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Commentary on Mark 9 verses 30–40
Here, I. Christ foretels his own approaching sufferings. He passed through Galilee with more expedition than usual, and would not that any man should know of it (Mar 9:30); because he had done many mighty and good works among them in vain, they shall not be invited to see them and have the benefit of them, as they have been. The time of his sufferings drew nigh, and therefore he was willing to be private awhile, and to converse only with his disciples, to prepare them for the approaching trial, Mar 9:31. He said to them, The Son of man is delivered by the determinate council and fore-knowledge of God into the hands of men (Mar 9:31), and they shall kill him. He had been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had worried him, it had not been so strange; but that men, who have reason, and should have love, that they should be thus spiteful to the Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is unaccountable. But still it is observable that when Christ spoke of his death, he alway spoke of his resurrection, which took away the reproach of it from himself, and should have taken away the grief of it from his disciples. But they understood not that saying, Mar 9:32. The words were plain enough, but they could not be reconciled to the thing, and therefore would suppose them to have some mystical meaning which they did not understand, and they were afraid to ask him; not because he was difficult of access, or stern to those who consulted him, but either because they were loth to know the truth, or because they expected to be chidden for their backwardness to receive it. Many remain ignorant because they are ashamed to enquire.
II. He rebukes his disciples for magnifying themselves. When he came to Capernaum, he privately asked his disciples what it was they disputed among themselves by the way, Mar 9:33. He knew very well what the dispute was, but he would know it from them, and would have them to confess their fault and folly in it. Note, 1. We must all expect to be called to an account by our Lord Jesus, concerning what passes while we are in the way in this state of passage and probation. 2. We must in a particular manner be called to an account about our discourses among ourselves; for by our words we must be justified or condemned. 3. As our other discourses among ourselves by the way, so especially our disputes, will be all called over again, and we shall be called to an account about them. 4. Of all disputes, Christ will be sure to reckon with his disciples for their disputes about precedency and superiority: that was the subject of the debate here, who should be the greater, Mar 9:34. Nothing could be more contrary to the two great laws of Christ's kingdom, lessons of his school, and instructions of his example, which are humility and love, than desiring preferment in the world, and disputing about it. This ill temper he took all occasions to check, both because it arose from a mistaken notion of his kingdom, as if it were of this world, and because it tended so directly to be debasing of the honour, and the corrupting of the purity, of his gospel, and, he foresaw, would be so much the bane of the church.
Now, (1.) They were willing to cover this fault (Mar 9:34); they held their peace. As they would not ask (Mar 9:32), because they were ashamed to own their ignorance, so here they would not answer because they were ashamed to own their pride. (2.) He was willing to amend this fault in them, and to bring them to a better temper; and therefore sat down, that he might have a solemn and full discourse with them about this matter; he called the twelve to him, and told them, [1.] That ambition and affectation of dignity and dominion, instead of gaining them preferment in his kingdom, would but postpone their preferment; If any man desire and aim to be first, he shall be last; he that exalteth himself, shall be abased, and men's pride shall bring them low. [2.] That there is no preferment to be had under him, but an opportunity for, and an obligation to, so much the more labour and condescension; If any man desire to be first, when he is so, he must be much the more busy and serviceable to every body. He that desires the office of a bishop, desires a good work, for he must, as St. Paul did, labour the more abundantly, and make himself the servant of all. [3.] That those who are most humble and self-denying, do most resemble Christ, and shall be most tenderly owned by him. This he taught them by a sign; He took a child in his arms, that had nothing of pride and ambition in it. "Look you," saith he; "whosoever shall receive one like this child, receives me. Those of a humble, meek, mild disposition are such as I will own and countenance, and encourage every body else to do so too, and will take what is done to them as done to myself; and so will my Father too, for he who thus receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me, and it shall be placed to his account, and repaid with interest."
III. He rebukes them for vilifying all but themselves; while they are striving which of them should be greatest, they will not allow those who are not in communion with them to be any thing. Observe,
1.The account which John gave him, of the restraint they had laid upon one from making use of the name of Christ, because he was not of their society. Though they were ashamed to own their contests for preferment, they seem to boast of this exercise of their authority, and expected their Master would not only justify them in it, but commend them for it; and hoped he would not blame them for desiring to be great, when they would thus use their power for maintaining the honour of the sacred college. Master, saith John, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, but he followeth not us, Mar 9:38. (1.) It was strange that the one who was not a professed disciple and follower of Christ, should yet have power to cast out devils, in his name, for that seemed to be peculiar to those whom he called, Mar 6:7. But some think that he was a disciple of John, who made use of the name of the Messiah, not as come, but as near at hand, not knowing that Jesus was he. It should rather seem that he made use of the name of Jesus, believing him to be the Christ, as the other disciples did. And why not he receive that power from Christ, whose Spirit, like the wind, blows where it listeth, without such an outward call as the apostles had? And perhaps there were many more such. Christ's grace is not tied to the visible church. (2.) It was strange that one who cast out devils in the name of Christ, did not join himself to the apostles, and follow Christ with them, but should continue to act in separation from them. I know of nothing that could hinder him from following them, unless because he was loth to leave all to follow them; and if so, that was an ill principle. The thing did not look well, and therefore the disciples forbade him to make use of Christ's name as they did, unless he would follow him as they did. This was like the motion Joshua made concerning Eldad and Medad, that prophesied in the camp, and went not up with the rest to the door of the tabernacle; "My lord Moses, forbid them (Num 11:28); restrain them, silence them, for it is a schism." Thus apt are we to imagine that those do not follow Christ at all, who do not follow him with us, and that those do nothing well, who do not just as we do. But the Lord knows them that are his, however they are dispersed; and this instance gives us a needful caution, to take heed lest we be carried, by an excess of zeal for the unity of the church, and for that which we are sure is right and good, to oppose that which yet may tend to the enlargement of the church, and the advancement of its true interests another way.
2.The rebuke he gave to them for this (Mar 9:39); Jesus said, "Forbid him not, nor any other that does likewise." This was like the check Moses gave to Joshua; Enviest thou for my sake? Note, That which is good, and doeth good, must not be prohibited, though there be some defect or irregularity in the manner of doing it. Casting out devils, and so destroying Satan's kingdom, doing this in Christ's name, and so owning him to be sent of God, and giving honour to him as the Fountain of grace, preaching down sin, and preaching up Christ, are good things, very good things, which ought not to be forbidden to any, merely because they follow not with us. If Christ be preached, Paul therein doth, and will rejoice, though he be eclipsed by it, Phi 1:18. Two reasons Christ gives why such should not be forbidden. (1.) Because we cannot suppose that any man who makes use of Christ's name in working miracles, should blaspheme his name, as the scribes and Pharisees did. There were those indeed that did in Christ's name cast out devils, and yet in other respects were workers of iniquity; but they did not speak evil of Christ. (2.) Because those that differed in communion, while they agreed to fight against Satan under the banner of Christ, ought to look upon one another as on the same side, notwithstanding that difference. He that is not against us is on our part. As to the great controversy between Christ an Beelzebub, he had said, He that is not with me is against me, Mat 12:30. He that will not own Christ, owns Satan. But as to those that own Christ, though not in the same circumstances, that follow him, though not with us, we must reckon that though these differ from us, they are not against us, and therefore are on our part, and we must not be any hindrance to their usefulness.
Or else, the folly which is connected with the softness of the flesh, is healed by fasting; anger and laziness are healed by prayer. Each wound has its own medicine, which must be applied to it; that which is used for the heel will not cure the eye; by fasting, the passions of the body, by prayer, the plagues of the soul, are healed.
Capernaum means the city of consolation, and agrees with the former sentence, which He had spoken: And after that he is killed, he shall arise the third day. There follows: And being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace.
It was fit also that they should dispute concerning the chief place by the way; the dispute is like the place where it is held; for lofty station is only entered upon to be quitted: as long as a man keeps it, it is slippery, and it is uncertain at what stage, that is, on what day, it will end.
Where it is to be observed, that the disciples disputed by the way concerning the chief place, but Christ Himself sat down to teach humility; for princes toil while the humble repose.
Observe a tree, how it first tends downwards, that it may then shoot forth upwards. It fastens its root low in the ground, that it may send forth its top towards heaven. Is it not from humility that it endeavors to rise? But without humility it will not attain to higher things. You are wanting to grow up into the air without a root. Such is not growth, but a collapse.
(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) Matthew however says, that the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? (Matt. 18:1) The reason is, that he did not begin the narrative from its commencement, but omitted our Saviour's knowledge of the thoughts and words of His disciples; unless we understand Him to mean, that even what they thought and said, when away from Christ, was said unto Him, since it was as well known to Him as if it had been said to Him. It goes on: For by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. (Luke 9:46. Vulg.) But Luke says, that "the thought entered into the disciples which of them should be the greatest;" for the Lord laid open their thought and intention from their private discourse1 according to the Gospel narrative.
(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) The disciples indeed wished to receive honour at the hands of the Lord; they also had a desire to be made great by Christ, for the greater a man is, the more worthy of honour he becomes, for which reason He did not throw an obstacle in the way of that desire, but brought in humility.
(in Marc. 3, 39) He always mingles together sorrowful and joyful things, that sorrow should not by its suddenness frighten the Apostles, but be borne by them with prepared minds.
(ubi sup.) This ignorance of the disciples proceeds not so much from slowness of intellect, as from love for the Saviour, for they were as yet carnal, and ignorant of the mystery of the cross, they could not therefore believe that He whom they had recognised as the true God, was about to die; being accustomed then to hear Him often talk in figures, and shrinking from the event of His death, they would have it, that something was conveyed figuratively in those things, which he spoke openly concerning His betrayal and passion. It goes on: And they came to Capernaum.
(ubi sup.) The reason why the dispute concerning the chief place arose amongst the disciples seems to have been, that Peter, James, and John, were led apart from the rest into the mountain, and that something secret was there entrusted to them, also that the keys of the kingdom of heaven were promised to Peter, according to Matthew. Seeing however the thoughts of the disciples, the Lord takes care to heal the desire of glory by humility; for He first, by simply commanding humility, admonishes them that a high station was not to be aimed at. Wherefore it goes on: 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.
(ubi sup.) By which, He either simply shows, that those who would become greater must receive the poor of Christ in honour of Him, or He would persuade them to be in malice children, to keep simplicity without arrogance, charity without envy, devotedness without anger. Again, by taking the child into His arms, He implies that the lowly are worthy of His embrace and love. He adds also, In my name, that they might, with the fixed purpose of reason, follow for His name's sake that mould of virtue to which the child keeps, with nature for his guide. And because He taught that He Himself was received in children, lest it should be thought that there was nothing in Him but what was seen, he added, And whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but Him that sent me; thus wishing, that we should believe Him to be of the same nature and of equal greatness with His Father.
It is after miracles that the Lord inserts a discourse concerning His Passion, lest it should be thought that He suffered because He could not help it; wherefore it is said, And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee: and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him.
After, however, saying what was sorrowful, He adds what ought to rejoice them; wherefore it goes on: And after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day; in order that we may learn that joys come on after struggles. There follows: But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
For His wish is not that we should usurp for ourselves chief places, but that we should attain to lofty heights by lowliness. He next admonishes them by the example of a child's innocence; wherefore there follows: And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them.
See, how great is humility, for it wins for itself the indwelling of the Father, and of the Son, and also of the Holy Ghost.
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SUMMARY
Mark 9:34 starkly reveals the spiritual disconnect between Jesus' divine mission and His disciples' earthly aspirations. Following Jesus' solemn second prediction of His suffering, death, and resurrection, the disciples, instead of grappling with the profound implications of His redemptive work, were preoccupied with a dispute among themselves about who among them would hold the highest position of power and prestige in the anticipated kingdom. Their subsequent silence when confronted by Jesus underscores their awareness of the impropriety and shame associated with their worldly ambition.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Mark 9:34 employs several potent literary devices. Irony is prominent, as the disciples' dispute over who is "greatest" occurs immediately after Jesus' second, clear prediction of His suffering and death—an act of ultimate humility and self-sacrifice. This creates a stark Contrast between Jesus' mission of redemptive suffering and the disciples' self-serving ambition. Their preoccupation with earthly status highlights their profound spiritual blindness and their inability to grasp the true nature of the Messiah's kingdom. The disciples' Silence when questioned by Jesus serves as a form of non-verbal confession, indicating their shame and the incongruity of their actions with Jesus' teachings, thereby setting the stage for Jesus' subsequent lesson on true greatness through humble service.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Mark 9:34 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of true greatness in God's kingdom, contrasting it sharply with worldly perceptions of power and status. The disciples' ambition reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of Jesus' redemptive mission and the upside-down values of the kingdom of God. While the world exalts those who wield power and command authority, Jesus consistently teaches that true greatness is found in humility, self-sacrifice, and loving service to others. This passage underscores that following Christ means relinquishing the pursuit of personal glory and embracing a life of servanthood, reflecting the very character of God. It challenges believers to examine their own motives, ensuring that their service is driven by love for God and others, rather than a desire for recognition or position.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Mark 9:34 holds a mirror to our own hearts, revealing the persistent human struggle with pride and the desire for recognition, even within spiritual contexts. Just as the disciples were distracted by ambition immediately after hearing profound truth, we too can easily become sidetracked by our own desires for status, influence, or control, missing the deeper call to humble service. This verse challenges us to critically examine our motivations in every sphere of life—in our homes, workplaces, communities, and especially within the church. Are we seeking to be served, or to serve? Are we pursuing personal advancement, or the advancement of God's kingdom through self-giving love? True spiritual growth often involves a radical reorientation of our values, aligning them with Christ's counter-cultural call to humility, where the last are first and the servant is the greatest. Embracing this truth requires an ongoing surrender of our ego and a willingness to embrace the path of self-denial for the sake of others and for the glory of God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were the disciples silent when Jesus asked them what they were disputing?
Answer: The disciples' silence was a clear indication of their shame and embarrassment. They had just heard Jesus speak of His impending suffering and death, a profound and solemn prophecy. Immediately after, they were caught up in a petty argument about their own status and who would be the most prominent in His kingdom. Their silence suggests they knew their conversation was inappropriate, self-serving, and completely out of step with the spiritual gravity of Jesus' mission. They were likely aware that their worldly ambition stood in stark contrast to the humility and sacrifice Jesus embodied and taught.
What did "greatest" mean to the disciples in this context?
Answer: For the disciples, "greatest" likely referred to the highest position of power, authority, and honor within the earthly kingdom they expected Jesus to establish. They envisioned a political and social hierarchy, similar to those found in worldly courts, where proximity to the king conferred immense prestige and influence. Their dispute was about who would hold the most favored seat, perhaps like a prime minister or chief advisor, in Jesus' anticipated reign over Israel. This highlights their deeply ingrained, yet misguided, understanding of the Messiah's role and the nature of His kingdom.
How does this incident relate to Jesus' overall teaching?
Answer: This incident is pivotal because it immediately precedes and sets the stage for one of Jesus' most significant teachings on the nature of true greatness and kingdom values. In Mark 9:35, Jesus calls a child to Himself and declares, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." This radical redefinition of greatness—from power and prestige to humility and selfless service—is a recurring theme throughout Jesus' ministry and a cornerstone of Christian ethics. It directly challenges the world's systems of hierarchy and status, inviting His followers into a counter-cultural way of life.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Mark 9:34, though depicting the disciples' human failing, powerfully sets the stage for the Christ-centered fulfillment of true greatness. The disciples' ambition for earthly supremacy stands in stark contrast to the very essence of who Jesus is and what He came to accomplish. While they debated who "should be the greatest," Jesus, the Son of God, was on a path that led to the ultimate act of self-abasement and service. He would soon demonstrate that true greatness is not found in being served, but in serving, and in giving one's life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The fulfillment of this principle is seen in Christ's willingness to empty Himself, taking the form of a servant, and humbling Himself even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8). He, who was truly the greatest in all creation, became the least, washing His disciples' feet as an example of the servant leadership He calls His followers to embody (John 13:1-17). Thus, the disciples' misguided dispute serves as a dark backdrop against which the radiant humility and sacrificial love of Christ shine all the more brightly, revealing Him as the ultimate model of divine greatness.