Becoming a Servant (Mark 9:30-50)

Sometimes a question does not need an answer in order to be answered. Yet the posing of the question can reveal a concern in the heart of the questioner. And we can see that was the case with regard to Jesus and the disciples in this passage. The background to the question is the fact that the disciples were not responding to Jesus and were also discussing matters with one another and which did not involve him. Or so they thought!

When silence is not golden

In verses 30-32, Jesus had been instructing the disciples about his death and resurrection. Clearly Jesus wanted to prepare them for that time, and we know from later accounts in the Gospels that their failure to understand his predictions meant that they were despondent and defeatist after he was arrested and put to death. We cannot say that those circumstances were to blame for what they would go through because they had been given many opportunities to understand that the death of Jesus was essential. Calvin makes a striking comment regarding the disciples here: ‘Whence came it that a discourse so clear and distinct was not understood, but because their minds were covered by the thick veil of a foolish imagination?’

So their failure to listen had future consequences for them, and the same is true of ourselves when we don’t attempt to understand the Word of God. Somewhere down the road we will wish that we had attempted to understand a passage that seemed difficult at the time, and so did not make an effort to understand it.

Mark points out that the disciples were afraid to ask Jesus what he meant. Why were they afraid? Maybe they had a head in the sands mentality, and imagined that if they did not speak about it Jesus would stop speaking about it. Or maybe they imagined that Jesus was making a mistake in his assessment, but since he was the Teacher they did not want to disagree with him. In any case, their response was wrong because it was preventing them talking to Jesus about his plans. The challenge to us in this regard is to ask ourselves if there is anything in our lives that we don’t want to talk to Jesus about because it does not fit in with our agenda. In the disciples’ case here, their silence was foolish.

What did Jesus want them to speak about? He wanted them to grasp who he was (The Son of Man), what would happen to him (he would be handed over to men, who would kill him), and he would rise again three days later. As we have noted before, the title ‘Son of Man’ is an Old Testament royal title for the Messiah, indicating that Jesus yet would have universal authority.

What did Jesus mean when he said he would be handed-over? He could have meant that he would be betrayed, but there is a sense in which Jesus could have easily resisted that form of handing-over. So we have to ask if there was a handing-over that he could not resist, and the answer is that there was. The irresistible handing-over was engaged in by his Father who, as Isaiah predicted in Isaiah 53, would give up the Messiah to suffer instead of the many.

Yet the handing-over would not be a sign of defeat and catastrophe. Instead it would be followed by a great miracle, that of his resurrection. The disciples may not have realised that by resurrection Jesus meant much more that resuscitation. If they were ignorant about this, and they probably were, they should have asked him for more information. How much they lost by remaining silent when they should have spoken. It was absurd for them to keep silent and ignorant when the Teacher wanted them to speak and be informed.

When speech was not silver (vv. 35-37)

Proverbs 10:20 says that ‘The tongue of the righteous is choice silver.’ So when Christians get together they should be accumulating spiritual riches. Although the disciples were silent towards Jesus, they were not silent to one another. Instead they were engaged in a deep conversation, but was it making them richer. Obviously they were trying to keep their discussion secret from Jesus, which they should have known was impossible. Yet when we don’t do what we should, we are prone to assume that somehow Jesus does not know. But he does, and every detail of our actions as well. Moreover they discovered that Jesus was not content with being left out of the conversation. So he asked them what they were speaking about?

Their response was silence again, and we can see why they did not want to speak to him because their plans for the future were very different from his. What had pre-occupied them was ambition, and ambition about the future was distorting how they should behave in the present. After all, what kind of ambition could be valid that required a failure to talk to Jesus about it?

One obvious consequence of their wrong ambition was that brotherly love was absent. Yet the missing feature that Jesus focuses on is a humble and serving heart. What does Jesus mean by being last of all and servant of all? Clearly we need to know the answer because Jesus insists it is the only way to proceed. Note the use of the word ‘must’. It is an interesting study to note the various ideas and events that Jesus connected with the word ‘must’.

As far as Jesus is concerned, there is the same rule for everyone. This means that natural talents and abilities are not reasons for not serving every other disciple. It also means that profound spiritual experiences are not a reason for not serving every other disciple. The fact is that rich and poor, old and young, male and female, gifted and ordinary, are to serve one another if they are disciples of Jesus. Everyone in the kingdom is a servant.

How to react as servants of Christ

Mark then provides his readers with a brief description of three lessons that Jesus gave to his disciples about serving him. For the first lesson, Jesus brought a child into their presence. There is something beautiful and something sad about this example. The beauty is seen in how Jesus treated the child and the sadness is seen in that Jesus could not use one of the disciples as an example.

Of course, we have to ask what Jesus meant by this example.  The answer indicates that Jesus was speaking about reception into a group. Using the example of a child, Jesus was saying that no one is too insignificant for membership in his kingdom. A child at that time was not regarded as having an important contribution to make to others, yet Jesus says that such should be welcomed into his kingdom. We can say that children literally and children symbolically are welcome. The kingdom is not about status but about serving.

Jesus informs his disciples that such an outlook and practice results in the great blessing of communion with God. When that type of insignificant person joins the group, he does not come alone. In addition he takes with him Jesus and the Father. That is the blessing that each new believer brings to the community. Of course, there is obviously a certain status here because the two persons who come with the insignificant are the most significant. The obvious implication is that welcoming the insignificant results in knowing God better, probably because others will see features of God’s grace, wisdom and power in the life of the person just welcomed. Jesus commands his disciples here to welcome the insignificant, and that is a good way to speak.

The second example included by Mark suggests that the incident with the child seems to have brought something to John’s mind about an action he and others of the disciples had done. He does not say whether he did it recently or a few months previously. They had stopped a stranger from performing exorcisms in the name of Jesus. Why had they stopped him? The explanation given by Jesus indicates they did not want to give a significant role to one who was not of their number. Jesus rebuked them for their ideas, pointing out that someone who used his name was not likely to speak against him. Instead he was on the same side as the disciples and engaged in the same work. Obviously, servants should not hinder other servants from serving the same Master.

Jesus then dealt with their desire for significance by pointing out that those who did insignificant tasks, such as giving cups of water to others, would all receive a reward. And after all, the person who gives out the rewards is the one who is significant. They could never be more than servants, but if they were faithful servants they would receive a great reward from Jesus. So instead of preventing the other person, the disciples of Jesus should have encouraged him in what he was doing.

The third example of teaching recorded by Mark is the personal responsibility of each of his disciples to deal with his personal sin rather than becoming examples of sin to others. No doubt, the sin in focus is their wrong ambitions. His words here are very solemn because he teaches that being the cause of sin has great consequences. Perhaps he was beside the Sea of Galilee when he gave this teaching and pointed to people throwing an anchor into the water. That illustration indicates that he will judge a professing disciple who leads another servant into sin.

Instead, Jesus instructs his disciples to deal with their sins at a deep level. He is not suggesting that they should harm themselves by his illustrations of cutting off a hand and removing an eye. Instead he is illustrating that dealing with personal sins requires drastic action and immediate removal of participation in it, whatever it happens to be, and whatever pain it causes. This is not a task that can be given to someone else. Instead the only person who can do it is the individual himself. Jesus is telling his disciples that personal sin must be opposed with determination and energy, and not tolerated even for a moment. Dealing with personal sin is a requirement for a servant.

We may wonder why Jesus gives such a solemn warning to his disciples. In order to appreciate the situation we need to realise that it was possible to be a false disciple or a temporary disciple. The first was a deliberate intention to deceive and there was such a disciple among them – Judas. Obviously he turned out to be a temporary disciple as well. What is also obvious is that he paid no attention to the warnings of Jesus. Judas did not walk blindly into the night. Instead he was a false disciple whom Jesus warned very clearly about his destiny.

What does Jesus mean by salt losing its saltiness? No doubt, that happened often in everyday life. When it lost its saltiness, it lost its purpose and was useless for anything else. Disciples are to be marked by discipleship, otherwise they become useless. Discipleship here is marked by humble service, of putting every other believer first, of not hindering other servants from serving the Lord, and of dealing personally with our sinful tendencies and desires. Are we real disciples is the question we need to ask ourselves. Our eternal destiny may depend on our answer.

Jesus closes the classroom by reminding the disciples that they should be enjoying peace with another. Their discussion about which of them should be the greatest would not have brought peace. Instead such a discussion would breed jealousy, resentment and pride. Such an atmosphere is the opposite of what should be found among disciples of Jesus. We can tell if we are having true discussions by whether or not peace is present within and among the participants. So here we are called to live as genuine servants and when we do we will have the Master’s peace in abundance.