Bible Study series: Mark 9:42-50. Keep your life scandal free. Then be salt for the kingdom community and the world.
Friendly greetings and a warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn, so let’s learn together how to apply these truths to our lives.
I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click here:
If you would like to see the original Greek, please click here:
At that link, I also offer more commentary and a Summary and Conclusion, geared towards discipleship. Scroll down to the bottom and check it out!
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Mark 9:42-50
42 “And whoever causes one of these little believers in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were placed around his neck and thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than to have two hands and go away into Gehenna, into inextinguishable fire, 44 [‘where the worm does not die and the fire is not extinguished’ (Is. 66:24).] 45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into Gehenna. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, remove it. It is better for you to be one-eyed and enter into the kingdom of God than to have two eyes and be thrown into Gehenna,
48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not extinguished.’ [Is. 66:24]
49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if salt becomes unsalty, by what will it be seasoned? You have salt among yourselves and be peaceful with one another.” (Mark 9:42-50)
Comments:
In vv. 42-50 Jesus is speaking metaphorically and hyperbolically. Hyperbole (pronounced hy-PER-boh-lee) means a deliberate and “extravagant exaggeration” (Webster’s Dictionary) to make a strong point and startle the listener. Modern example: “The ice cream seller is really generous! He piled the ice cream on my cone a mile-high!” No, a “mile high” (1.6 km) is not to be taken literally. Judaism prohibited self-mutilation (Deut. 14:1; 1 Kings 18:28; Zech. 13:6), so Jesus is teaching us a different lesson (Garland, p. 369). It is to deal ruthlessly with sin.
Followers of Jesus must learn to read the Bible on its own terms, without their wearing monochrome glasses, in which every word appears the same literal color in different contexts. Yes, most of Scripture can be taken literally, like the histories or the commands of the Torah and Epistles. But in significant sections of Scripture, the Bible is not a “flat,” one-dimensional book, on one simplistic level. It is multi-layered. And vv. 43-50 is a case in point. These verses are not to be interpreted literally and simplistically.
42:
Please note that some interpreters say the “little ones” are weak disciples, perhaps as we find in Rom. 14. Their conscience is so weak that they cannot eat various foods, or they have to keep some days as holy (Rom. 14:5-7). Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind (v. 5). Everyone with their different practices and convictions about food “should make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification” (Rom. 14:19).
However, I would like to think that literal children can trust in the Lord, and it is a very bad idea to talk them out of their belief. Remember—this is spoken in a Jewish culture, and anyone who converts to Jesus may be in trouble, when the child gets older. But you may certainly see this passage as shifting the focus from children to weak disciples, if you wish.
“believers” could be translated as “those who believe in me.”
Once again, an excellent saying:
F-A-I-T-H
=
Forsaking All, I Trust Him
43:
Then what does it mean to cause them to sin (or it could be translated as “causing them to stumble”)?
“stumbling stones”: The Greek noun for the stumbling block or stone is skandalon (pronounced scan-dah-lon), and it is clear we get our word scandal from it, but the meaning back then is not quite the same. The noun means, depending on the context: (1) “trap (symbolically)”; (2) “temptation to sin, enticement”; (3) “that which gives offense or causes revulsion, that which causes opposition, an object of anger or disapproval.”
We are supposed to get angry at and feel revulsion for a skandalon.
“stumble”: some translations say, “causes to sin.” And it means, depending on the context, (1) “cause to be caught … to fall, i.e. cause to sin” a. … Passive: “be led into sin … fall away”; b. “be led into sin or repelled by someone, take offense at someone”; (2) give offense to, anger, shock.”
Let’s apply the idea that Jesus is talking about literal children. Jesus does not specify what a skandalon or skandalizō are in this context, but it must be turning children away from believing in him. What would do that? Hypocrisy (talking one way but living another)? Dysfunction and fighting in the household? Meanness?
Parents beware!
“great millstone”: the Greek indicates that it is worked by a donkey. At first I translated the phrase as “a millstone worked by a donkey.” Or I could have written “a donkey millstone,” but either one of those seemed awkward. So I went with what Grammarian Olmstead suggested. In any case, the stone had to be big to be worked by a donkey.
44:
Apparently this verse is not in the best manuscripts or it was inserted by a copyist just to provide clarity and harmony with v. 48.
45-48:
Let’s take all these verses together, since they are about the same truth behind the hyperbolic metaphors.
As noted, the Bible deploys all sorts of literary techniques to get its points across, and one of them is hyperbole. The technique is designed to startle the listener with exaggerated imagery to compel him to act. In this case, the hand and foot and eye do not literally cause someone to sin, and everyone in the first century knew this (Matt. 5:28 says a man commits adultery in his heart or inner being, first). Instead, Jesus intends his listeners to act brutally and swiftly against sin in the heart. Cut off the hand (most people work with their hands, so it represents the man’s strength), now! Remove the foot (which is how we walk, and walking is an expression for how we live), right now! Gouge out the eye (and the eye indicates the person’s main channel of truth and reception of facts which the mind turns into ideas), now! Cut out and cut off the sin growing in your heart, now! Do it long before you turn your covetousness into action!
These two verses may clarify the practical theology here:
14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it is conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death (Jas. 1:14-15, ESV)
“life”: Jesus means it to be the same as “the kingdom of God (see v. 47). Now let’s explore the noun. BDAG, a thick Greek lexicon, says that it has two senses, depending on the context: a physical life (e.g. life and breath) and a transcendent life. By physical life the editors mean the period from birth to death, human activity, a way or manner of living, a period of usefulness, earning a living. By transcendent life the lexicographers mean these four elements: first, God himself is life and offers us everlasting life. Second, Christ is life, who received life from God, and now we can receive life from Christ. Third, it is new life of holiness and righteousness and grace. God’s life filling us through Christ changes our behavior. Fourth, zoē means life in the age to come, or eschatological life. So our new life now will continue into the next age, which God fully and finally ushers in when Christ returns. We will never experience mere existence or death, but we will be fully and eternally alive in God.
Jesus is not talking about going into heaven but entering new life in Christ in the here and now. It is about entering his kingdom right now.
“Gehenna”: Matthew uses it in 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15; 23:33. The term comes from the Valley of Sons of Hinnom (= Gehenna), a ravine south and west of Jerusalem that was a trash heap where refuse and dead criminals were discarded and burned. At this dump wicked kings of Israel / Judea worshipped Baal-Molech, including offering children in fiery sacrifices—they put children to the flames (2 Kings 16:3; 23:10; 2 Chron. 28:3; 33:6; Is. 66:24; Jer. 7:31-32; 19:4-6; 32:34-35). So it is apt to say that Gehenna is the place where people go who have done wicked deeds and are not saved, after final judgment.
Now what about inextinguishable fire and the worm? This refers to the Septuagint (pronounced sep-TOO-ah-gent and is a third-to-second century translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek) and Is. 66:24, which refers to dead bodies that people will look on. The bodies are of those who rebelled against the Lord. The worms (maggots) consume them. Keep in mind, however, that worms eat and then complete their gruesome business. And keep in mind that the fire really did go out—the fire in the ash heap is still not burning but was extinguished by time and society moving on. In other words, this imagery of maggots and inextinguishable fire is a poetic and visual way of saying that punishment for rebellion lasts only for an age.
What Do Words ‘Eternity,’ ‘Eternal’ Fully Mean in the Bible?
For the true believers in Jesus, however, they immediately go into heaven after they die to await their rewards (or no rewards) at the judgment for Christians. At this judgment, no believer in Jesus will be thrown into hades, but will remain in heaven and be rewarded (or not) according to the deeds they did in their bodies or on earth.
What Happens between Your Death and Final Resurrection?
Ten Biblical Truths about Your New Body
Everyone Shall Be Judged by Their Works and Words
Finally, as I wrote at Matt. 5:29-30: It is a sad fact that even modern pastors have misinterpreted these verses. I heard one say something like: “I wish Jesus hadn’t said this! I know someone who cut off his hand!” Both the preacher and the guy who mutilated himself were wrong. The latter shouldn’t have done it, and the pastor should have explained it better. Seriously wishing that Jesus didn’t say key words is a defective idea. It’s a signal that someone is misinterpreting the Scriptures.
49-50:
Scholars are not sure what these verses mean, exactly, but the two verses probably have the background of Lev. 2:13 and salting all sacrifices: “Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your gain offerings; add salt to all your offerings” (NIV). Salt is a purifying agent (see Ezek. 16:4; 43:24). Salt also preserves and seasons and fertilizes. So the disciple must preserve good thing and seasons his life and the lives of others with the good things of the kingdom and contribute to spiritual and moral growth in himself and others.
See my post on Lev. 2, which briefly touches on the “salt of the covenant.”
The Grain Offering from a NT Perspective
“becomes unsalty”: Salt in the area had impurities in it. But that’s not Jesus’ point. Instead it’s this: If, hypothetically, something like this were to happen, then how can any human find a solution?
Further, salt is a stable compound, and it does not lose its saltiness necessarily. So two solutions have been proposed: (1) Jesus is speaking hypothetically (If salt were to lose its saltiness, what good would it be?”). (2) Jesus refers to salt near the Dead Sea. Salt there has various compounds, so when “water evaporates, the sodium crystallizes first and can be removed, leaving gypsum and other impurities. What remains is ‘salt’ that has lost its saltiness” (Strauss, p. 415). (3) A third possibility: this saying refers to the salt blocks of Arab bakers. These blocks under the heat eventually crystallize and undergo a chemical change. It is thrown out because it is useless (NET).
“becomes unsalty” is a deliberate hyperbole or surprising image of salt losing its saltiness. True disciples keep their kingdom saltiness and kingdom harmony. Don’t lose your witness–saltiness–by strife and discord.
So what does it mean to be “salted” with “fire”? Fire also purifies. We must live purified lives, even if we have to go through fiery trials or like gold tested by fire and is purified (1 Pet. 1:7).
Jesus then says to have salt among ourselves and be at peace or have peace with one another. This probably refers to eating meals together, in peace. Disciples should not argue over who is the greatest (v. 24), in protecting their own authority (v. 38) or go in for actions that cause little believers to sin (v. 42). Instead, as v. 50 says, we are supposed to be servants of all (v. 35), welcome the unimportant and humble (v. 37) and offer a cup of water to the needy (v. 41), These positive characteristics reveal a true servant-leader and produce peace among the family of God (Strauss, p. 415).
Yet I don’t want to overlook Lev. 2:13 and salting all sacrifices. We are supposed to be sacrificed on the altar of God—sacrificing our selfishness and sinfulness and stubbornness and all sorts of vices that grip the human soul. God salts us with purity and seasoning and growth (fertilizes us) while we allow ourselves to be burned at the altar with fire. Remember, fire purifies and so does salt. If we don’t let the fire and salt purify us, we may be thrown on the ash heap or dump of Gehenna. A severe warning. So let’s surrender to him all of our self and soul and body and allow him to burn the junk and impurities all away with divine fire and then salt us to preserve us and season us and cause growth, so we can preserve and season others and cause growth in others. Then we can have peace with one another—only when our selfishness is burned up and our soul is purified.
Let’s end this chapter with Commentator R.T. France’s explanation of v. 49 about salt and fire:
Their [the worshippers’] dedication to the service of their suffering Messiah is like that of a burnt offering, total and irrevocable. Fire occurs frequently as an image for eschatological suffering. The inclusion of the imagery of salt surprises the modern reader, since fire alone would have made this point. But anyone familiar with sacrificial ritual would not find it out of place. And once introduced, it contributes further nuances. The salt of Lv. 2:13 is described as ‘salt of the covenant with your God’ (cf. ‘covenant of salt’, Nu. 18:19; 2 Ch. 13:5), while in Ex. 30:35 salt, as an ingredient of the sacred incense, is linked with the qualities ‘pure and holy’. These are among the resonances which the striking image of salting with fire might evoke from someone familiar with OT sacrificial language, and indeed with the ritual as it actually continued in Jerusalem up to A.D. 70. In this context it speaks of one who follows Jesus as totally dedicated to God’s service, and warns that such dedication will inevitably be costly in terms of personal suffering.
GrowApp Mark 9:42-50
1. How have been ruthless with your sin?
2. What is salt in your life?
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2. Church Fathers and Mark’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
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