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
1Jesus is transfigured 11He instructs his disciples concerning the coming of Elijah; 14casts forth a deaf and mute spirit; 30foretells his death and resurrection; 33exhorts his disciples to humility; 38bidding them not to prohibit such as are not against them, 42nor to give offense to any of the faithful
Greek Commentary for Mark 9:44
[] The oldest and best manuscripts do not give these two verses. They came in from the Western and Syrian (Byzantine) classes. They are a mere repetition of Mark 9:48 . Hence we lose the numbering Mark 9:44 and Mark 9:46 in our verses which are not genuine. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 9:44
Mark 9:44 [] The oldest and best manuscripts do not give these two verses. They came in from the Western and Syrian (Byzantine) classes. They are a mere repetition of Mark 9:48 . Hence we lose the numbering Mark 9:44 and Mark 9:46 in our verses which are not genuine. [source]
James 5:3Rust [ιος] Poison in James 3:8; Romans 3:13 (only N.T. examples of old word). Silver does corrode and gold will tarnish. Dioscorides (V.91) tells about gold being rusted by chemicals. Modern chemists can even transmute metals as the alchemists claimed.For a testimony (εις μαρτυριον eis marturion). Common idiom as in Matthew 8:4 (use of εις eis with accusative in predicate).Against you Dative of disadvantage as in Mark 6:11 Future middle (late form from επαγον ephagon) of defective verb εστιω esthiō to eat.Your flesh The plural is used for the fleshy parts of the body like pieces of flesh (Revelation 17:16; Revelation 19:18,Revelation 19:21). Rust eats like a canker, like cancer in the body.As fire (ως πυρ hōs pur). Editors differ here whether to connect this phrase with παγεται phagetai just before (as Mayor), for fire eats up more rapidly than rust, or with the following, as Westcott and Hort and Ropes, that is the eternal fire of Gehenna which awaits them (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:44). This interpretation makes a more vivid picture for ετησαυρισατε ethēsaurisate (ye have laid up, first aorist active indicative of τησαυριζω thēsaurizō Matthew 6:19 and see Proverbs 16:27), but it is more natural to take it with παγεται phagetai f0). [source]
James 5:3Against you [υμιν] Dative of disadvantage as in Mark 6:11 Future middle (late form from επαγον ephagon) of defective verb εστιω esthiō to eat.Your flesh The plural is used for the fleshy parts of the body like pieces of flesh (Revelation 17:16; Revelation 19:18,Revelation 19:21). Rust eats like a canker, like cancer in the body.As fire (ως πυρ hōs pur). Editors differ here whether to connect this phrase with παγεται phagetai just before (as Mayor), for fire eats up more rapidly than rust, or with the following, as Westcott and Hort and Ropes, that is the eternal fire of Gehenna which awaits them (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:44). This interpretation makes a more vivid picture for ετησαυρισατε ethēsaurisate (ye have laid up, first aorist active indicative of τησαυριζω thēsaurizō Matthew 6:19 and see Proverbs 16:27), but it is more natural to take it with παγεται phagetai f0). [source]
James 5:3Your flesh [τας σαρκας] The plural is used for the fleshy parts of the body like pieces of flesh (Revelation 17:16; Revelation 19:18,Revelation 19:21). Rust eats like a canker, like cancer in the body.As fire (ως πυρ hōs pur). Editors differ here whether to connect this phrase with παγεται phagetai just before (as Mayor), for fire eats up more rapidly than rust, or with the following, as Westcott and Hort and Ropes, that is the eternal fire of Gehenna which awaits them (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:44). This interpretation makes a more vivid picture for ετησαυρισατε ethēsaurisate (ye have laid up, first aorist active indicative of τησαυριζω thēsaurizō Matthew 6:19 and see Proverbs 16:27), but it is more natural to take it with παγεται phagetai f0). [source]
James 5:3As fire [ως πυρ] Editors differ here whether to connect this phrase with παγεται phagetai just before (as Mayor), for fire eats up more rapidly than rust, or with the following, as Westcott and Hort and Ropes, that is the eternal fire of Gehenna which awaits them (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:44). This interpretation makes a more vivid picture for ετησαυρισατε ethēsaurisate (ye have laid up, first aorist active indicative of τησαυριζω thēsaurizō Matthew 6:19 and see Proverbs 16:27), but it is more natural to take it with παγεται phagetai f0). [source]
Greek Commentary for Mark 9:44
The oldest and best manuscripts do not give these two verses. They came in from the Western and Syrian (Byzantine) classes. They are a mere repetition of Mark 9:48 . Hence we lose the numbering Mark 9:44 and Mark 9:46 in our verses which are not genuine. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 9:44
The oldest and best manuscripts do not give these two verses. They came in from the Western and Syrian (Byzantine) classes. They are a mere repetition of Mark 9:48 . Hence we lose the numbering Mark 9:44 and Mark 9:46 in our verses which are not genuine. [source]
See Mark 9:44 [source]
Poison in James 3:8; Romans 3:13 (only N.T. examples of old word). Silver does corrode and gold will tarnish. Dioscorides (V.91) tells about gold being rusted by chemicals. Modern chemists can even transmute metals as the alchemists claimed.For a testimony (εις μαρτυριον eis marturion). Common idiom as in Matthew 8:4 (use of εις eis with accusative in predicate).Against you Dative of disadvantage as in Mark 6:11 Future middle (late form from επαγον ephagon) of defective verb εστιω esthiō to eat.Your flesh The plural is used for the fleshy parts of the body like pieces of flesh (Revelation 17:16; Revelation 19:18, Revelation 19:21). Rust eats like a canker, like cancer in the body.As fire (ως πυρ hōs pur). Editors differ here whether to connect this phrase with παγεται phagetai just before (as Mayor), for fire eats up more rapidly than rust, or with the following, as Westcott and Hort and Ropes, that is the eternal fire of Gehenna which awaits them (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:44). This interpretation makes a more vivid picture for ετησαυρισατε ethēsaurisate (ye have laid up, first aorist active indicative of τησαυριζω thēsaurizō Matthew 6:19 and see Proverbs 16:27), but it is more natural to take it with παγεται phagetai f0). [source]
Dative of disadvantage as in Mark 6:11 Future middle (late form from επαγον ephagon) of defective verb εστιω esthiō to eat.Your flesh The plural is used for the fleshy parts of the body like pieces of flesh (Revelation 17:16; Revelation 19:18, Revelation 19:21). Rust eats like a canker, like cancer in the body.As fire (ως πυρ hōs pur). Editors differ here whether to connect this phrase with παγεται phagetai just before (as Mayor), for fire eats up more rapidly than rust, or with the following, as Westcott and Hort and Ropes, that is the eternal fire of Gehenna which awaits them (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:44). This interpretation makes a more vivid picture for ετησαυρισατε ethēsaurisate (ye have laid up, first aorist active indicative of τησαυριζω thēsaurizō Matthew 6:19 and see Proverbs 16:27), but it is more natural to take it with παγεται phagetai f0). [source]
The plural is used for the fleshy parts of the body like pieces of flesh (Revelation 17:16; Revelation 19:18, Revelation 19:21). Rust eats like a canker, like cancer in the body.As fire (ως πυρ hōs pur). Editors differ here whether to connect this phrase with παγεται phagetai just before (as Mayor), for fire eats up more rapidly than rust, or with the following, as Westcott and Hort and Ropes, that is the eternal fire of Gehenna which awaits them (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:44). This interpretation makes a more vivid picture for ετησαυρισατε ethēsaurisate (ye have laid up, first aorist active indicative of τησαυριζω thēsaurizō Matthew 6:19 and see Proverbs 16:27), but it is more natural to take it with παγεται phagetai f0). [source]
Editors differ here whether to connect this phrase with παγεται phagetai just before (as Mayor), for fire eats up more rapidly than rust, or with the following, as Westcott and Hort and Ropes, that is the eternal fire of Gehenna which awaits them (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:44). This interpretation makes a more vivid picture for ετησαυρισατε ethēsaurisate (ye have laid up, first aorist active indicative of τησαυριζω thēsaurizō Matthew 6:19 and see Proverbs 16:27), but it is more natural to take it with παγεται phagetai f0). [source]