Mark 9:41-45

Mark 9:41 (KJB)
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.

Then Jesus takes it down a notch to just a cup of cold water. He is emphasizing that not every single task in the Kingdom of God is going to be a large task and just because a person is doing a task which seems very small, they too will share in the reward. It takes many working together and some doing the bigger tasks and some doing the smaller tasks to bring together a ministry that sends out the Gospel. Sometimes I hear on the radio, ministries which state that you should not hesitate to send in $5 or $10, and that is true because they add up and as they add up, they widen the outreach of ministry. So never look at a ministry task as being too small for being useful, because Jesus doesn’t and neither should you.

Mark 9:42 (KJB)
And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

Many times the pro-life movement will use this verse as a teaching against abortion but that is not what is in view here. When Jesus uses the term “little children” or “little ones” it is speaking about all those who believe in Him. (Mat 10:42 KJV) And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. In the book of John the term is also used. (John 13:33 KJV) Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. It means every believer will eventually be vindicated if they have suffered persecution. Jesus is stating that those who offend which means “to cause to stumble” will be judged and sent to the lake of fire. This is why Jesus is stating that it is better that a millstone be hung around the neck. Millstones were very heavy and that would mean if it was tied around someone’s neck, there would be no way they could ever come to the surface. Then Jesus states that they should be drowned in the depths of the sea, which means the deepest parts. Jesus is not mincing words here because He takes it very seriously when someone not only persecutes a Christian but even if they cause them to stumble or cause them to drift from the path of truth.

Mark 9:43 (KJB)
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

(Mat 5:30 KJV) And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Then Jesus continues His homily by now going into the practical aspects of the sin. Here He mentions the hand which is speaking of the acting out of the sin. In Matthew 5:30 in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus specifically mentions the right hand. There is a major reason for this. The right hand in Scripture in reference to God, is speaking of His power. (Mark 14:62 KJV) And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Jesus is stating that if you are sinning with all your being such as sexual sin, gambling, drinking, or any other type of sin and are doing it with all your might, then you are to cut off the right hand, that is, the power which has sway over you. Evil thoughts that graduate to partaking of sin must be quenched because when the desire becomes strong, then a person partakes in the sin. This is why Jesus emphasizes the fact that thoughts of sin are sin and can escalate in the life of both unbeliever and believer to the point it can ruin a life.

Mark 9:44 (KJB)
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

(Isa 66:24 KJV) And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. Jesus is stating that if one does not become saved, then they will be cast into the lake of fire on Judgment Day. There will be no end to the torment and no matter how many things are thrown into the fire, it is never quenched. We drink water to quench our thirst and we eventually reach that point but the fire never has enough to quench it. As for what the worm represents, it may be the continuing desires that a person had on earth with it never being fulfilled or it may be the ceaseless torments associated with their punishment since the phrase is “their worm” making it possessive.

Mark 9:45 (KJB)
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Jesus then makes an illustration concerning the foot which should definitely not be taken literally because that would be mutilating the body God gave us. The point that Jesus is making here is the foot represents action or behavior. He is pinpointing that if there is some type of habit in your life which may cause you to stumble, then you need to expunge that habit as if you were actually cutting off your foot especially if you have to travel somewhere to commit your pet sin. The foot carries the rest of the body and if your foot is not there, then you are unable to carry your body to your favorite place of sin. It is called radical surgery because it will save the life of the person. In this case, if a sinful habit is keeping you from seeking the Lord, then once that habit is out of your life, you will have a clearer path to seek the Lord. It is a question of your attitude toward the things of the Lord. If you desire to keep on with your habitual sin, then you will be cast full bodied into the lake of fire. Jesus is stating that as one loses his foot, if you lose the bad habit you may seem to the world as maimed because you do not want to run with them anymore. (1 Pet 4:3-4 KJV) For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: {4} Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Losing the bad habit without salvation in Christ will wind you up in the same place as all sinners but if you have stopped sinning because you have become saved, then you have passed from death to life.

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