Mark 9: 30-50

 

(Mark 9: 30-50) And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.  But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.  And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?  But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.  And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.  And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,  Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.  But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. 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.  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.  And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

 

The key meaning of what Jesus said, "a man who humbles himself like a child" is to deny himself. The disciples asked who was great with worldly values. Eventually, the person who lowers himself becomes a dead person to the world. Philippians 2: 6-8『Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 』

Repentance is turning away from sin. Rather than being forgiven for confessing that you have sinned, you have to die with Jesus on the cross, against sin, against the world. Then, the Lord forgives sin with his blood. The word "death" means denying the heart toward the world. So he said, "I deny myself." As the apostle Paul said, we must think of "I die every day."

"Everyday I die" means "always looking at yourself like a mirror in front of the Bible." Every day is the phrase "every moment." It's not about the number of times, it's about keeping it. The existence of "Self" is like a huge and solid castle like "Jericho Castle." However, as the Israelites overthrew Jericho through the word of God, they must deny themselves before the words of the Bible. In front of the Bible, we must look at the situation of "denying self."

Jesus spoke to those under the law. When a person commits a crime with his or her body, whether it is a hand or an eye, it does not mean "repent and ask for forgiveness", but it means to eliminate the cause of the crime. However, they do not eliminate the cause (the old man), but believe that "if they repent and confess, God will forgive them." These people are under the law. Even if they insisted, "I have nothing to do with the law," they did not forsake the old man, the reason for the existence of the law.

In order to know why Jesus said this, we need to understand why God gave the Law to the Israelites. The law was given to sinners to understand sin. Israel is a sinner who has left God. If God is with you, you are not a sinner. However, if God is not with you, you become a sinner. Rather than being a righteous person, "God talks and looks at humans," he becomes a righteous person when God is with me. In this case, there is no need for the Ten Commandments, and no law. Because God is in me, God is perfecting itself.

These laws were necessary because God was not with them. Even in this world, the law of God is not necessary for those who are sealed by the Holy Spirit in their hearts through Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul also says in Romans 8: 1-2:『There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 』 The law of sin and death means the law (law of wrath). Condemnation is based on the law, but those who are in Jesus Christ are not the law but the Holy Spirit.

Why did God give this law to the Israelites? In Romans 3: 19-20『Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 』 In Romans 5:13, 『For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 』

Galatians 3:19 『Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 』 God gave the Israelites a law to help those who left God realize that it is sin to leave God.

Israel is the ones who have left God. However, Israel did not know that God had left. God chose Israel to put it in Egypt to call, and to bring the Passover lamb out of Egypt and into the land of Canaan. What does it mean that the Israelites have left God?

Even though God led Israel like this, the Israelites did not know that they had left God. So, God gave the sanctuary and the temple. "Build a house where God will dwell among you." That is, "Because God does not dwell in you, you must build a temple." The dwelling house, or temple, is a shadow. The reason for giving the temple was to give it with the promise, "I will make you a people and be with you in the future." Until this promise is fulfilled, there is no God in Israel. Although Jesus Christ, the true temple, came into the world, Israel refused to be with God, and Israel was destroyed.