COMMENTARY ON MARK
LESSON NUMBER 104
“ Mark 9:41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. 42And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in Me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.”
(Mark 9:41-42; Matthew 10:42; 18:6-7; Luke 17:1-2)
RECEIVING AND OFFENDING
INTRODUCTION
The words of the Lord Jesus reflect certain priorities. That is, He speaks with ultimate realities in mind, and not merely in view of the moment. In the jargon of the day He spoke with a different view of “relevancy.” In our time, men consider something relevant when it bears directly upon them personally, and for the immediate time. The less a thing appears to have to do with them, the more irrelevant it is considered. The further it is away from the present moment, the less relevant it is. However, the words of Jesus were not at all from this perspective. He always spoke with a keen sense of man’s ultimate accountability to God – the day of judgment. It is at that time that every word and deed will be judged. If a person chooses to conduct his life ignoring this reality, there is no way for a mortal to estimate, or entertain even the faintest notion, of the seriousness of such a manner of life. The entirety of Satan’s arsenal of temptations revolve around the suppositions that self is the most important, the world is the most significant place, and the present is the most critical time. As soon as a person adopts those views, they are at once in the place where Satan freely works, and he does so with little, if any, opposition. At some point, men must become decentralized from self, else there is no hope for them. Because this present evil word is under the sway of the wicked one, it is engaged in a constant and aggressive promotion of pleasure, convenience, and ease. Such things are encapsulated in the inspired description of “all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,”, and is declared to be “not of the Father” (1 John 2:16). Our text provides us with a most excellent example of a life that is divorced from such ignoble pursuits. Jesus will speak of two manners of life – one centers around Him, and the other around self. One is blessed, and one is cursed.
A BASIS FOR REWARD
“ Mk 9:41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.”
WHOSOEVER. Other versions read, “anyone.” NIV Here Jesus gives us a different way of measuring or assessing people. Some look at individuals as men and women, others as young and old, or professionals and non-professionals. Some perceive people according to their occupation, or their education, or their outward appearance. The word “whosoever” introduces us to a criterion that lies outside of the individual. Here “whosoever” is a person who does something because of someone else, and not merely for self. In this instance, the name of person, or their race, or their occupation, is not the point. They are perceived from a very special vantage point – one that, in the eyes of the “whosoever,” gives them great worth.
GIVE YOU A CUP OF WATER TO DRINK. Here Jesus focuses on the lowest service that can be rendered – something that anyone can do, whether they are a person of means of not. By referring to the lowliest deed, everything of greater significance is included. For example, the Philippians sent “once and again” to Paul’s “necessity” (Phil 4:16). I am sure that it was decidedly more than “a cup of water.” Yet, the people would be blessed upon the same basis as one who was unable to give anything more than a cup of water.
There is a principle seen here – a way that the Lord speaks of rewards. Religious men are noted for making appeals to those who have means. This is the reason for focusing on estate planning, annuity gifts, will bequeathments, grants, and the likes. Institutionalism requires such gifts for its purposes. But note how differently Jesus approaches the matter of giving and gifts. He speaks of one who gives a cup of cold water to one of His disciples. He commends a poor widow who gave two small “mites,” declaring that she had given “more than they all” (Lk 21:3). He speaks of receiving a “little child” (Matt 18:5). He once spoke to His disciples about them simply being received into a house, and how such a home was worthy of peace (Matt 10:14). Matthew tells how Jesus spoke of giving “a cup of cold water only” to one of His “little ones” receiving a sure reward(Matt 10:42).
Our Lord is distinguishing between an interest in religious empires, like those of the Pharisees who “devoured widows houses” (Matt 23:14), and the cause of the Lord. In this day of religious fund raising, this all has an exceedingly strange sound.
IN MY NAME. This phrase accents the fact that the giver did so because of their own identity with Christ. Because they had an interest in the cause of Christ himself, they had an intense concern about what He was doing. This parallels doing something “in the name of a disciple” (Matt 10:42), or because they are an ardent follower of Christ.
BECAUSE YOU BELONG TO CHRIST. The gracious deed is not done because the person belongs to the same organization, but because he belongs to Christ. Paul once said of the people of God, “Ye are Christ’s!” (1 Cor 3:23). Here is a person who recognized it. That judgment was obviously based upon some clear evidence. Perhaps it was the manner of the disciple, or the message they were bringing, or the benefit that was realized from them. At any rate, it was their association with Christ Himself that caused the “whosoever” to invest of himself in the disciple.
Notice that the person discerned the disciple “belonged to Christ.” It was obvious that they were not living unto themselves, “but unto Him which died for them and rose again” (2 Cor 5:15).
It seems to me that in the examination of ourselves to see whether we be in the faith (2 Cor 13:5), we must seek to discover whether or not it is apparent to those about us that we “belong to Christ.” Do they take note of us, as they did the early disciples, that we have “been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13)? If they are not familiar with Jesus, does our manner of life provoke them to ask us “for a reason of that hope” that stands out in us (1 Pet 3:15)?
This text is not speaking of general acts of kindness in which even the lost can engage. These are deeds that are done BECAUSE the recipient “belongs to Christ.”
VERILY. The word “verily” is the same word translated “amen” – in fact that is precisely how the Greek word is pronounced – “amen.” Here, the word means faithful, true, and surely to be fulfilled. Other versions read, “truly,” BBE “I assure you,” CSB “I can guarantee this truth,” GWN and “I say this solemnly.” LIVING This kind of language is addressed to faith. There is Divine certitude in it, so that a person can build his life upon the truth of the saying.
HE SHALL NOT LOSE HIS REWARD. Other versions read, “by no means lose,” NKJV “will certainly not lose.” NIV Matthew says “in no wise lose” (Matt 10:42). That is, in the Kingdom of heaven, it is not possible for the most humble expression of kindness to Christ’s people to be overlooked. Here is one way of laying up treasures in heaven – recognizing the people of God and ministering to them out of what you have. This is something, as Paul put it, that will “abound to your account” (Phil 4:17). It coincides with the affirmation, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Heb 6:10).
SOMETHING TO ZEALOUSLY AVOID
“ 41 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.”
WHOSOEVER SHALL OFFEND. Other versions read “causes to stumble,” NKJV “causes to sin,” NIV “put a stumbling block before,” NRSV “is a cause for trouble,” BBE “shall be a snare,” DARBY and “causes to lose faith.” GWN
To “offend” is to put an impediment in the way that makes it more difficult for the disciple. Such a deed tempts the person to distrust, or possible even fall into sin. Using the same word, Jesus spoke of those who, during opposition and persecution, “by and by are offended” (Matt 13:21). At the lower end of the scale, the offense could be not giving heed to what was said, like the enemies of Jeremiah (Jer 18:18). It may also be refusing to view the person as anything other than someone they have always known, as the people once considered Jesus (Mk 6:3). It could also be contradicting what is said, as when Peter offended Jesus in saying He would never die (Matt 16:23). At the higher end, it could be luring someone into overt sin, like the “strange woman” of Proverbs, who led the simple into immorality (Prov 5:3-5).
This word also includes those who discourage the hearts of God’s servants, like the churches that caused care to come upon Paul (2 Cor 11:2), and provoked him to fear that his labor was in vain (2 Cor 11:3; Gal 4:11). Such things are very common in our day, but they are all duly noted in heaven!
ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES WHO BELIEVE IN ME. This is not referring to children in the flesh, but to those who are like children in their understanding (1 Cor 14:20). There are “simple” souls who are easily beguiled and lured into sin (Rom 16:18). It is easy for such young souls to “believe every word” (Prov 14:15), and easily be led astray into false doctrine, or even into immorality. Paul spoke of some whom he characterized “silly woman,” who were led “captive” by those who saw their simplicity and tendency to be led away by “divers lusts” (2 Tim 3:6). Their weakness is owing to the smallness of their understanding.
To be sure, every believer is to get out of that simplistic state as quickly as possible, coming into a maturity of understanding (1 Cor 14:20; Eph 5:17). Believers are to be noted for their wisdom and spiritual understanding, not their simplicity (Col 1:9). In the meantime, Jesus now speaks of those wretched people who pray on young believers – those who are not yet stable in their understanding, yet do believe in Christ. What shall be the lot of those who seek to exploit such people in any way? How will it go for those who lure such into sin? What of preachers and youth leaders who have lured women in the church into sin? What of those who have built careers and amassed fortunes upon the basis of ignorant and un learned Christians?
IT IS BETTER. Jesus is not ambiguous on this point, nor is He gentle. It would be “better,” or more comely, to take a gigantic “millstone,” used to grind grain, hang it around the neck of the offender, and throw him alive into the deepest part of the sea. Matthew adds “and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” – a dreadful death, to be sure (Matt 18:6). This was not a theoretical situation. Albert Barnes writes, “This was one mode of capital punishment practiced by the Greeks, Syrians, Romans, and by some other nations.” This is also confirmed by the historical writings of Suetonius and Aristophanes from earlier centuries. The phrase is used to denote the harshest treatment of the worst offenders.
Jesus does not say this would be “better” for someone who made a practice offending one of His “little ones.” This is not a word about someone who has repeatedly offended His “little ones.” This refers to a person who has offended “ONE of these little ones.” The words “shall offend” indicate that Jesus is speaking of a single offence – causing one of His younger followers to stumble one time, be deceived one time, or fall into sin one time.
The Master is saying that it would be better to experience the most server and ruthless form of temporal pain and punishment that to face God being guilty of a single offense against but one of His less knowledgeable children. This is not to mention the enormity of the punishment of those who opposed and offended the holy prophets, John the baptist, the twelve apostles, Paul, and others. This may not fit handily into the “God loves everyone” view of things, but this is what the Lord Jesus said! It is His way of saying there is no possible way of conceiving the severity of the punishment that is reserved for those who have exploited, deceived, and led young believers into sin.
Having said this, it is the business of every child of God to come away from childish simplicity, let they be “offended.” This is one reason why believers are admonished to “grow” (1 Pet 2:2; 3:18). “Unstable souls” are easily beguiled (2 Pet 2:14). While most believers begin in this state, they are to exit it as rapidly as possible, pursuing holiness with fervor, praying for understanding, and filling their minds with the Word of God, which is the food that promotes growth. Wherever there are churches in which the people are not being fed and edified, an environment is being cultured in which stumbling stones and deceivers can flourish.
A DOUBLE WOE
“ MATT 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”
Matthew adds a word here that is worthy of some exposition. It will assist in freeing unlearned souls from the dreaded and crippling malady of naivete, or simplicity. That is life characterized by ignorance, where neither dangers nor advantages can be clearly seen. Jesus not only instructs us concerning the judgment of offenders, but of the sure presence of offence.
WOE UNTO THE WORLD. The words “woe to the world” are equivalent to the expression found in the book of Revelation: “woe to the inhabiters of the earth!” (Rev 12:12). There, the woe is pronounced because “the devil is come down to you having great wrath.” In our text, it is because of the jeopardous environment the devil has produced.
No person will make any progress in the Kingdom of God until it is clear in their mind that the world is a dangerous place in which to be. All that is in the world is “not of the Father” (1 John 5:17). The world lies under the power of “the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). It is truly called “this present evil world” (Gal 1:4).
BECAUSE OF OFFENCES. Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks. They are strewn from one end of it to another! You cannot open your eyes or listen with your ears without confronting some stumbling block, some allurement, some temptation, some discouragement! This is we have been given “the whole armor of God” (Eph 6:11) and “the weapons of our warfare” (2 Cor 10:4). It is why it is necessary to “awake out of sleep” (Rom 13:11) and “put on the new man” (Eph 4:24). The world is a dangerous place to be! It has stumbling stones, pits, and snares.
It ought to be noted that the closer a person is to this world, the more vulnerable to its devices he becomes. By “closer to this world,” I mean a condition in which the world becomes primary, its activities seem the most important, and its “things” the most desirable.
OFFENCES MUST COME. The question is not IF you will ever be tempted, or IF you will ever confront an adversary, or IF you will ever feel the tug of the world. “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come,” NASB or “occasions for stumbling are bound to come.” NRSV You will be tempted! You will confront the powerful influences of distraction. You will feel the tug of temptation and the allurement to sin! “There is a necessity for the stumbling-blocks to come.” YLT This is one of the means through which genuine faith is certified. For example, in the matter of false doctrines that causes division among the saints, it is written, “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you” (1 Cor 11:19).
Confirming the certainty of facing offences Luke records Jesus saying, “It is impossible but that offences will come,” or “It is impossible that no offenses should come” (Lk 17:1). If you are looking for a trouble free, temptation free, and offense free life, it simply is not possible in this world. The solution, therefore, is to prepare to confront it.
This is one reason why James wrote, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:2-3). The validity of your faith is confirmed when the allurements away from it become offensive. This is one meaning of the expression, “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin” (1 Pet 4:1). Sin has no appeal to the new man, for “the wicked one toucheth him not” (1 John 5:18). However, should you choose to neglect your soul and give yourself to other things, you will not be able to withstand the assault of offenses.
WOE TO THE MAN. Believers must learn not to live with a fatalistic view – i.e. offenses will come, there is nothing we can do about it, so just get used to it. The world is a place where offenses are found, but that is not the end of the matter. “Woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!” The offender will not be overlooked! Also note, that it is a “man,” or offspring of Adam, through whom the offense comes. It is true that ultimately the opposition comes from Satan, and that we do not “wrestle against flesh and blood.” But that does not free the offender! The person who is available for Satan’s use is duly noted, and it will not go well for him, as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar can attest.
Lest we forget, we are speaking about offenses against Christ’s disciples – even the least of them. Who is capable of estimating how many saints have been offended. What of faithful ministers who have been rejected, and even opposed? What of gifted believers who have been ignored, and tempted to think they really have nothing to offer? What of young believers who have been lured into the world of contemporary music and the dwarfed spiritual views that accompany it? What of those who have been compelled to testify of Jesus, or share an insight that was blessing them, only to receive a sneer and be thrust away as a undesirable person? It all has been duly noted in the Throneroom, and the accounts will be settled. It is true, “Woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”