The Meaning of Mark 9:41 Explained

Mark 9:41

KJV: 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.

YLT: for whoever may give you to drink a cup of water in my name, because ye are Christ's, verily I say to you, he may not lose his reward;

Darby: For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye are Christ's, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

ASV: For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink, because ye are Christ's, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Mark 9:41 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The connecting idea with what precedes is the "name." Not only would the exorcist receive God"s blessing, but anyone who does anything to help another person using even the name of a disciple of Jesus would receive His reward. This help extends to the almost insignificant act of giving a cup of cold water to some thirsty person. This act was much less helpful than delivering from demonic affliction.
This is one of the rare occasions when Jesus used the title "Messiah" of Himself. His use of it here makes the lesson even more forceful. The person giving the cup of cold water might have only a superficial understanding of Jesus. Nonetheless if that person offered simple hospitality to one of Jesus" disciples because he was a disciple of "Messiah" that one would receive God"s blessing.

Context Summary

Mark 9:30-50 - The Path To Greatness
Such were the hopes awakened by the Transfiguration and the following miracles that the disciples were led to speculate upon their relative position in the Kingdom. Jesus therefore took a little child for His text, and preached to them a sermon on humility. How constantly the Master speaks of the little ones! He says that we must be converted to become like them; that to cause them to stumble will involve terrible penalties; that they are not to be despised; that each has an angel of the Father's presence-chamber appointed to his charge; that to seek and to save one He is prepared as the shepherd to traverse the mountains; that it is not the Father's will that one of them should perish. How infinitely tender and humble was His love for them!
Let us strive to cut off whatever causes us to stumble. It may be a friendship, a pastime, a pursuit, a course of reading; but there must be no quarter given, no excuse accepted. As soon as the soul dares to make this supreme renunciation, there is an accession of life. Whenever the body loses the use of one member, such as the eye, there is an accession of vigor in others; so, to deny the lower is to open the door to the higher, and, though maimed, to enter into life. Mark 9:44-48 evidently refer to the valley of Hinnom, where fires were kept burning to consume waste. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 9

1  Jesus is transfigured
11  He instructs his disciples concerning the coming of Elijah;
14  casts forth a deaf and mute spirit;
30  foretells his death and resurrection;
33  exhorts his disciples to humility;
38  bidding them not to prohibit such as are not against them,
42  nor to give offense to any of the faithful

Greek Commentary for Mark 9:41

Because ye are Christ‘s [hoti Christou este)]
Predicate genitive, belong to Christ. See Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Corinthians 10:7. That is the bond of universal brotherhood of the redeemed. It breaks over the lines of nation, race, class, sex, everything. No service is too small, even a cup of cold water, if done for Christ‘s sake. See note on Matthew 18:6. for discussion on stumbling-blocks for these little ones that believe on Jesus (Mark 9:42), a loving term of all believers, not just children. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 9:41

1 Peter 4:16 Let him not be ashamed [μη]
Prohibition with αισχυνω — mē and present passive imperative of εν τωι ονοματι τουτωι — aischunō Peter had once been ashamed to suffer reproach or even a sneer for being a disciple of Christ (Mark 14:68). See the words of Jesus in Mark 8:38 and Paul‘s in 2 Timothy 1:12. Peter is not ashamed now. In this name Of Christian as in Mark 9:41, “because ye are Christ‘s.” [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 9:41 mean?

Whoever for - might give to drink you a cup of water in name because Christ’s you are truly I say to you that no not shall he lose the reward of him
Ὃς γὰρ ἂν ποτίσῃ ὑμᾶς ποτήριον ὕδατος ἐν ὀνόματι ὅτι Χριστοῦ ἐστε ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐ μὴ ἀπολέσῃ τὸν μισθὸν αὐτοῦ

Ὃς  Whoever 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἂν  - 
Parse: Particle
Root: ἄν  
Sense: has no exact English equivalent, see definitions under AV.
ποτίσῃ  might  give  to  drink 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ποτίζω  
Sense: to give to drink, to furnish drink.
ποτήριον  a  cup 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ποτήριον  
Sense: a cup, a drinking vessel.
ὕδατος  of  water 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ὕδωρ  
Sense: water.
ὀνόματι  name 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
Χριστοῦ  Christ’s 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
ἐστε  you  are 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἀμὴν  truly 
Parse: Hebrew Word
Root: ἀμήν  
Sense: firm.
λέγω  I  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ὑμῖν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
οὐ  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐ  
Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer.
ἀπολέσῃ  shall  he  lose 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπόλλυμι  
Sense: to destroy.
μισθὸν  reward 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: μισθός  
Sense: dues paid for work.
αὐτοῦ  of  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.