Ryle on Mark 9:30-37

Imported boundary: J. C. Ryle's Expository Thoughts on Mark from the Internet Archive DjVu OCR for the 1858 Robert Carter St. Mark volume. Title pages, preface, contents, running heads, page numbers, OCR boilerplate, and indexes are not mirrored. The source includes Ryle's printed Scripture text and exposition; this scan-derived text remains needs-verification.

Primary passage: Mark 9:30-37.

Source Text

30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee ; and he would not that any man should know it. 31 For he taught his disciples, and paid unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him 5 and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. 32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. 33 And he came to Capernaum : and being in the house he asked them,

* The expression " greatly amazed," in the fifteenth verse of the passage now expounded, deserves some notice. The Greek word What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? 34 But they held their peace : for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. 35 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. 36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them : and when lie had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, 37 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.

Let us mark, in these verses, oar Lord's renewed an- nouncement of His own coming, death, and resurrection. " He taught His disciples, and said unto thern, 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." The dullness of the disciples in spiritual things ap- pears once more, as soon as this announcement was made. There was good in the tidings as well as seeming evil - sweet as well as bitter - life as well as death - the resurrection as well as the cross. But it was all darkness to the bewildered twelve. " They understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask." Their minds were still full of their mistaken ideas of their Master's reign upon earth. They thought that His earthly kingdom was immediately to appear. Never are we so slow to un- derstand, as when prejudice and pre-conveived opinions darken our eyes. The immense importance of our Lord's death and resurrection comes out strongly in this fresh announce- is exceedingly strong, and implies a feeling much beyond that which the English word " amazed" conveys to our minds. It certainly seems as if some traces of visible glory, or, at any rate, some expres- sion of extraordinary majesty appeared in our Lord's countenance, after the transfiguration. It reminds us of the face of Moses shining whm he came down from the mount. ment which He makes. It is not for nothing that He reminds us again that He must die. He would have us know that His death was the great end for which He came into the world. He would remind us that by that death the great problem was to be solved, how God could be just, and yet justify sinners. He did not come upon earth merely to teach, and preach, and work miracles. He came to make satisfaction for sin, by His own blood and suffering on the cross. Let us never forget this. The incarnation, and example, and words of Christ, are all of deep importance. But the grand object which demands our notice in the history of His earthly minis- try, is His death on Calvary.

Let us mark, in the second place, in these verses, the ambition and love of pre-eminence which the apostles exhibited. " By the way they disputed among themselves who should be greatest." How strange this sounds ! Who would have thought that a few fishermen and publicans could have been over- come by emulation, and the desire of supremacy ? Who would have expected that poor men, who had given up all for Christ's sake, would have been troubled by strife and dissension, as to the place and precedence which each one deserved ? Yet so it is. The fact is recorded for our learning. The Holy Ghost has caused it to be written down for the perpetual use of Christ's Church.

Let us take care that it is not written in vain. It is an awful fact, whether we like to allow it or not, that pride is one of the commonest sins which beset human nature. We are all born Pharisees. We all naturally think far better of ourselves than we ought. 187 We all naturally fancy that we deserve something better than we have. - It is an old sin. It began in the garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve thought they had not got everything that their merits deserved. - It is a subtle sin. It rules and reigns in many a heart without being detected, and can even wear the garb of humility. - It is a most soul-ruining sin. It prevents repentance, beeps men back from Christ - checks brotherly love, and nips in the bud spiritual anxiety. - Let us watch against it, and be on our guard. Of all garments, none is so graceful, none wears so well, and none is so rare, as true humility.

Let us mark, in the third place, the peculiar standard of true greatness which our Lord sets before His disciples. He says to them, " If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all." These words are deeply instructive. They show us that the maxims of the world are directly contrary to the mind of Christ. The world's idea of greatness is to rule, but Christian greatness consists in serving. The world's ambition is to receive honor and attention, but the desire of the Christian should be to give rather than receive, and to attend on others rather than be attended on himself. In short, the man who lays himself out most to serve his fellow men, and to be useful in his day and generation, is the greatest man in the eyes of Christ.'-'5 Let us strive to make a practical use of this heart- searching maxim.

Let us seek to do good to our fellow

* The words of Augustine on this point are worth reading. He says, " A bishop's office is a name of labor rather than of honor ; so that he who coveteth pre-eminence rather than usefulness may under- stand that he is not a bishop." - De Civit. Dei. men, and to mortify that self-pleasing and self-indulgence, to which we are all so prone. Is there any service that we can render to our fellow Christians ? Is there any kindness that we can do them, to help them and promote their happiness ? If there is, let us do it without delay. Well would it be for Christendom, if empty boasts of churchmanship and orthodoxy were less frequent, and practical attention to our Lord's words in this passage more common. The men who are willing to be last of •all, and servants of all, for Christ's sake, are always few. Yet these are the men who do good, break down prejudices, convince infidels that Christianity is a reality, and shake the world.

Let us mark, in the last place, ichat encouragement our Lord gives us to show kindness to the least and lowest who believe in His name. He teaches this lesson in a very touching manner; He took a child in His arms, and said to His disciples, " Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me, and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth Him that sent me." The principle here laid down is a continuation of that which we have just considered. It is one which is fool- ishness to the natural man. Flesh and blood can see no other way to greatness than crowns, and rank, and wealth, and high position in the world. The Son of God declares that the way lies in devoting ourselves to the care of the weakest and lowest of His flock. He enforces His declaration by marvellous words, which are often read and heard without thought. He tells us that to " receive one child in His name, is to receive Christ, and to receive Christ is to receive God." There is rich encouragement here for ail who devote themselves to the charitable work of doing good to neg- lected souls. There is encouragement for every one who labors to restore the outcast to a place in society - to raise the fallen - to gather together the ragged children, whom no man cares for - to pluck the worst of characters from a life of sin, like brands from the burning - and to bring the wanderers home. Let all such take comfort when they read these words. Their work may often be hard and discouraging. They may be mocked, ridiculed, and held up to scorn by the world. But let them know that the Son of God marks all they do, and is well pleased. Whatever the world may think, these are they whom Jesus will delight to honor at the last day.