First and Last Again May 21
Mark 9:35 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.”
Some are not comfortable with the comments on 9:35, so let’s look at this verse in the traditional way.
Those desiring to be first in a secular manner will be last of all in the spiritual realm. In the kingdom of God, there is no greatest other than God, no I AM other than God.
To enter the kingdom of heaven with a secular mindset is to enter a realm with a very different perspective. What is counted as gain in the secular world is usually counted as loss in the spiritual realm.
To be first on earth often is measured in terms of power and material wealth. To be first in the kingdom of heaven means to be equal with all of the citizens of heaven in humility and service.
The coins with the face of Caesar are as worthless as Temple coins in the kingdom of heaven on earth. Agape love is the universal coin of heaven. There is no exchange rate between the earthly and heavenly coins.
Humility is a defining characteristic of the citizen of heaven, but this is counted for little on earth. Likewise for obedience and service.
We may all be in the kingdom of heaven, but we can be neither first nor last until we have become kingdom citizens.
Only when a person becomes a citizen of the kingdom of heaven, one who acknowledges the one God and submits to His authority, does the person experience the benefits of citizenship.
Only when the ego dissolves and becomes one with God do we begin to understand the peace of the reality in which we have been immersed. First and last become one.
Another Perspective May 22
Mark 9:35 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.”
One final perspective on the kingdom of heaven:
Those who cannot understand this saying are “least in the kingdom of heaven.” They experience the secular world and dwell in it exclusively. They are most – or first, or the greatest part – in the secular world. They are least – or last or the smallest part – able to experience the kingdom of heaven.
How can the world be in the kingdom of heaven and someone not know it?
Earth exists in the vacuum of space, but this is not obvious and we do not think about it.
We live in a sea of relationships, but we do not realize that we control whether our ship is calm or agitated or overwhelmed.
We can be happy in poverty or depressed in wealth, the circumstances of reality not overcoming the enduring reality of character that governs perception.
There are larger forces at work than what our physical senses tell us. In faith, we come to our spiritual senses to experience a higher reality.
Rather than swim in the limited pool of physical reality, we rise to walk in freedom on the enduring foundation of the spiritual world.
We Forbid May 23
Mark 9:38 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.”
John is one of the disciples closest to Jesus, and we can see in the Gospel of John the whole-hearted commitment of this disciple. His logic in forbidding an outsider, someone not in the group traveling with Jesus, from casting out demons in Jesus’ name is understandable.
Those not sincerely committed to Jesus were a danger to themselves and others, as with the posers in Acts 19:11-15. The man of whom John speaks here in Mark was successful in casting out demons, proof of his sincerity, as opposed to the men who failed in Acts.
The disciples have not remembered Jesus’ teachings recorded in Mark 3:20-27 - “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
We are also reminded in Paul in 1 Cor. 1:10-17, “Is Christ divided?” Those who are in Christ and in whom Christ dwells are one, regardless of the route that has brought them to this unity.
Note that this remark by John is not long after Jesus had chided His disciples for being unable to cast out the mute and deaf demon (Mark 9:14-29). Is there a hint of jealousy in John’s reproach?
The disciples are all too human, little different from ourselves except that their misconceptions and doubts on their journey to understanding are recorded whereas our own are hidden within ourselves.
Forbid Not May 24
Mark 9:39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side."
Jesus commands John, “Do not forbid him….” There is no equivocation, only an explicit command.
Jesus’ reasoning is another way of stating, “How can Satan cast out Satan?” as mentioned in yesterday’s reading. To work a miracle (dunamis, miraculous power) is proof enough of the man’s allegiance.
Mark 9:40 appears to be at odds with Matt. 12:30, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” This apparent contradiction shows the importance of context.
The man of whom John speaks in Mark is doing work as Jesus and His disciples would have done, casting out demons. In Matthew, Jesus is speaking of the Pharisees, men who are decidedly opposed to Jesus. The man casting out demons in Jesus’ name and the Pharisees are at opposite points, as light and dark. There is no middle ground, no shade between that can exist.
Paul in Philippians 1:18 speaks of the different motives men may have for preaching Christ, and summarizes, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”
Variations in doctrine do not override a sincere faith in the love of God and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
A Cup of Water May 25
Mark 9:41 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."
The disciples’ work was to lead the people to the freedom of a relationship directly with God. Their pay was whatever the people gave to them – lodging, food, even a cup of water.
That a man is casting out demons in the name of Jesus paints the man as a true follower of Jesus. That any person gives a disciple even a cup of water also paints the person as a follower of Christ, one who recognizes and accepts the message.
Receiving the message compels the service of giving, and having the message within yields the reward, the peace that passes understanding.
In the instant of giving as little as a cup of water, a union exists. Whether that union lasts beyond the moment depends on how deeply the message of Jesus is ingrained in the heart.
This message is written in Matt. 10:42. The difference in wording may mask the meaning: “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” “Little ones” might better be translated as “the least of these,” referring to followers of Jesus.
They are victorious who only serve a drink of water, experiencing the kingdom of God. More service renews that experience over and over.
Do Not Cause to Sin May 26
Mark 9:42 “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.” (See also Matt. 18:6.)
We might understand the sense of the verse better as follows: “But whoever causes the least of these followers to sin….”
Jesus is still speaking to John of the man who cast out demons but was not a disciple walking with Jesus. He has affirmed that the man is “on our side.” Now He speaks of those who cause the followers of Jesus to sin, even the least of these who are only beginning to believe. The presence of the child is meant as a metaphor for believers with the innocent faith of a child being led into sin by an evil person.
The fate of such a one is worse than for those who are weighted down and cast into the sea to drown. Such a punishment was not Jewish, but was a Greek and Roman (Gentile) measure. To be cast into the sea was to be denied to be buried with one’s fathers, an eternal separation, like a casting out into utter darkness.
A worse punishment might be hard for a typical listener to imagine, so Jesus provides such an image in the following verses.
The Worm and the Fire May 27
Mark 9:43 “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— 44 where
‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’” (vss. 45-48 repeat for foot and eye)
This passage is very bold and graphic. The literal interpretation is so extreme as to force us to read it symbolically. The three body parts – the hand, foot, and eye – are what we do, where we go, and the focus of our sight.
The quotation is Isaiah 66:24, the last verse of his book. After the new heaven and the new earth are restored, all shall see the corpses of those who revolted against God. Their worm does not die, like the maggot that feeds on the dead.
The crimson or scarlet color of dye also comes from a “worm,” a grub. And the fire is red, so there may be a connection here.
God’s point through Isaiah is that mortal man’s body, subject to the worm at death, is in rebellion. The righteousness of God, as a raging fire, cleanses. The cycle continues from one generation through the next.
In Jesus’ usage, the hand, foot, or eye is not the sinner, but the will that guides each. To effectively cut it (the sinner) off is to cut the sinful guiding thought from the mind.
The idea of an everlasting torment in a place called Hell is fueled by passages such as these. There is no need for such a place. We are quite efficient at creating our own.
Next day
Mark 9:35 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.”
Some are not comfortable with the comments on 9:35, so let’s look at this verse in the traditional way.
Those desiring to be first in a secular manner will be last of all in the spiritual realm. In the kingdom of God, there is no greatest other than God, no I AM other than God.
To enter the kingdom of heaven with a secular mindset is to enter a realm with a very different perspective. What is counted as gain in the secular world is usually counted as loss in the spiritual realm.
To be first on earth often is measured in terms of power and material wealth. To be first in the kingdom of heaven means to be equal with all of the citizens of heaven in humility and service.
The coins with the face of Caesar are as worthless as Temple coins in the kingdom of heaven on earth. Agape love is the universal coin of heaven. There is no exchange rate between the earthly and heavenly coins.
Humility is a defining characteristic of the citizen of heaven, but this is counted for little on earth. Likewise for obedience and service.
We may all be in the kingdom of heaven, but we can be neither first nor last until we have become kingdom citizens.
Only when a person becomes a citizen of the kingdom of heaven, one who acknowledges the one God and submits to His authority, does the person experience the benefits of citizenship.
Only when the ego dissolves and becomes one with God do we begin to understand the peace of the reality in which we have been immersed. First and last become one.
Another Perspective May 22
Mark 9:35 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.”
One final perspective on the kingdom of heaven:
Those who cannot understand this saying are “least in the kingdom of heaven.” They experience the secular world and dwell in it exclusively. They are most – or first, or the greatest part – in the secular world. They are least – or last or the smallest part – able to experience the kingdom of heaven.
How can the world be in the kingdom of heaven and someone not know it?
Earth exists in the vacuum of space, but this is not obvious and we do not think about it.
We live in a sea of relationships, but we do not realize that we control whether our ship is calm or agitated or overwhelmed.
We can be happy in poverty or depressed in wealth, the circumstances of reality not overcoming the enduring reality of character that governs perception.
There are larger forces at work than what our physical senses tell us. In faith, we come to our spiritual senses to experience a higher reality.
Rather than swim in the limited pool of physical reality, we rise to walk in freedom on the enduring foundation of the spiritual world.
We Forbid May 23
Mark 9:38 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.”
John is one of the disciples closest to Jesus, and we can see in the Gospel of John the whole-hearted commitment of this disciple. His logic in forbidding an outsider, someone not in the group traveling with Jesus, from casting out demons in Jesus’ name is understandable.
Those not sincerely committed to Jesus were a danger to themselves and others, as with the posers in Acts 19:11-15. The man of whom John speaks here in Mark was successful in casting out demons, proof of his sincerity, as opposed to the men who failed in Acts.
The disciples have not remembered Jesus’ teachings recorded in Mark 3:20-27 - “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
We are also reminded in Paul in 1 Cor. 1:10-17, “Is Christ divided?” Those who are in Christ and in whom Christ dwells are one, regardless of the route that has brought them to this unity.
Note that this remark by John is not long after Jesus had chided His disciples for being unable to cast out the mute and deaf demon (Mark 9:14-29). Is there a hint of jealousy in John’s reproach?
The disciples are all too human, little different from ourselves except that their misconceptions and doubts on their journey to understanding are recorded whereas our own are hidden within ourselves.
Forbid Not May 24
Mark 9:39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side."
Jesus commands John, “Do not forbid him….” There is no equivocation, only an explicit command.
Jesus’ reasoning is another way of stating, “How can Satan cast out Satan?” as mentioned in yesterday’s reading. To work a miracle (dunamis, miraculous power) is proof enough of the man’s allegiance.
Mark 9:40 appears to be at odds with Matt. 12:30, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” This apparent contradiction shows the importance of context.
The man of whom John speaks in Mark is doing work as Jesus and His disciples would have done, casting out demons. In Matthew, Jesus is speaking of the Pharisees, men who are decidedly opposed to Jesus. The man casting out demons in Jesus’ name and the Pharisees are at opposite points, as light and dark. There is no middle ground, no shade between that can exist.
Paul in Philippians 1:18 speaks of the different motives men may have for preaching Christ, and summarizes, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”
Variations in doctrine do not override a sincere faith in the love of God and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
A Cup of Water May 25
Mark 9:41 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."
The disciples’ work was to lead the people to the freedom of a relationship directly with God. Their pay was whatever the people gave to them – lodging, food, even a cup of water.
That a man is casting out demons in the name of Jesus paints the man as a true follower of Jesus. That any person gives a disciple even a cup of water also paints the person as a follower of Christ, one who recognizes and accepts the message.
Receiving the message compels the service of giving, and having the message within yields the reward, the peace that passes understanding.
In the instant of giving as little as a cup of water, a union exists. Whether that union lasts beyond the moment depends on how deeply the message of Jesus is ingrained in the heart.
This message is written in Matt. 10:42. The difference in wording may mask the meaning: “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” “Little ones” might better be translated as “the least of these,” referring to followers of Jesus.
They are victorious who only serve a drink of water, experiencing the kingdom of God. More service renews that experience over and over.
Do Not Cause to Sin May 26
Mark 9:42 “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.” (See also Matt. 18:6.)
We might understand the sense of the verse better as follows: “But whoever causes the least of these followers to sin….”
Jesus is still speaking to John of the man who cast out demons but was not a disciple walking with Jesus. He has affirmed that the man is “on our side.” Now He speaks of those who cause the followers of Jesus to sin, even the least of these who are only beginning to believe. The presence of the child is meant as a metaphor for believers with the innocent faith of a child being led into sin by an evil person.
The fate of such a one is worse than for those who are weighted down and cast into the sea to drown. Such a punishment was not Jewish, but was a Greek and Roman (Gentile) measure. To be cast into the sea was to be denied to be buried with one’s fathers, an eternal separation, like a casting out into utter darkness.
A worse punishment might be hard for a typical listener to imagine, so Jesus provides such an image in the following verses.
The Worm and the Fire May 27
Mark 9:43 “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— 44 where
‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’” (vss. 45-48 repeat for foot and eye)
This passage is very bold and graphic. The literal interpretation is so extreme as to force us to read it symbolically. The three body parts – the hand, foot, and eye – are what we do, where we go, and the focus of our sight.
The quotation is Isaiah 66:24, the last verse of his book. After the new heaven and the new earth are restored, all shall see the corpses of those who revolted against God. Their worm does not die, like the maggot that feeds on the dead.
The crimson or scarlet color of dye also comes from a “worm,” a grub. And the fire is red, so there may be a connection here.
God’s point through Isaiah is that mortal man’s body, subject to the worm at death, is in rebellion. The righteousness of God, as a raging fire, cleanses. The cycle continues from one generation through the next.
In Jesus’ usage, the hand, foot, or eye is not the sinner, but the will that guides each. To effectively cut it (the sinner) off is to cut the sinful guiding thought from the mind.
The idea of an everlasting torment in a place called Hell is fueled by passages such as these. There is no need for such a place. We are quite efficient at creating our own.
Next day
