Sunday 30 September 2012

Background

Mark chapter 9 is largely concerned with the power of the nameof Jesus over the forces of evil (on the one hand), balanced withthe seemingly constant failure of the disciples to grasp what hiskingdom is all about (on the other). Jesus reveals his power andglory, while the disciples stumble and fall. In the previous fewverses they've been arguing among themselves about who is thegreatest (Mark 9:33-35). To show them the sort ofgreatness-in-humility required, Jesus holds up for them a littlechild - an example to them all (Mark9:36-37). That might have been a fitting end to the chapter,but Mark's Gospel continues to record the disciples' embarrassingremarks, as John proudly tells Jesus how they tried to stop a manfrom casting out demons because he was not 'one of them' (verse38). The very thing the disciples had failed to do earlier in thechapter, an 'outsider' is caught doing 'in Jesus' name'. Well,they'd better put a stop to that! Again, Jesus gently assures themthey've got it all wrong. Even a cup of cold water given because ofhis name and reputation is a commendable thing, especially amidstthe very real opposition Jesus is facing - both in the politicalsphere and the spiritual realm.

Today's passage then has a number of striking images: firmwarnings against sin, but words that we might secretly wish Jesushad never said! 

These warnings seem to be instructions for those who are alreadytaking their discipleship seriously. Jesus expects his followers towant the highest standards for themselves. The first warningconcerns the very children Jesus has already been talking about:"these little ones" (v. 42) - quite simply, don't cause them tostumble, don't cause them to sin, and certainly don't but any blockbetween them and Jesus. If you do, the consequences will be amillstone around your neck. Whether this is 'divine retribution' orsimply the self-punishment of your conscience, it really doesn'tmatter - it's bad, don't do it! Jesus seems to be saying somethings are worth avoiding at all cost. For the true disciple,simply the knowledge that you're so far from God's will should bewarning enough.

From verse 44 Jesus moves on to speak about hell.

Hell is rightly a controversial concept (a hot topic!) becauseit seriously shapes the view we have of God. It's difficult to eventalk about it without deeply ingrained ideas from movies, cartoons,jokes and, of course, Church! Needless to say, it's an idea that'sbeen highly developed over thousands of years (sometimes with quitedubious motives), and the 'true biblical' understanding is hard tofind under all the mess. The word often translated 'Hell' in thispassage is actually 'Gehenna', a common name for the Valley ofHinnom - a ravine outside Jerusalem with a dark and disturbinghistory.

Way back in the history of Judah, 700 years or so earlier, KingAhaz had turned to idol worship, making images of foreign gods.This turning away from God reached a disgusting and 'abominable'low when he sacrificed some of his own children - burning them inthe Valley of Hinnom (2Chronicles 28:3). Some years later, King Manasseh decided tofollow in his grandfather's footsteps, murdering his own son in thesame horrendous way (2Chronicles 33:6). 'Gehenna' became a synonym for the worst sinimaginable - the place where the human heart was capable ofreaching when it had abandoned the one true God. King Josiah, twogenerations later, is remembered as a great reformer whorediscovered the scriptures and returned the people to God. Hedeclared that the Valley of Hinnom was an unclean place (2Kings 23:10), and Gehenna remained a tangible memorial of thehideous heathen worship once practised there, and of what couldbecome of God's people if they turned away from God. In Jesus' dayit had become a stinking, smouldering rubbish heap. I have no doubtthat Jesus' words are to be taken very seriously here. Sin must beavoided at all costs, wherever possible, if you are serious aboutyour discipleship.

So, Jesus says, at whatever cost, at whatever sacrifice, ifsomething is causing you to move further and further away from God,"cut it off". Even very essential parts of us are not as importantas our eternal well-being - the real life that is on offer. TheParalympics this summer have reminded us again that losing eyesightor limbs doesn't mean that you can't experience life - indeed, theathletes seemed to live life with so much more fullness than thevast majority of 'able-bodied' people. These are metaphors,however. Of course Jesus doesn't want us to actually cut off partsof our bodies. But he does want us to take drastic action againstthings that are leading us away from him, away from justice, awayfrom love. In the end, this is about attaining 'life', not avoidinghell. The true disciple should desire nothing more than thefullness and goodness of life that God has in store, on earth as itis heaven. When you love God with all your heart, simply knowingthat you're going against God's will should be punishment enough,and God's forgiveness like a soothing balm. Hell, or not, becomesirrelevant.

To Ponder

• What aspects of your life - habits, distractions, relationships- that are leading you away from the fullness of life God has instore for you? What might you need to "cut off"?

• In our teaching and understand of 'hell', has the Church beenmissing the point? To what extent do we still talk and think andstumble like the first disciples, when faced with the glory ofGod's love that is in Christ?

• Many commentators have tried to explain the last two versesabout salt. What do you make of these three sayings?