Mark 9:50 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

The Test Of What Men And Women Are Is Determined By What They Do In His Name (9:33-50).

Jesus now gives a number of illustrations of what it means to act in His Name as the Messiah. He gives three examples of those who are ‘for us' and one example of those who are ‘against us'. In all cases it has nothing to do with seeking greatness, but with seeking to serve in genuineness and lowliness. Thus:

a The one who receives little children  in His Name  does the greatest work of all (Mark 9:37).

b The one who genuinely operates  in His Name  to relieve the need of others is to be fully appreciated because he is clearly on Jesus' side (Mark 9:38-40).

c He who is not against us is for us (Mark 9:40).

b The one who gives them a cup of cold water  because they are the Messiah's  will not lose his reward (Mark 9:41).

a The one who causes even the littlest  who believe in Him  to stumble will lose everything. And this last is so awful that desperate efforts must be made in order to avoid it (Mark 9:42-50).

Note that in ‘a' to receive little children is to receive Him, while in the parallel to fail little children who believe in Him is to be in the greatest possible danger. In ‘b' the one who operates in His Name to relieve others is to be appreciated, and in the parallel the same applies to the one who gives a cup of cold water in the name of the Messiah. Centrally in ‘c' the one who is not against them is for them.

Related Commentaries of Mark 9:33

Mark 9:33-50

33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them,What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them,If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,

37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

39 But Jesus said,Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

40 For he that is not against us is on our part.

41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

43 And if thy hand offendc thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

45 And if thy foot offendd thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

47 And if thine eye offende thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.