Chapter # 9 Paragraph # 6 Study # 1
May 30, 2023
Moss Bluff, Louisiana
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Thesis: "Selfish ambition" has no place in "Disciples of The Kingdom".
Introduction: In our last study we considered Jesus' words about the reverberations of "receiving" a "child" on the foundation of "Jesus' name". Those reverberations run all the way up to The One Who Sent Jesus. Our words and actions cannot be separated from their impact upon The Father of The Son.
This evening we are going to consider the next part of Mark's record. It is focused upon "John" and his lack of understanding of The Kingdom toward which he is headed.
- I. The Larger Context.
- A. 9:1-13 -- Jesus Identified As the Kingdom's King.
- B. 9:14-29 -- Identity Reinforced By Power.
- C. 9:30-37 -- The Kingdom's Requirement Of Servanthood.
- D. 9:38-50 -- The Kingdom's Practice Of Reward.
- E. 10:1-12 -- The Attitude Which Blocks Participation.
- F. 10:13-16 -- The Attitude Which Enables Participation.
- e. 10:17-27 -- The Attitude Which Blocks Participation.
- d. 10:28-31 -- The Kingdom's Practice Of Reward.
- c. 10:32-45 -- The Kingdom's Requirement Of Servanthood.
- b. 10:46-52 -- Identity Reinforced By Power.
- a. 11:1-11 -- Jesus Identified As the Kingdom's King.
- II. The Particulars.
- A. 9:38-41 -- The "out of left field" statement by John.
- 1. "The John" interrupting Jesus.
- a. "The John"
- 1) Is a "son of thunder" (3:17).
- 2) Was one of three who witnessed the raising of Jairus' daughter (5:37).
- 3) Has his name preceded by "the" for the first time (along with Jesus, Peter, and James) in 9:2.
- 4) Our text: 9:38.
- 5) No "the" before his name in 10:35, but is, along with his brother, seeking the highest "status places" in the Kingdom.
- 6) Has stirred up the other disciples against himself and his brother in 10:41 (No "The" before his name here).
- 7) Is one of the four (Peter, James, John ((No "The")), and Andrew) who leads into Jesus' teaching of the Tribulation to come: 13:3.
- 8) Is grouped one final time with "the Peter, and James" in 14:33 at the time of Jesus' prayer in the Garden (textual issue here).
- 9) Question: why the definite article before "John" in this text?
- a) "The John" is mostly reserved for John the Baptizer in Mark.
- b) That he, in this chapter (9:2 and 38) puts the definite article before the name definitely links both paragraphs. The first paragraph is all about Jesus' transfiguration into a visible form of the Kingdom and its power, and the definite article precedes all three of the named observers. This second thought-unit is about how contrary "the John" is, in attitude, to the "Kingdom attitude".
- c) "The John" is most likely Mark's way of highlighting the issue of false Kingdom ambitions.
- i. These "ambitions" all rest upon the strong conviction that Jesus is the King of the Kingdom; there is no false "faith" in this truth.
- ii. But, these "ambitions" are clearly destructive of Kingdom harmony, which threaten to turn the Kingdom of God into a variation of the Kingdom of Darkness.
- b. In the chiastic structure of this portion of Mark's Gospel, it is clear that these ambitions are not going to result in kingdom glory for those who entertain them.
- 2. As an "interruption", the thought-flow is jerked away from "receiving"...one of these children... Me...The One Who Sent Me" to John's attitude that no one but "they" (The Twelve) has any business casting out demons.
- a. The record of Numbers 11:24-30 seems to be a parallel paragraph to this one of Mark's.
- b. At issue in our current text is the question of whether "those greatest in the kingdom" (i.e., those specially privileged Twelve) have any right whatsoever to render judgment upon God's choice(s) for blessing.
- c. There is "arrogance in the pot" (see 2 Kings 4:40) every time a "servant of The Kingdom" attempts to put himself above others who are obviously empowered by God for a task that is outside of the tasks assigned to him.
- 3. At issue is "the John's" witnessing of someone who was using the name of Jesus to cast out demons and his apparent jealousy because that "task" had been given to him/them.
- a. He claims that he/they "were hindering" (attempting to stop) a certain one who was using Jesus' name to do works of power that were making the Kingdom of Darkness falter.
- b. His reason: "He was not following us".
- 4. Jesus' response.
- a. Do not try to hinder because the use of His name would make it impossible for the one using it to speak evil of Jesus.
- b. Do not try to hinder because there is this principle: "The one who is not against us is for us".
- 1) This appears "backwards" to those of us who want "greater loyalty" from others than they are appearing to give.
- 2) This is s record of "grace" extended beyond any "norm" we may have set up.
- B. 9:42-50 -- The return to "those considered 'least' by the disciples" (the children).
