Setting of the Passage
The setting of Mark 9:48, where the expression is uttered, can be seen from broader narrative of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem from Galilee (Mark 8:31-10:52). In Mark 9, it is told that after the transfiguration of Jesus (9:2–8), He and His disciples went to Jerusalem. In the journey, He teaches his disciples privately and repeats his prediction that the Son of man would be betrayed and killed, but will rise again after three days (9:30–31). However those disciples still do not understand Christ’s mission (v. 32) and they quarrel among themselves of who the greatest is among them. Responding this quarrelling, Christ gives them some radical demands of discipleship (9:42–50).
One of the Christ radical demands is to “cut off” part
of body if anyone leads a “little one” to astray from the truth or if anyone persists
in doing his sin. Jesus’ use the imperative verb ἀπόκοψον
“cut it off” part of body is a warning of the seriousness of doing sin. According
to Lamar
Williamson the language which Mark uses in this passage is figurative
and hyperbolic,[1]
because “masochism and bodily mutilation (with the exception of circumcision)
were strictly taboo in Judaism.”[2]
It seems here as Harold E. Wicke states that by using a figurative and hyperbolic speech “cut it off”, Christ wants to remind them of the demands of discipleship. Sin is very serious thing that all realize the consequence of failure to fight sin. Jesus asserts that those who fail to have higher morale standard or overcome sin would go to gehenna. He states that those who led to others to astray and those who are persisting to do sin would result in casting out to gehenna. It is a place “where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:48). Jesus wants all of his disciples to avoid this gehenna because it is a place of punishment.[3]
It seems here as Harold E. Wicke states that by using a figurative and hyperbolic speech “cut it off”, Christ wants to remind them of the demands of discipleship. Sin is very serious thing that all realize the consequence of failure to fight sin. Jesus asserts that those who fail to have higher morale standard or overcome sin would go to gehenna. He states that those who led to others to astray and those who are persisting to do sin would result in casting out to gehenna. It is a place “where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:48). Jesus wants all of his disciples to avoid this gehenna because it is a place of punishment.[3]
Structure
Traditionally, it is believed that Jesus’ ministry, in
the book of Mark is divided into three geographical terminologies.[4]
They are: Galilean ministry, the journey to Jerusalem and Jerusalem ministry.
The context of Mark
9:42-48 as a section of Jesus discourse is part of Jesus’ teaching while Jesus together
with his disciples was on the journey
from Galilee to Jerusalem. The journey was started from north of Galilee (Mark
9:30), through Capernaum (Mark 9:33) and Judea (Mark 10:1) then toward
Jerusalem. On this journey, there are some events happened and some topics of
teaching that Jesus conveyed to his disciples. The events such as
transfiguration on the mount and the healing of Bartimaeus’ sight were on this
journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. The teaching such cost of discipleship,
marriage, divorce, greatness of true disciple were conveyed on this journey. The
structure of this narrative can be outlined as follows:
Table 1
The journey to Jerusalem
(8:31–10:52)
First prediction of Jesus’ suffering and
Rebuke to Peter
|
8:31-33
|
Cost of following Jesus
|
8:34-35
|
Paradox of Being Jesus’ Disciples
|
8:36-39:1
|
A promise of Seing the Kingdom of God
|
9:1
|
The transfiguration of Jesus
|
9:2-8
|
Asking to keep the transfiguration until Son
of Man’ resurrection
|
9:9-10
|
The conversation regarding prophet Elijah
|
9:11-13
|
Casting out a spirit an unclean spirit from
a man’s son
|
9:14-29
|
The second prediction of Jesus’ suffering
and resurrection
|
9:30-32
|
quarrel on who is the greatest among the
disciples
|
9:33-34
|
Teaching on true Greatness of being Jesus
disciples
|
9:35-37
|
Jesus rebukes the John’s pride
|
9:38-41
|
Demands of discipleship
|
9:42-48
|
Exhortation to have “saltines”
|
9:49-50
|
Pharisees’ question about divorce
|
10:1-4
|
Discourse about marriage and divorce
|
10:5-12
|
Jesus Blesses Children
|
10:13-16
|
Teaching concerning wealth
|
10:17-22
|
Rich people and the kingdom of God
|
10:23-27
|
The third prediction of Jesus’ suffering and
resurrection
|
10:32-34
|
The request of James and john
|
10:35-41
|
Teaching on Greatness and service
|
10:42-45
|
Jesus heals Bartimaeus
|
10:46-52
|
[1]Lamar
Williamson, Mark, Interpretation, a Bible commentary for teaching and
preaching (Atlanta, Ga.: J. Knox Press, 1983), 171.
[2]James
R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Mark, The Pillar New Testament
commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002),
293.
[3]Robert
Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, A. R. Fausset et al., A Commentary, Critical and
Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments, On Spine: Critical and
Explanatory Commentary. (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997),
Mk 9:48.
[4]
James A. Brooks, vol. 23, Mark, electronic ed., Logos Library System;
The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers,
2001), 31.
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