Don't Offend MY Children, or Else!
Mark 9:38-50
It is a bit odd that this week’s gospel text from the lectionary begins with John’s response to what Jesus had just said. It is poor practice to start in the middle of a paragraph. Before we can analyze this text, we need to ask: “What was John answering? What had Jesus just told the disciples? Therefore, we need to look first at the preceding verses so that we can put this week’s text in its proper context.
We need to go back to verse 30 in which Jesus begins to tell the disciples that He was going to be delivered into the hands of men, be killed, and on the third day rise from the dead. Like the previous time at Caesarea Philippi, the disciples were dumbfounded at this. This was completely contrary to their expectations. Expectations can blind us to the truth, Since then, John saw Jesus transfigured. He appeared with great glory, that which was proper for a divine monarch. But now, Jesus goes back to the rejection theme again. The twelve remembered how Jesus had earlier rebuked Peter by calling him Satan because he rejected what Jesus had said about His upcoming death in Jerusalem, Certainly, they were going to Jerusalem to crown Jesus King and Messiah. So this time they kept their mouths shut. But Jesus knew what they were thinking, so when they were in the privacy of His house, Jesus drew what they were thinking out in the open.
They showed that they had not listened to what Jesus had said. They were thinking about the greatness of the Kingdom, and which of the twelve would be the greatest in the Kingdom next to Jesus. This was a recurring thought of the disciples which Jesus had to rebuke again and again, even at the Communion table. Luke records this strife and Jesus’ verbal reaction and John tells us of the foot washing as an acted out sermon on the greatness of service.
Jesus tells them here that the one who desires to be first must be the last of all and the servant of all. This is the complete inversion of greatness. Jesus, who had talked about His upcoming death is the greatest of all. Yet He came to serve and die for our sins. Jesus was asking nothing of His disciples that He did not model first before them. The splendor of the Kingdom will come it its proper time. There is the theology of glory. But first, there is the theology of the cross.
Jesus then takes up a child to make His point. Children are dependent upon their parents. They had no status in society in their own right. There status was derived from their parents. In the same way, our status is not to be in ourselves, but must be derived from the fact that God is our Father. The respect (or lack thereof) derives from the attitude others have of God the Father. The implication is that if one accepts the Father, then the children will be accepted as well.
It is in this context that John tells Jesus that the had forbidden one who was casting out devils in the name of Jesus because this person did not directly follow Jesus as they had done. Perhaps John’s conscience was pricked. But John, at this point, was one of the Sons of Thunder. It seems that John was seeking affirmation for his action. But Jesus responded by saying they should not forbid Him. The one who does something in the name of Jesus cannot quickly speak evil of Him. He continued by telling them that the one who is not against us is on our side.
The response of Jesus must be carefully nuanced here. Jesus tells us in various places that there is no room for neutrality in concerning the person of Jesus. There are only two groups of people, the Children of God and the Children of Satan. Jesus never let His disciples stay silent. Sooner or later, secret disciples like Nicodemus must declare for Him or against Him. We must also remember that Jesus consistently silenced the demons who tried to reveal His true identity. The declaration of the person of Jesus belongs to disciples and not to devils. We can also remember what happened to the seven sons of Sceva who tried to do exorcisms in the name of Jesus whom Paul preached. This leads to the conclusion that Jesus knew the heart of the man who had been casting out demons. This is why He allowed him.
In verse 42, Jesus goes on to warn against attacking His children. To the disciples it was a rebuke because they had tried to attack another believer. The one who offends one of His children would be better off it he put a millstone around his neck and threw himself into the lake. The Jews had a natural fear of the sea. The terrors of drowning would be for a moment before death relieved him of his terror. For many in this world, as terrifying as this seems, at least it would mercifully end after a few seconds. When we see one die of cancer, we are prone to say at the funeral: “At least he or she is not suffering. But this is not necessarily true. It is true, indeed, if one is a follower of Christ as far as that goes. But one should emphasize in these circumstances that the deceased is with Jesus. There is resurrection.
But Jesus graphically describes what happens next to the one who offends his children, and by extension, Jesus Himself. There is hell fire. It is a place where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. This is not as some “Christians” assert that hell or Gehenna is just being thrown into the fire and being annihilated. If we simply cease to exist for ever, who would care how hot hell is and how many worms consume us, as we would be insensible to it. Jesus and the Bible tells us clearly that those in hell will be sensible of eternal suffering. One only look at the story of the rich man and Lazarus recorded in the Gospel of Luke. Any Christian who denies eternal punishment is denying what Jesus and the Apostles taught. Hell is so bad that it would be better to pluck out one’s eyes or cut off their hands than to enter into this place.
When we come to the end of the passage which talks about sacrifices being seasoned with salt, it is best to understand that Jesus is implying that the disciples would have many occasions to be offended, even to death. This is consistent with Jesus’ statement that anyone who would follow Him must deny himself/herself and take up their cross. Crucifixion was a great offense. Peter would suffer crucifixion. Most of the twelve except Judas who betrayed Him and perhaps John suffered martyrdom. Many of the Jewish leaders would try to forbid their preaching Jesus and doing mighty works in His name because they did not walk after the teaching of the Pharisees or the Sadducees. The disciples would be considered the offscouring of the earth. They would be the very least in the eyes of men. Yet Jesus called them to serve all by proclaiming the Gospel and doing mighty works in His name. Their conduct was to be seasoned with the knowledge that they were called to follow Jesus, even to the death.
How then are we to respond to this today? The Bible clearly tells us that all who would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Christians have suffered greatly at many times and places in the last 2,000 years. Persecution for the name of Christ is a sort of badge of election. If one suffers offense for the Gospel and not for wrongdoing, this is a testimony to the Christian faith. Seeing that bearing a true witness to Jesus Christ will bring offense (scandal) in the world, we should be like Peter and John who returned after their beating from the Sanhedrin and rejoice that they were worthy to suffer for His name. Those who offend the Christians are in great danger of the Lord’s retribution, seeing that He is not only Savior, but judge of all. The punishment for offending God’s children is harsh and ever lasting. Let the unbeliever be warned.
We must also remember as disciples of Jesus that as Jesus died (suffered offense) for His enemies so that those who would repent and be baptized would find eternal life, we must arm ourselves with the same attitude. We should not rejoice that those who offend us will suffer eternal hellfire. Rather, we should witness and pray that they might repent and be saved. God wishes to save all rather than have to condemn. Those who refuse to repent are in great danger. We must be willing to forgive the offenses of others like Jesus did on the cross and Stephen when he was being stoned. This does not mean that all will repent. Many will be eternally lost. But we can join in the great heavenly joy when a sinner repents. Think how heaven rejoiced the day we accepted Christ. This joy is far greater than the pain of any offense committed against us. Let us also remember the reward of eternal life with Jesus after we have suffered down here a little while. The theology of the cross will one day become the theology of glory when Christ returns.
