Mark 10:13. And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
They thought them too little, too insignificant, and that the Master had greater things to do; but he thinketh not so. None are too little for him. He receiveth even childish honours to himself.
Mark 10:14. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Many of them come into that kingdom, and all who some think must be like them. The child is not the hardest subject of conversion; nay, rather:
Mark 10:15. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
Instead of growing wiser, in order to be fit for Christ, we must be more conscious of ignorance, more trustful towards him, more dependent upon him, mere childlike.
Mark 10:16-18. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
He did not here unveil his Deity to that young man, but if he had thought a while, he might have seen it. However, he answered his question. «If you are to be saved by your doings, this is what you have to do not attend to sacraments and go through performances, but this.»
Mark 10:19-20. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
And he probably had very cautiously and anxiously done so, yet, for all that, he had not really kept all those commands without a flaw. We are right well sure of that, but as yet his eyes were not open to see his own shortcomings.
Mark 10:21. Then Jesus beholding him loved him,
There was so much that was amiable about him.
Mark 10:21. And said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
He knew that there was a weak point in the young man's character that he did not yet supremely love God, but loved his wealth that he was living for this world, after all. And are there not many such most correct in character? No one could point to a single flaw in their morals, but they are living purely for self altogether that they may buy and sell, and get gain. No thought of God, except a fear lest they should come under his rod, but no thought of serving him, and laying themselves out for his glory, nor much thought, either, for their fellow-men. Christ had hit the blot marked it out for him.
Mark 10:23-24. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words.
For the Rabbis had pretty well taught that money would answer every-thing that if you could give so much, and pay so much, it was all well with you. Christ went against all such teaching, and showed that, in this respect, money was of no service in fact, that it often was a hindrance.
Mark 10:24. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trustest in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
It is an impossibility. Only God can do it.
Mark 10:25-27. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Mark 10:32-34. And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed: and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took the twelve again, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
From the number of these sentences it is clear that our Saviour entered into a very detailed account of his sufferings, dwelling upon each particular which he plainly foresaw, wherein we see his prophetic character. But it is more to our point to see that he knew beforehand what it would cost him to redeem our souls. «When the Saviour knew the price of pardon was his blood, his pity ne'er withdrew.» He knew not only that he must die, but he knew all the circumstances of pain and shame with which that death should be attended. They should condemn him: should deliver him to the Gentiles; mock him; scourge him; spit upon him; kill him. Thus we learn that we also should dwell in holy, grateful meditation upon every point of our Lord's passion. There is something in it. He would not himself thus have divided it out, and laid it, as it were, piece by piece, if he had not intended us to do with it as they did with the burnt-offering of old, when they divided it a picture of what every intelligent, instructed believer should do with the passion of his Master. He should try to look into the details of the great sacrifice, and have communion with God therein. Now, albeit that this revelation of his coming shame, and sorrow, and death afflicted the hearts of his disciples, yet, for all that, observe what they did.
Mark 10:35. And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
Strange request! First of all, read those words, «We would that thou shouldest do for us.» Now the genuine spirit of a Christian is not to ask that something should be done to him, but to ask his Master, especially in such a time as that, what they could do for him. Christ was all unselfishness, but his disciples had not yet learned the lesson. «We would that thou shouldest do for us.» And then see how much they indulged their ambition. «We wouldest that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we desire.» And yet I question whether we are, any of us, free from this spirit; for when the Lord reproves us a little, and we have not everything our own way, how apt we are to rebel! The fact is, we have got this tincture this gall in us we would that he should do for us whatsoever we shall desire. Should it be according to thy mind? Should the disciple dictate to his Master? Should the child Be lord of the family?
Mark 10:36-39. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can.
Again, he might have said, «Ye know not what ye say.»
Mark 10:39-40. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
They are not content, you see, with being ambitious themselves: they would fire him with ambition that humble, lowly servant of God, who had laid aside for a while the power to distribute crowns and thrones. But he does not forget himself, nor the position which he had taken up in reference to the Father, but said, «It is not mine to give.»
Mark 10:41-43. And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you:
However, how sad the contrast is the Master's thoughts all taken up with his death for others, and their thoughts occupied with little petty jealousies as to who should be the greatest! It is a sad thing when this creeps into Christian churches (and it still does), when souls are perishing, and this poor world wants our weeping eyes and our labourious hands, and we get quarreling about points of precedence. This brother thinks the other too forward. This one has not enough respect paid to him. This one has spoken sharply, and the other cannot bear it. Oh! what poor disciples we are! What a blessing it is we have a patient. Master, who still bears with us, and will not leave us until he has infused his own spirit into us, which spirit is the spirit of self-denial, self-abnegation the spirit which desireth not its own, but looketh on the things of others. God grant us all to be full of it.
Mark 10:43. But whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
Your servant.
Mark 10:44. And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
And that is the way to be truly great in the Church of God. It is to be less and less in your own esteem, and willing to be nothing. The way up is downward That is not a contradiction, but it is a paradox. Sink, and you shall rise. Be willing to serve the very least, and you shall have honour amongst your brethren. Remember that the King of kings was the servant of servants. «Whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.»
Mark 10:45-49. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort,
«Cheer up.» That would be a very exact translation.
Mark 10:49-51. Rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?
Do you notice here a sort of gentle rebuke that the Saviour gives to James and John? Read the 36 th verse, and then read this again. «He said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?» And now here is a blind beggar, and he sweetly puts the same question to him, «What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?»
Mark 10:51. The blind man said unto him,
And here he might well have shamed John and James. He asked for no thrones or kingdoms.
Mark 10:51. Lord, that I might receive my sight.
«Lord, that I might look up.» That was the word he used exactly; for no doubt he had been conscious that the light came from the sun as he felt its warmth upon him as he sat by the wayside; and, therefore, he thought that seeing must be looking up towards the place whence the sunlight came. «Lord, that I might look up.»
Mark 10:52. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
It is a very remarkable thing that you will not often find the Lord Jesus Christ granting a favor without ascribing it to some excellency in that person to whom he grants it. It is generally «Great is thy faith,» or something of that sort «I have not seen such faith.» Now this is a very remarkable thing, because we know there really was nothing whatever in the persons that they should deserve his great favor.