Proper 21 Series B

Proper 21 B
Numbers 11:4–6, 10–16, 24–29
James 5:(1–12) 13–20
Mark 9:38–50

Christ Jesus, the Son of God, Cares for Us and Serves Us with the Forgiveness of Sins

When the people of Israel wept, complaining that they had no meat to eat (Numbers 11:4), Moses cried out to the Lord that “the burden of all this people” was too heavy for him and that he was “not able to carry all this people alone” (Numbers 11:11–14). So the Lord had Moses gather “seventy men of the elders of Israel” (Numbers 11:16), and the Lord “took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders” (Numbers 11:25), so that Moses would not carry the burden alone.

All who thus labor are honored, and all the people are cared for, in the name of the Lord (Mark 9:39–41). Everything is done with reference to Christ Jesus. So we cling to Him, and we flee from all sins that would separate us from Him (Mark 9:42–48). The life of the Church is one of repentant faith in Christ. Christians confess their sins to one another, and they “pray for one another,” that each would be raised up and healed by the Lord Jesus, who covers “a multitude of sins” and saves our souls from death (James 5:15–20). 

The theme is Tolerance. In the Old Testament lesson Moses tolerates the giving of the Spirit. In the Epistle, James calls for intolerance of wickedness. In the Gospel, Jesus approves a non-follower's use of His name. Coupled with tolerance is an underlying theme of resistance. Jesus urges to get rid of anything that causes us to sin while in the Old Testament lesson the Israelites complain about the monotony of daily manna. James condemns the sin of arrogance and persecution of the poor.

Collect for Proper 21 - Everlasting Father, source of every blessing, mercifully direct and govern us by Your Holy Spirit that we may complete the works You have prepared for us to do; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Lord, thank You for Your work through the lives of others. Lead me to welcome those miracles and mercies that You show through every one of Your people. 

Lord, give us the lasting faith that can persevere through every trial. Empty our heads of anything that competes with You, and let us hold firmly to You eternally. 

Mark 9:38-50 – Jesus approves a non-follower’s use of His name to cast our demons. He urges the extermination of those sins that result in hell. The first part of the Gospel (Vv. 38-41) obviously parallels the Old Testament lesson. It deals with Jesus’ approval of a non-disciple casting out demons in Jesus’ name. The next section (Vv.42-48) deals with Jesus’ “little ones” – not children but his disciples or new converts. The point is that any sacrifice is worth eternal life rather than going to hell forever which is described as eternal torment.

A third section of the reading deals with salt.  It is a call to radical obedience rather than to accommodation to the world.

In Christ you are free. There is much Christian liberty and freedom the child of God can experience in this life. The Lord wants His followers to enjoy the fullness of life. All that God created is good. However, if any part of us or any habit causes us to sin, we are to get rid of it. It would be better to abstain and deny ourselves certain pleasures and privileges than to allow one pleasure to ruin the whole. When should we allow our Christian liberty to be exercised? When might you deny yourself certain “freedoms” for the sake of someone else? How might we better live balanced lives?

For the one who is not against us is for us.”  – Mark 9:40

Rev. Dr. Daniel J Brege

We are born as creatures who are dead-set against the Christ.  From the Fall of Adam onward, we are born to trouble as sparks fly upward [Job 5:7].  We born to trouble in so many ways, and there is no greater trouble than to be against the Christ.  Saint Paul lists some of our troubling ways in the second chapter of his epistle to the Ephesians.  Whereas Christ is the sinless personification of life, we on the other hand are born dead in trespasses and sins [v 1].  Instead of following Christ the Lord, we, who now possess a fallen nature, walk in the steps of His enemy; we are naturally following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit (Satan) that is now at work in the sons of disobedience [v 2].  As corrupt human beings, we were conceived in our mother’s womb to behave contrary to our Lord’s holy standards, and thus grow to naturally break one commandment after another, living in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind [3a]. Indeed, we were not naturally born as children of God, but we were born as children of wrath, like the rest of mankind [v 3b].  In no way, shape, or form could we be considered on the side of God; on the contrary it is quite clear we were born set against Him.

So if we are conceived and born against the Christ, how can Jesus claim someone—anyone—could be not against Him? Jesus unequivocally explains that the one who is not against us is for us [v 40].  There are only two sides to the issue of Christ; we are either against Him or we are for Him.  We are either on His side of the fence or we are on Satan’s side; there are no fence-riders.  How can it be that we who were born and naturally live on the wrong side of the fence, could somehow be for Jesus—existing on His side of the fence, ceasing to be against Him? Clearly some people are no longer against Jesus, and thus somehow these people have been brought to His side of the fence.  This is a miracle of the Holy Spirit. We are saved and brought to Christ’s side of the fence by faith, and faith comes by hearing by the Word of Christ [Rom 10:17]. People who have been brought to Christ’s side of the fence must have been exposed to the innately powerful Gospel, and the Holy Spirit must have worked faith—however immature—within such people. In Sunday’s Gospel we find two examples—not examples that we would expect—of people who were brought to Christ’s side of the fence, and thus they were no longer against Him.

The first example of people brought to Christ’s side are those who were not actively following Jesus like the Apostles were following Him; nonetheless, they were performing exorcisms in Jesus’ name.  Obviously these exorcists were not doing such exorcisms like the apparently money-grubbing sons of Sceva in the book of Acts (19:14ff). The sons of Sceva tried to cast out demons in Jesus’ name, and the demon-possessed man turned on them and pummeled them.  The sons of Sceva apparently did not have faith in Jesus. The exorcists recorded in Sunday’s Gospel clearly had a faith in Jesus; they were on His side of the fence.  This is evident because it is in speaking of these exorcists that Jesus gives the assurance, For the one who is not against us is for us.  These amateur exorcists no doubt had much to learn, but they clearly had a faith in the Christ.  They were no longer—as they had been from their birth—against Him.

The second examples of people brought to Christ’s side of the fence are the “little ones.”  Such “little ones” may be any person with an apparently immature knowledge of the faith, but it seems likely that since Jesus had just placed a child in their midst (vv 36,37), He is speaking of small children.  Luke records how mothers were bringing even their infants to Jesus, that these little ones might receive His blessed touch [Lk 18:15ff].  As Jesus—the Word made flesh—touched these infants, what greater blessing could He give them than faith in the Christ?  Those who deny the possibility of infant faith are those who try to make faith into a personal decision, a meritorious act.  In Sunday’s Gospel Jesus identifies the faith of these little ones:  Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea [v 42]. Observe that Jesus identifies certain little ones—yes even babies—as those who believe in Him.  Thanks be to God that because of Christ’s death and resurrection anyone, even a baby, is able to be brought to His side of the fence.  They are miraculously connected to Jesus, brought to believe in His identity and in His death and resurrection for their eternal salvation. They are no longer set against Christ, therefore they are for Him.

 

Vv. 38-41 Jesus opens the disciples' eyes to see those who do God's work in dramatic or simple ways. The work of God goes far beyond us. He show His power and kindness through great life changing miracles and simple cups of water. 

Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us

:38 [a]Ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰωάννης· Διδάσκαλε, εἴδομέν τινα [b]ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ἐκβάλλοντα δαιμόνια, [c]καὶ ἐκωλύομεν αὐτόν, ὅτι οὐκ ἠκολούθει ἡμῖν. John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,[a] and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”

-John the Baptist  beheaded in chapter 6 - he's not following us, not one of us...casting out demons correctly. Is this a part of the 70/72? 

-Consistent with John/James “shall we call down fire?” “Sit on Your right/left.”

:39  ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· Μὴ κωλύετε αὐτόν, οὐδεὶς γάρ ἐστιν ὃς ποιήσει δύναμιν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου καὶ δυνήσεται ταχὺ κακολογῆσαί με· But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 

- do not forbid him...do not stop them...for no one who does a powerful work (things) ...in My Name... and turn around and speak evil. 

-Powerful things = proclaiming the Word, baptizing…

:40 ὃς γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν καθ’ [d]ἡμῶν, ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐστιν For the one who is not against us is for us. 

-whoever is not against us is for us...

:41 Ὃς γὰρ ἂν ποτίσῃ ὑμᾶς ποτήριον ὕδατος ἐν [e]ὀνόματι ὅτι χριστοῦ ἐστε, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν [f]ὅτι οὐ μὴ [g]ἀπολέσῃ τὸν μισθὸν αὐτοῦ. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

- for whoever gives you to drink a cup of water in the Name because you are in Christ, he will certainly no loose his reward...Christian Vocation... 

-There must have been a conversion. By nature people start out against Christ, in the realm of darkness...

-Jesus also said, "He who is not with me is against me."

-Do not compare yourself to others but also do not compromise the truth.

“There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.” – CS Lewis “Through the Wardrobe”

Vv. 42-50 Nothing is more important than retaining the faith unto eternal life. Let nothing come between you and the Savior.  Though He tests us with fire, He does not consume His own people.  Rejoice, for God graciously gives us the faith in which He preserves us to eternity. 

Temptations to Sin

:42  Καὶ ὃς [h]ἂν σκανδαλίσῃ ἕνα τῶν μικρῶν [i]τούτων τῶν πιστευόντων [j]εἰς ἐμέ, καλόν ἐστιν αὐτῷ μᾶλλον εἰ περίκειται [k]μύλος ὀνικὸς περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ βέβληται εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν.  Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,[b] it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 

"little ones" Gk. μικρῶν "smallest child" 

:43 Καὶ ἐὰν [l]σκανδαλίζῃ σε ἡ χείρ σου, ἀπόκοψον αὐτήν· καλόν [m]ἐστίν σε κυλλὸν [n]εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν ἢ τὰς δύο χεῖρας ἔχοντα ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὴν γέενναν, εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ [o]ἄσβεστον. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell,[c] to the unquenchable fire.[d] 

-"hell: Gk. γέενναν from Hebrew name for the Hinnom Valley southwest of Jerusalem, where humans were sacrificed (2 Ch.28:3; 33:6) and garbage was dumped (2 Kings 23:10)  Fire was constantly present in the Hinnom Valley due to sacrifices and burning trash. This became a figure for the everlasting fire of hell. Used in Mark Vv. 43, 45, 47. 

-Hand, foot, eye = Works, your walk, what you take in goes to the heart...

:45  καὶ ἐὰν ὁ πούς σου σκανδαλίζῃ σε, ἀπόκοψον αὐτόν· καλόν ἐστίν [p]σε εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν χωλὸν ἢ τοὺς δύο πόδας ἔχοντα βληθῆναι εἰς τὴν [q]γέενναν. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 

:47 καὶ ἐὰν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου σκανδαλίζῃ σε, ἔκβαλε αὐτόν· καλόν [r]σέ ἐστιν μονόφθαλμον εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ δύο ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντα βληθῆναι εἰς [s]τὴν [t]γέενναν, And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,

:48  ὅπου ὁ σκώληξ αὐτῶν οὐ τελευτᾷ καὶ τὸ πῦρ οὐ σβέννυται. where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.

:49 Πᾶς γὰρ πυρὶ [u]ἁλισθήσεται. For everyone will be salted with fire.

:50 καλὸν τὸ ἅλας· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας ἄναλον γένηται, ἐν τίνι αὐτὸ ἀρτύσετε; ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς [v]ἅλα, καὶ εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἀλλήλοις. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Sources

Scripture quotations marked SBLGNT are from the The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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