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Mk 9:14-17 Jesus and the three come down from the mountain to the spot where the other 9 disciples were, and quite a crowd had gathered. Jesus asks the scribes what they have been talking about.
Mk 9:18 "disciples" - the 9 left behind.
Mk 9:20 Demons don't like being confronted with Jesus. As soon as they see Him, they convulse the child, since they know who is before them and the power He has. Evil always wants to be left alone. The common theme is something like "leave us alone, we aren't hurting anyone". Of course, in this case, they were hurting the child. But in a more general sense, frequently we hear of people practicing evil acts asking us to just leave them alone. But good must always confront evil wherever it occurs. If you know someone is trapped in sin, and do nothing, then for you the inaction is sinful.
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17)
A principle exists of the "watchman". In the cities of old, posted along towers on the wall of the city were lookouts, or watchmen. It was the job of the watchman to keep a look out for enemies, and if any are seen coming to attack the city, to warn the city ahead of time so that appropriate defense could be mounted. The Lord uses this as an analogy to show Ezekiel he is the watchman for Israel, and the Lord will hold him accountable for his duties as a watchman.
"Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: 'When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 'when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 'then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 'He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 'But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.' "So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. "When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you shall surely die!' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. "Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. (Ezekiel 33:2-9)
This is a convicting concept, for how many times have we seen evil, and failed to warn the person, for fear of being "offensive"? We also are watchmen, with the same duties and responsibilities. Don't allow the enemy to deceive you with the lie "just leave us alone". The Bible doesn't allow it, and God will hold us accountable, just as He did Ezekiel.
Mk 9:22 "destroy him" - The goal of satan and his demons is always destruction. Satan likes to tempt people with sin, convincing them it's just fun and games, but his ultimate goal is always your destruction. He is the deceiver.
Mk 9:23-24 "if you can believe all things are possible" - This can cause many problems. The "faith teachers" tell us if you just believe, you can have that new car or house. Read the following e-mail message I recently received, and then we'll come back to this subject of faith.
From: James Yeager
To: Darrin & Peggy Yeager
Subject: Faith Can Move Mountains!
Date: Thursday, March 25, 1999 7:51 PM
FAITH CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS
A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until the church doubled the size of the parking lot, they would not be able to use the new sanctuary. Unfortunately, the church with its undersized lot had used every inch of their land except for the mountain against which it had been built. In order to build more parking spaces, they would have to move the mountain out of the back yard.
Undaunted, the pastor announced the next Sunday morning that he would meet that evening with all members who had "mountain moving faith." They would hold a prayer session asking God to remove the mountain from the back yard and to somehow provide enough money to have it paved and painted before the scheduled opening dedication service the following week. At the appointed time, 24 of the congregation's 300 members assembled for prayer. They prayed for nearly three hours. At ten o'clock the pastor said the final "Amen". "We'll open next Sunday as scheduled," he assured everyone. "God has never let us down before, and I believe He will be faithful this time too."
The next morning as he was working in his study there came a loud knock at his door. When he called "come in", a rough looking construction foreman appeared, removing his hard hat as he entered. "Excuse me, Reverend. I'm from Acme Construction Company over in the next county. We're building a huge shopping mall. We need some fill dirt. Would you be willing to sell us a chunk of that mountain behind the church? We'll pay you for the dirt we remove and pave all the exposed area free of charge, if we can have it right away. We can't do anything else until we get the dirt in and allow it to settle properly."
The little church was dedicated the next Sunday as originally planned and there were far more members with "mountain moving faith" on opening Sunday than there had been the previous week!
Would you have shown up for that prayer meeting?
Some people say faith comes from miracles. But others know:
MIRACLES COME FROM FAITH!
***** End of e-mail ******
(Note: If you noticed the date on this e-mail, it was March 25. That may not mean much until you realize that as I write this it is March 28. Still not a big deal you say. But this section I had planned to complete last week (March 22) but was unable to. And on Thursday I get this message from Pop, and it just happens to fit with this section. What a coincidence. There are no accidents in God's kingdom. Or as the Rabbi's say, coincidence is not a kosher word.)
The faith teachers say if you have faith, you can have anything you want. After all, God wants you to be prosperous. Name it and claim it, gab it and grab it. If you don't get it, it's either because you don't have faith, or you are out of God's will. But where is that in the Bible? Was Paul lacking faith? I pity the poor person who claims Paul wasn't healed because he lacked faith. Assuming that person is a Christian, I wonder how they will feel when they meet Paul face to face? Is faith important? Yes, that's the point Jesus will make later; the disciples should have been able to handle this, but couldn't because of their lack of faith. But we can't make the mistake that faith is a wishing well where we get anything we wish for, if we believe it hard enough.
But let's be honest. If you were in that prayer meeting for the little church, how would you have felt? Sure, God can do anything in general, but how about this situation? That's where the father of the demon possessed son found himself. "I believe, but help my unbelief". That's so often where we find ourselves. Yes we believe God has the power, but we still doubt. It's best to be honest with the Lord and do just what this father did - acknowledge your doubts and ask for help.
Mk 9:25 Jesus gives two commands: 1. Come out. 2. Enter him no more. If He had just told the demon to come out, it would have left the person open to demon possession again. But Jesus orders the demons to enter him no more. Both commands are important. Not only does Jesus have the power to cast them out, but He commands them to enter him no more. What Jesus starts, He finishes.
being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Philippians 1:6)
Mk 9:29 "this kind" - there are ranks of demons. They have different skills and powers. Not that we should ever try to identify the demon and talk to it in order to better understand how to get it out, as some teach today. We are never told to interact with demons at any time. We see nothing like that in the Bible. But we should recognize different ranks of demons exist, and they exhibit different powers.
"prayer and fasting" - The disciples were drawing on their own power and strength instead of seeking the Lord through prayer and fasting. By our own power, we can do nothing. But if we seek His will, then anything becomes possible. Mathew records Jesus chiding the disciples (Matthew 17:20). This was something they should have been able to handle, if they sought God first.
Jesus speaks very plainly here. Why didn't they understand? Their hearts weren't ready for it yet. We look at this and wonder why they didn't get it. We must be careful to remember sometimes the "obvious" spiritual truth to us is completely hidden to others. The Holy Spirit teaches each person according to His will and His timing.
The temple tax was about 2 days wages per year. Each male Jew was required to pay it for the upkeep and maintenance of the temple. It's too bad our government doesn't work the same way. Only two days wages per year? Nah. We work about 1/3 of the time for our government.
Mk 9:33 The disciples were arguing as they walked along. Jesus wants in on what they were discussing.
Mk 9:34 They don't want to say since they (correctly) assume Jesus won't like it.. How often do we want to keep our conservations private from the Lord for the same reason? We know it's foolish since He knows anyway, but would our speech be different if we were conscious every second He is listening?
Mk 9:35 Jesus says if you're not going to tell me what you talked about, how about a teaching here? And of course the topic is humility! Since they were arguing about who would be first in the kingdom, He tells them how to be first. The answer must have surprised them. To be first means I have to be last?
The word for servant is "diakonos" which we would think of as a deacon, as Paul speaks of in 1 Timothy chapter 3. Contrast this with "duolos" which means Bondslave. Paul frequently referred to himself as a duolos of Christ. The servant Jesus speaks of here is different, not what we might think of as a slave, but rather loving service. We should not be doormats for people, but rather serve lovingly and willingly, sharing our talents and abilities with the body of Christ.
Notice the contrast between the world's advice and Jesus' words. To the world, if you want to be first, it's because you pushed everyone else out of the way. But in heaven, the first are those who served the most.
Mk 9:36-37 In Matthew 18:3 Jesus says "unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." He says child like, not childish. What's the difference? Child like means loving, trusting, non-deceiving, depending on your father. Childish is selfish, immature, greedy.
Mk 9:38 This is the apostle of love? He seems more worried about protecting his own position. It's sad today's church is frequently more worried about protecting their position instead of doing the work of God. The many denominational arguments are a tragedy; the world sees Christianity not as sharing the love of Jesus, but as a bunch of people who fight among each other. As I search through the atheist web sites, a common theme is "I can't be a Christian because Christians are always fighting among themselves, if they can't love each other, why would I want to be a Christian?" - a stinging rebuke of the church from atheists!
But John's comments are before the giving of the Holy Spirit. John is transformed from one of the "sons of thunder" to the apostle of Love. If we could only be more controlled by the Spirit, how much different would the world view Christians?
Mk 9:39-40 People not part of our group can still be Christians. It's OK to go to different churches. Petty arguments about minor doctrine (do you dunk forward or backward?) should never be a basis for fellowship. If people are working miracles in the name of Jesus, we should leave them alone and not hinder them. If they don't oppose us, they are really for us, even if they don't go to the same church as we do.
(1 Corinthians 12:3) Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
Mk 9:42 "to stumble" means to lead someone in a path that will unknowingly lead them to ruin or destruction.[1] An intent to deceive is hinted at, although not explicitly given in the definition.
"millstone ... cast into the sea" - read that never been born. This is serious stuff.
Mk 9:43-48 Was Jesus being literal here? Are we to cut off our hands? Gouge out our eyes? There are two points here.
"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. "But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! (Luke 12:4-5)
"Hell" is gehenna or eternal damnation.
Mk 9:49 "works evaluated by fire" - Everything we do will be examined by Jesus. What is done with a pure heart and motive will remain. What's of the flesh will burn. Again, it's not the outward actions or results, it's an issue of the heart.
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:1115)
Mk 9:50 Salt is used for (at least) three things:
Mt 18:15 "tell him his fault alone" - Notice Jesus says alone - there is no gossip here. Gossip is one of the most hurtful sins in the church. We try to hide our gossip by making it sound spiritual, as in "let me tell you about Steve, in order that you may pray for them". That's not spiritual, that doesn't build up, it is gossip, plain and simple.
"'Do not go about spreading slander among your people. "'Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:16 NIV)
A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret. (Proverbs 11:13 NIV)
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts. (Proverbs 18:8 NIV)
A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much. (Proverbs 20:19 NIV)
Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. (Proverbs 26:20 NIV)
He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. (Proverbs 17:9 NIV)
Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. (Psalms 34:11-13 NIV)
There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. (Proverbs 6:16-19)
But yet we do have a responsibility to pray for the needs of others. How can we tell if a prayer request is gossip or genuine? One way is how we respond to the request. We should immediately ask the person bringing the request to us if they would be willing to go and pray with the mentioned person. If they get squeamish, it's a subtle clue as to their motives. By the same token, if we are passing along a prayer request, would we feel comfortable if the person we are talking about knew what we were saying and to whom we were saying it? If not, perhaps our motives are not pure. In general, it's better not to pass prayer requests along, unless we have been specifically told we should. Trust, love and honesty are important for the church.
Prayer is important; Paul lists it as our heavy artillery in the armor of God (Ephesians 6). And what is artillery used for? Support of the ground troops. It's vital to a successful military campaigns, but if misused, can cause more damage to our own troops than the enemy.
We must always be on guard against gossip. But to get back to the point Jesus is making, the first step in dealing with an offending brother is to talk to them in private and discuss the matter. If both of you can come to an agreement, nothing else needs to be done, and no one else must know about it (that stops the gossip problem before it starts). If however, your brother doesn't acknowledge his problem, Jesus gives us other ways to deal with the problem in the next few verses.
Mt 18:16 Jewish law held two witness would establish something.
Mt 18:17 The principle here is to remove the bad influence in the church. You don't remove the person for his sin, but for his lack of repentance. Paul teaches this in his letter to the mixed up church in Corinth.
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles; that a man has his father's wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. (1 Corinthians 5:1-7)
The idea is to remove the negative influence. But as always we must take these instructions in the context of the larger passage; this appears in Matthew just after the lost sheep story, where the finding of the one lost sheep results in much rejoicing. What do we learn from this? The goal is not punishment, but restoration. Just like a lost sheep, we are to try to bring the wandering sheep back into the sheepfold. What happens when this person Paul is referring to repents? We are to welcome him back, as Paul teaches in his second letter to the Corinthians.
But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent; not to be too severe. This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. (2 Corinthians 2:5-8)
This is where we blow it - we refuse to let people back. The goal is restoration, not punitive punishment. If the person genuinely repents from his sin, we must be ready to forgive and restore the person to fellowship. Jesus will give a lesson on forgiveness shortly.
Mt 18:18-19 This follows just after Jesus has given us specific rules regarding the procedure we should have when dealing with an unrepentant person. If we don't take it in that context, we are in big trouble. But looked at in that context, we see if we follow Jesus' procedure, we are agreeing with God, so what we do here on earth is a model of what has already happened in heaven. We are not given authority to judge, but to follow the Lord's teaching.
Mt 18:20 This is a great promise! But it applies whether you are praising God or gossiping. Keep that in mind.
Mt 18:21 The Rabbi's taught to forgive three times. Peter thought he was being generous.
Mt 18:22 490 times. Jesus must have thought no one would actually keep track of this.
Mt 18:24 10,000 talents - over $50 million dollars[2].
Mt 18:27 "master", "moved with compassion", "released him", "forgave the debt" - Do these sound familiar? In this part of the parable, the master is the Lord, who moved by compassion for us paid our (the servants) debt for us, since we never could. It's the second part of this story that relates to us and our need for forgiveness.
Mt 18:28 About 3 months wages or approximately $3,000[3] For you scientific types, there are about five orders of magnitude difference between the two debts. The actual amounts are not the significance here, but the difference between them. The first servant had a debt forgiven he had no ability to ever pay. But then he was unwilling to forgive his fellow brother a small sum.
Mt 18:35 "torturers" - NOT execution, but punishment. God takes forgiveness very seriously. When we think of how much He forgave us, shouldn't we also forgive others? If we don't, we're in big trouble.
[1] Zodhiates page 936
[2] MacArthur, John The MacArthur Study Bible page 2199
[3] ibid
This page is historical only and contains old content. Please see our main site for current content.