Mark 9:44 - Printer Friendly

This verse is not found in the oldest and most reliable transcripts. When it is included, it and verse 46 are identical to Mark 9:48. It's possible that this phrase was added by a well-meaning copyist trying to harmonize each statement. Jesus quotes from Isaiah 66:24 which describes the fate of sinners facing God's final judgment.

Jesus has just said that it would be better to cut off your hand and have eternal life than to have two hands yet enter hell. In the following verses, He will say the same about cutting off a foot or tearing out an eye. The sentiment is a traditional way of saying that we should use any needed measure to prevent specific sin.

The idea is somewhat uncommon in today's culture. Discipline is lauded as a method to make money, get in shape, or master a new skill. The world is less interested in setting up boundaries to avoid sin.

In contrast, the Jewish scribes excelled at setting "fences" around God's law so that people wouldn't even come close to sinning. They codified these fences in the Oral Law. The Pharisees were experts at following those extra rules.

Jesus responded by pointing out that truly obeying the Mosaic Law was hard enough without all these specific, manmade additions. Obeying the spirit of the Law would be difficult enough: Don't just avoid murder, avoid anger (Matthew 5:21–22). Don't just avoid adultery, don't let yourself be tempted at all (Matthew 5:27–28). Go even further in the work of loving others by submitting to the needs of those who cheat and abuse you (Matthew 5:38–48). If you want to earn heaven, be perfect.

Of course, none of us can be perfect. And so Jesus came and died for our sins. It is good to try to obey God's will and His commands. It is better to also realize we will never do so perfectly, and we need God's grace.

Mark 9:42–48 shows that even if we follow the letter of the law, or maim ourselves in the attempt, we cannot be good enough to get to heaven on our own. In Matthew, directly after Jesus' hard words against sinning and tempting others to sin, Jesus talks about God's forgiveness and love for us (Matthew 18:12–14) and our responsibility to forgive others (Matthew 18:15–35). The various parallels in Matthew and Luke, as well as phrasing intended to transition subjects along suggest this passage is a synopsis of several different teachings. Still, Matthew 18:7–9 gives a reasonable parallel.

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.