others. We must "[a]sk Jesus daily for stronger faith." [ref]  

DO (hands)
??? At times it's easy to let our struggles with lust, pride, envy, and a host of other sins overwhelm and discourage us. What can this passage teach us about drawing close to God in order to gain the victory over such forces?

SEE (head)
Jesus is again on the move, intentionally avoiding the crowds in order to spend time with and instruct his disciples. Again Jesus tells them of his impending death, but they don't know what he means and are afraid to ask. The disciples argue about who is the greatest, and Jesus instructs them concerning true greatness. 

Betrayed ... will rise (v. 31). Once again Jesus warned his disciples of what lay ahead for him: betrayal, death, and resurrection. Here "betrayed" (Greek paradidomi) carries the meaning of: "to deliver a person into the control of someone else, involving either the handing over of a presumably guilty person for punishment by authorities or the handing over of an individual to an enemy who will presumably take undue advantage of the victim - 'to hand over, to turn over to, to betray.'" [ref] This term "was used both of Judas' betrayal of Jesus (Mark 3:19; 14:41; Luke 24:7) and of God's delivering up Jesus to death for the redemption of sinners (Isaiah 53:6, 12; Acts 2:23; Romans 8:32)." [ref] According to Mark's account, Jesus said that he "shall arise by his own power and might," [ref] whereas Matthew records that "God shall raise Jesus up" (see Matthew 17:23). [ref] Is there a conflict here? Not at all. Besides the fact that "will rise" does not mean of one's own power without any help from God (see Matthew 12:25; 1 Thessalonians 4:16), the Bible makes clear that all three persons of the Trinity were involved in Jesus' resurrection and will also bring about our own: [ref] [ref]

• Father: John 5:28-29; Acts 2:24, 32: 3:15, 26; 10:40; 17:31; Romans 4:24; 6:4, 9; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:4; 20; 2 Corinthians 1:9; 4:14; Galatians 1:1
• Son: Mark 8:31; 9:9, 31; 10:34; John 2:19; 6:39-40; 10:17-18; 11:25; Acts 17:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:14
• Holy Spirit: Romans 1:4; 8:11; 1 Peter 3:18

Beyond that, it is worth noting that: "There is no inconsistency ... between Jesus' 'being raised' by the Father and his 'rising' by his own power. As the obedient Servant of the Lord, who took the sinner's sins and curse upon himself, he had to wait for the Father to raise him up, thereby proving that Jesus' atoning work was indeed finished (John. 19:30). On the other hand, as God incarnate he had also the authority and power to take again the life he had voluntarily laid down, thus actively abolishing death, bringing life and immortality to light (2 Timothy 1:10), being 'appointed the Son of God in power' (Romans 1:4 TNIV)." [ref]

Afraid to ask (v. 32). We know from Mark and the other gospel writers that the disciples responded to Jesus' announcement with "sorrow, bewilderment, and fear" [ref] (see Matthew 17:23; Luke 9:45). Why were the disciples afraid to ask Jesus what he meant by all his talk of suffering and dying? In simplest terms, it was because "they did not want to know." [ref] Why not? Likely for several reasons:

• The disciples did not want to face "the impending fate of their beloved Rabbi." [ref]  
• They did not want to face up to their own probable suffering and possible death. [ref]  
• They were too embarrassed, lest they not understand Jesus' explanation.
• They feared being rebuked, as Peter had been. [ref] [ref] [ref]  
• Jesus' premature death would crush "their hopes for a reigning Messiah" [ref] - including the accompanying power and status to which they felt themselves entitled as officials within his kingdom.

The greatest (v. 34). Jesus asked his disciples what they had been discussing, and they replied with embarrassed silence. [ref] [ref] They had, in fact, been arguing about who was the greatest in their group - and hence who would occupy the most prominent positions "in the political kingdom which they were expecting [Jesus] to establish." [ref] "Perhaps the privileges given to Peter, James, and John (cf. Mark 5:37; 9:2) fueled the argument." [ref] [ref] In any event, their "jealous rivalry" [ref] certainly reflected the prevailing attitude of the day which paid homage to "persons of authority and influence" while looking down on "someone with no rank, no authority, no privilege." [ref] [ref] Jesus turned this mindset on its head by proclaiming that the greatest must be the servant of all. What did he mean? "Being a 'servant' did not mean occupying a servile position; rather it meant having an attitude of life that freely attended to others' needs without expecting or demanding anything in return." [ref] As one source puts it: "True greatness does not consist in this, that from a towering height a person, in a self-congratulatory manner, has the right now to look down upon all others (Luke 18:9-12); but in this, that he immerses himself in the needs of others, sympathizes with them and helps them in every way possible. So, if any person - whether he be one of The Twelve or anyone else - wishes to be first, he must be last; that is, servant of all." [ref]

Thus it was that "Jesus described leadership from a new perspective. Instead of using people, we are to serve them." [ref] Here Jesus used the word "servant" (Greek diakanos: "a person who renders service" [ref]), but elsewhere he used the word "slave" (Greek doulos: "one who is a slave in the sense of becoming the property of an owner," [ref] also translated "bondslave" or "bond-servant") (see Matthew 20:27; Mark 10:44; Luke 17:10). Every true Christian is a slave/bond-servant of Christ: we freely relinquish our rights in order to serve our Lord and serve other people in his name. Jesus was not condemning "the desire to improve one's position in life but He did teach that greatness in His kingdom was not determined by status but by service." [ref] Jesus was actually condoning, not condemning, greatness - not "the false, earthly idea of greatness that was in the minds of the disputing disciples," but true, spiritual greatness. [ref]

A little child (v. 36). Jesus used a child as a living illustration of anyone who is weak, in need, and humbly dependent on others. [ref] "[C]hildren were held in little regard in late antiquity." [ref] [ref] The child here represents one who is helpless and unable to repay anything done for him or her. [ref] To help one in such a state is to offer sacrificial service. [ref] The true disciple of Jesus must be willing to assume a lowly position in order to serve those who are in a lowly state. [ref] Certainly "[i]t is possible for thoughtless, selfish people to gain a measure of worldly greatness, but lasting greatness is measured by God's standards" - the first step of which is to replace personal achievement with unselfish service. [ref] Rather than "seeking a place of service, [the disciples] were seeking positions of advantage. Jesus used a child to help his self-centered disciples get the point. They were to have servant attitudes, being not 'childish' (arguing over petty issues), but 'childlike,' with humble and sincere hearts." [ref] To humbly render service to someone and expect absolutely nothing in return is to perform a great act of faith - although "its greatness will not be displayed until the judgment day." [ref]

The little child also offers some invaluable lessons on what it takes to enter God's kingdom: "When we receive Jesus, we actually 'enter' or are 'received into' his kingdom. The way into this kingdom is to turn to God from sin in the same spirit of humility that a child exhibits when he shows simple trust in someone he loves. A child comes to a trusted adult without achievements or personal greatness; instead, the child comes simply trusting that he will be received and loved." [ref]  

HEAR (heart)
China's First Emperor

The story of China's first emperor is a story of the wrong type of ambition.

By the age of thirteen, Ying Cheng had become a warlord, and for the next twenty-five years he fought other warlords and amassed a million-man army. He had a well-earned reputation for completely devouring his enemies.

"At the height of his power he adopted a new title: Ch'in Shih Huang Ti - First Divine Emperor of China. It was because of this title that we call his land China today. He boasted that he was the head of a dynasty that would last ten thousand years."

Besides establishing a central monarchy, Emperor Ch'in "developed a uniform code of law, launched massive public works - roads and canals - and built a shining new capital." He had a massive palace that was one and a half miles long and a half-mile wide.

The Emperor's "greatest" achievement, however, was the great Wall of China. Built with forced labor, it is said that the bones of the tens of thousands of workers who perished on the job were ground up and added to the mortar. "If it were in the United States, it would reach from Los Angeles to New York and back again to Chicago. At its top was a roadway wide enough for eight men marching abreast, and it was connected by twenty-five thousand towers. Signal messages could be sent across ancient China in twenty-four hours."

Emperor Ch'in died at the age of forty-one, the victim of a plot by his prime minister. The conspirators also forged a letter to the Emperor's son, the end result of which was the son's suicide.

Rather than a ten-thousand year dynasty, Emperor Ch'in's was in fact the shortest dynasty in the history of China. [ref]  (paraphrased)

"It is not wrong for believers to be industrious or ambitious. But when ambition pushes aside obedience and service, it becomes sin. We are all like the disciples and even like the Pharisees in this regard. Pride or insecurity can cause us to overvalue position and prestige." [ref] As Jesus taught by both word and example, true and lasting greatness begins with being ambitious to do God's will by offering sacrificial service to those who cannot repay us.

DO (hands)
??? When you think of "greatness," what images come to mind? What can this passage teach us about true greatness and how we can attain it?

SEE (head)
The disciples complain that a man who isn't a member of their group is acting as though he is. Jesus responds by telling them that even the smallest act of service done in his name is a good thing and will be rewarded. Jesus then addresses the seriousness of causing anyone to stumble and the drastic way in which his disciples must deal with whatever causes them to sin. Those who follow Jesus are to be like salt.

Wasn't in our group (v. 38). It seems the disciples were still stinging from their inability to cast the demon out of the boy. Here someone who is not a part of their group was doing what they were supposed to be doing but could not. [ref] Although the disciples thought they had done the right thing in rebuking the rebel exorcist, they were now having second thoughts after Jesus' statement regarding welcoming others in his name (Mark 9:37). [ref] Apparently the anonymous exorcist "was a disciple but not one of the Twelve commissioned by Jesus to do this work." [ref] [ref] Thus "Jesus is not dealing with a man who is settled in his determination not to join the band of his disciples but with a man whose knowledge is still limited, whose faith is yet young, and of whom our expectation must be that he will grow in both." [ref]  

Rather than focusing inward in an attempt to identify and deal with the true source of their problem, the disciples focused outward in an effort to label and deter the man whose ministry was successful. And so Jesus takes the opportunity to teach them about the nature of sin, including its source and its seriousness.

This situation is reminiscent of God's appointing 70 elders to help Moses: [ref]

16 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you.17 I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone. ...  

24 So Moses ... gathered the seventy elders and stationed them around the Tabernacle. 25 And the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Then he gave the seventy elders the same Spirit that was upon Moses. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But this never happened again. 

26 Two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed behind in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but they had not gone out to the Tabernacle. Yet the Spirit rested upon them as well, so they prophesied there in the camp. 27 A young man ran and reported to Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!" 

28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' assistant since his youth, protested, "Moses, my master, make them stop!" 

29 But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit upon them all!" 30 Then Moses returned to the camp with the elders of Israel. (Numbers 11:16-30, NLT)

Regarding that situation, one Bible commentator offers the following helpful remarks:

The text states that these elders prophesied, but they did not continue to do so. It seems that the temporary gift of prophecy to these elders was primarily to establish their credentials as Spirit-empowered leaders rather than to make of them ongoing agents of the prophecy of the Spirit. Their principal task will not be revelatory; God still speaks through Moses. The task of the elders will be to help in the administration of the immense population, in its varied needs, especially in the context of the increasing impiety of the people.

Two of the designated elders did not meet with the others when the Spirit of God came on the group. For some reason they remained in the camp. But they also received the gift of the Spirit, and they also began to prophesy. A young man who was devoted to Moses rushed to his master to inform him of this phenomenon and to beg his master to have them cease. The prophesying of Eldad and Medad in the camp where the common people would see them was perceived as an opportunity for further personal attacks on Moses. If these men had the same gift as Moses, and if they were in the midst of the people making prophetic proclamations, then could they not use their new gifts to bring about further sedition against God's servant?

Here the true spirit of Moses is demonstrated. Rather than being threatened by the public demonstration of the gifts of the Spirit by Eldad and Medad, Moses desired that all the people might have the full gifts of the Spirit. This verse is a suitable introduction to the inexcusable challenge to the leadership of Moses in Numbers 12. Moses' magnanimity compares with that of Jesus in Mark 9:38-41 and Paul in Philippians 1:15-18. His expression of the desire for the falling of the Spirit of God on all the people is anticipative of the promise of God through the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32) and the experience of the early Christians in Acts 2:5-21. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

Cause ... to fall (v. 42). Jesus warned against causing one of the little ones who trusts in him "to fall into sin" ("to stumble" NASB; Greek skandalizo), meaning "to cause to sin, with the probable implication of providing some special circumstances which contribute to such behavior." [ref] (Our English word "scandal" is closely related to it.) The original picture is of "the piece of wood that kept open a trap for animals," [ref] and so had the sense of "'springing forward and back,' 'slamming to,' 'closing on something,' or 'trapping.'" [ref]  

Jesus "refers to enticing or provoking a disciple to turn away from [him], resulting in serious spiritual damage. The undeveloped faith of the exorcist (Mark 9:38) or anyone else who acts in Jesus' name (Mark 9:41) should be encouraged rather than ruined by harsh criticism or sectarian bias." [ref] The good news is that God has provided all that is necessary to prevent our stumbling: "In his farewell discourse Jesus declares: 'I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away [hina me skandalisthete]' (John 16:1). He refers here especially to the promise of the advocate, paraclete or helper (John 15:18-27), but also to his preaching as a whole (cf. John 6:63)." [ref]

Jesus' warning can and should be applied to wolves in sheep's clothing who promote blasphemous heresy such as can be found within Christian Science, the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Mormons, and the Word (of) Faith movement (see Romans 16:17-18; 1 Timothy 6:3-12; 2 Timothy 3:1-6). These types of false teachers are guilty many times over of enticing people into sin through the abandonment of sound doctrine. [ref] Their (apparent) success is fleeting, however, and on the day of judgment they will beg for a millstone necktie rather than the eternal fate that they will have earned for themselves. The fact that God has not yet judged these leaders for their false teachings that cause many to take offense and stumble is in no way a sign of his approval; rather, it indicates "that the time of judgment is not yet ripe." [ref]  

Hand ... foot ... eye (vv. 43, 45, 47). "[F]rom the thought of entrapping and destroying others Jesus turns to the allied thought that we may entrap ourselves and do this through one or the other of our bodily members." [ref] Jesus identified sin with parts of the human body. Not only was this in keeping with contemporary rabbinic teaching, [ref] but it helped to underline the nature of sin. Obviously Jesus was not advocating literal self-mutilation, since there would still be one hand, foot, etc. that could cause us to sin. [ref] "In the Bible, feet are often associated with traveling to do evil, hands with accomplishments, and eyes with vision or desires of the heart, aspirations, or ambitions." [ref] While our bodies do not lead us into sin, we do use our bodies to commit sin. As one source puts it: "Do [your bodily members] really act independently of your person? Does your hand, foot, or eye without your volition set and bait a trap for your soul and then catch and kill it? Certainly not.  It is your own evil heart and will that abuse these bodily members to make them the instruments of lusts and passions that center within you. It ought to be plain, then, that removing these members from your body and mutilating it would not help you, the lusts and passions would still be there. The heart and will must be changed." [ref]  

A person with a diseased limb that had to be amputated in order to save his/her life would be foolish indeed not to undergo the surgery, since, after all, it is better to sacrifice a limb than to lose a life. [ref] We should see sin in the same way: We can keep our sin and lose our life, or we can give up our sin and save our life. Jesus was saying "that any relationship, practice, or activity that leads to sin should be stopped. As a person would submit to losing a diseased appendage (hand or foot) or a sense (sight) in order to save his or her life, so believers should be just as willing to 'cut off' any temptation, habit, or part of their nature that could lead them to hold onto this world and turn away from Christ and into sin." [ref]  

Later the apostle Paul admonished the believers in Rome to "not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present ... your members as instruments of righteousness to God" (Romans 6:13, NASB). The word "instruments" (Greek hoplon) originally meant "any tool or implement for preparing a thing." [ref] It was used "figuratively for weapons of both offense and defense," and in the NT is always used "in the plural for 'weapons.'" [ref] This helps underscore the fact that the followers of Jesus Christ are in a spiritual battle of cosmic proportions. Our bodies are neutral instruments that can be used for either good or bad. We sin when we use our hands to harm rather than to help. We sin when we use our feet to carry us to the places we should not go rather than to the places we should go. And we sin when we use our eyes to look longingly at the things we can't have rather than to gaze gratefully on the many blessings God has given us.

Hell (vv. 43, 45, 47). The word Jesus used for "hell," Gehenna, is

the Greek representative of the Hebrew Ge-Hinnom, or Valley of Hinnom, a deep, narrow glen to the south of Jerusalem, where, after the introduction of the worship of the fire-gods by Ahaz, the idolatrous Jews sacrificed their children to Molech. Josiah formally desecrated it, "that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech" (2 Kings 23:10). After this it became the common refuse-place of the city, into which the bodies of criminals, carcasses of animals, and all sorts of filth were cast. From its depth and narrowness, and its fire and ascending smoke, it became the symbol of the place of the future punishment of the wicked. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

When Jesus spoke of "'hell, "where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out,"'" he was quoting from Isaiah 66:24, which reads: "'Then they will go forth and look On the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die And their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind'" (NASB). The torment will be internal (ref: "the maggots"/"their worm" = the conscience [ref]), external (ref: "the fire"/"their fire"), and eternal (ref: the undying worm and the unquenchable fire) . [ref] [ref] [ref] Hell serves as both a warning and a reminder: it is a warning of "the unending, conscious punishment" [ref] that is in store for anyone who continues living in rebellion against God, and it is a reminder of the "unending torment and eternal exclusion from His presence" that we are delivered from if/when we accept Christ's offer of salvation.

Three additional but related points are worth mentioning. First, when the Bible speaks of the "destruction" of the wicked, it is referring to an ongoing (= eternal) punishment and not, as some claim, total annihilation (see Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9). [ref] Second, Hell is something that a person chooses for him-/herself, and then a judgment from God in keeping with that person's choice. Hence Jesus' "'go into the unquenchable fires of hell'" (v. 43) versus "'be thrown into hell'" (v. 47). [ref] Third, in all likelihood, both Heaven and Hell will be void of time and space as we understand those concepts right now. [ref]

Fire ... salt (vv. 49, 50). Jesus said: "'For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another'" (Mark 9:49-50, NASB). What did Jesus intend with all his talk about salt? While interpretations vary, it seems likely that Jesus was drawing upon the OT requirement, set forth in Leviticus 2, that the grain offering be salted. [ref] [ref] [ref] [ref] There the emphasis is on purity and permanence: God's people were called to live pure lives and to avoid whatever would spoil the permanent covenant relationship between them and God. [ref] Thus Jesus was referring to "the process of purification, or purging, through which everyone must pass in order to gain entry into the Kingdom of God." [ref] As another source puts it: "Jesus was looking upon the disciples as sacrifices to God and at discipleship as a purifying process. The 'fire' that purified them probably referred to trials and persecutions that made them fit for service (see Matthew 5:10-12; 1 Corinthians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:7; 4:12)." [ref]  

Jesus' reference to "fire" also recalls John the Baptist's testimony that the one greater than he (= Jesus) would baptize with both the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11 = Luke 3:16). A temporary, purifying fire awaits all those who follow Jesus (see John 16:33; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:12-13), while a permanent, punishing fire awaits all those who reject him. [ref] [ref] "[W]ithin the hearts and lives of believers it will destroy what is bad and bring out what is good, causing them to be a preservative force, a salting salt, in the midst of their environment." [ref] This purification process can be compared to "salt in its burning property when it destroys the germs of corruption. It is the Word of Christ in its power to burn out of our hearts" whatever would prevent us from being effective for God, including "the evil desire to entrap others (v. 42) and the evil desires that would allow our own bodily members to entrap us ourselves (v. 43–48). ... [T]he Word which is excellent as salt may become saltless for us when we do not apply it properly to ourselves. You may have the whole Bible, but if you shrink from its sanctifying power you will not be freed from your corruption. Therefore [Jesus' admonition to "'have the qualities of salt among yourselves'" (v. 50)] means using the Word constantly to keep us free from evil and spiritually clean and pure." [ref] This is true discipleship which, in practical terms, demands: "obedience, denial of self, humility, and willing suffering for the sake of the kingdom. The disciples were to allow God's purifying work to be done in them. They, in turn, would be purifying agents in the community and in the world." [ref]  

Once a person has entered into God's kingdom, he/she is fully expected to exert a positive influence on the world at large, to be sure, but first and foremost within the Christian fellowship. Hence Jesus' admonition to "'be at peace with one another.'" "If within the brotherhood there is nothing but carping and quarrelling, how can those who call themselves Christians expect to win others to Christ? It is therefore not surprising that an echo of this exhortation is found also in the epistles of Paul (Romans 12:18; 2 Corinthians 13:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:13)." [ref]  Along those lines, it is very possible to see in Jesus' words "the beginning of a move to a time when the defining characteristics of God's Spirit-indwelt people would not be temple, sacrifice, food laws, or Torah-observance, but rather the quality of their lives and relationships (cf. John 13:35)." [ref]  

The image of salt should remind us of

three qualities that should be found in [God's] people:

1. We should remember God's faithfulness, just as salt when used with a sacrifice recalled God's covenant with his people (Leviticus 2:13).
2. We should make a difference in the "flavor" of the world we live in, just as salt changes meat's flavor (see Matthew 5:13).
3. We should counteract the moral decay in society, just as salt preserves food from decay.

When we lose this desire to "salt" the earth with the love and message of God, we become useless to him. [ref]  (quoted verbatim)

HEAR (heart)
Belief Determines Character

The story is told of an ancient ring with the amazing ability to instill in its wearer such  noble character as to be the object of everyone's admiration and affection.

By and by the ring made its way into the hands of a man who had three sons. Loving each son equally, he was utterly perplexed as to which of his sons should inherit the ring. Unable to decide, he had two other rings made that were identical in every way to the first. Upon his deathbed he called his sons in, one at a time, and gave each of them a ring.

Following the funeral the sons realized that each of them had the ring but that only one was the genuine article. Unable to decide for themselves which was the magical ring, they sought out a wise and discerning judge to advise them.

After examining the rings, the judge declared that he could not tell them apart, either. "But," he said, "you yourselves can decide who has the real ring. For if the ring provides its wearer with noble character, then each one of you must go and decide to live a life marked by kindness, truthfulness, bravery, and justice. He whose life is filled with these things is the owner of the true ring." [ref] (paraphrased)

This story helps to illustrate how our beliefs determine our behavior. If each brother believed he had the true ring, he would act accordingly. In the same way, those of us who claim to know and believe in Jesus Christ will act like it. We will see the seriousness of sin. And we will take note of our own sins before we take note of others' sins. Which, in turn, will lead us to draw ever closer to God in order to overcome our sins and live out the life he intends us to live through the power and direction of his Holy Spirit.

DO (hands)
??? According to this passage, how serious is sin? What must we do to rid ourselves of sin's power in our lives?