Mark 9:41 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

NASB: For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.

CSB: And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ —truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.

NLT: If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.

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.

NKJV: For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

Jesus continues to redefine the type of community He expects His followers to foster. The members are not the powerful but those He sends, whether they be grown, empowered disciples (Mark 6:7–13) or children (Mark 9:36–37), or even, to some extent, as-yet outsiders who have caught a glimpse of Jesus' power (Mark 9:38–40). In response, His followers shouldn't expect honor like the Pharisees (Matthew 6:5) but rejection, suffering (Mark 8:34), and maybe a glass of water. The reward Christians will receive is a heavenly treasure they can't imagine (Matthew 5:12), not the accolades of men (Matthew 6:2).

We get too caught up in specifics, sometimes. Churches and ministries should not affirm false beliefs or overlook sin to receive support for God's work. We can, however, graciously accept aid from someone who sees what we do and wants to help. The disciples are ready to reject a man who is at least joining in the fight against satanic forces. Jesus infers there will come a time where the situation is so difficult even a glass of water will be a great blessing and worthy of reward. It's foolish to reject that water just because the one offering it has different theological beliefs.

A few short years after this, Jews and Romans will hunt, try, and kill Christians (Acts 8:1–3). The Jews, at least, believe their violence is in service to God, just as the Pharisees of Mark 3:22–27 think. Jesus expects us to be willing to make great sacrifices for Him (Mark 8:34), with little earthly reward or help. We should be grateful when that help comes.

Mark 9:38–41 is one of the more ironic passages of the Bible. John describes how the disciples try to stop a man from using Jesus' name to expel demons shortly after they, themselves, are unable to rescue a boy from demonic possession (Mark 9:17–18) and minutes after the disciples argue over who is the greatest (Mark 9:33–34). Jesus points out that ''enemies'' are those who attack them, not people walking in the same direction. This account is paralleled in Luke 9:49–50.

Mark chapter 9 contains an account of Jesus' transfiguration, where three of the disciples witness Him in a glorified form. In this passage, Jesus also heals a demon-possessed boy. His teachings in this section include a prediction of His death and resurrection, and corrections to the disciples' errors on questions of pride and temptation.

Mark 9 continues Jesus' efforts to teach the disciples who He is, what He has come to do, and what their role is in His mission. The chapter begins with the transfiguration, where Peter, James, and John catch a glimpse of Jesus' glory, and ends back in Capernaum. Jesus spends most of that time teaching. Although the disciples do quarrel with the scribes, the misconceptions and errors Jesus addresses come from the disciples, themselves, not outsiders. In the next chapter, He will leave Galilee and travel toward Jerusalem and the cross.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.