Mark 9:30-37

The chapter of Mark in which this passage is found is difficult to absorb on paper so I can’t imagine the challenge of being the real-life people walking at talking it out with Jesus. The transfiguration experience would have been worthy of taking up a whole chapter or at least a three-day retreat with reflections on what they saw, heard and it’s possible meaning.  The healing of the boy with the spirit with both the consternation by the crowd of the disciples’ limitations in healing and the phrase that has fed many of our souls over the years uttered by the father; “I believe; help my unbelief” (9:24). We are also invited to receive the often ignored (maybe purposefully dismissed) teachings of Jesus’ about his impending death and resurrection. All of this is the context in which we land when we hear Jesus’ bold question; “What were you arguing about on the way?” (9:33) I greatly appreciate that Jesus doesn’t play games and puts what is being whispered out on the table for all to see.

Perhaps the disciple’s fixation on who was the greatest among them was a reaction to all these things they could not understand. Maybe they didn’t have the right tools (and who could blame them) to make sense of these experiences and lessons therefore, they turn to what they know, which is the question of group hierarchy.  The choice to take only three disciples up the high mountain may have raised concerns about the pecking order. There are loads of reasons for this argument, but the end of the day Jesus is inviting them to experience life with him in the moment and providing them words and concepts of meaning for what is to come and they are missing it. We can all be overwhelmed by the many waves of new information and changes that happen within our lives and institutions. Changes we cannot understand create fear. Fear often creates an atmosphere where arguing can dominate a community.

When Jesus asks “What were you arguing about” there is only silence. I find myself wondering what arguments we are having that Jesus might interrupt with this question. And would we be insightful enough to be quiet? It does seem that whether its’ real verbal arguments or simply in our heads the root of many of those concerns or fears are a posture of rightness, defensiveness and often greatness.

We are invited by God at the beginning of this chapter to hear “This is my Son, the Beloved; Listen to him! (9:7b). If I am willing to listen, I might be able consider some information, some calling, some seeing that is bigger than the latest consuming argument. When I listen and take time to look at Jesus’ actions, I hear a message on repeat about a love that is sacrificial, a hope through the resurrection that is eternal, a way of being embraced and embracing others that trusts in this relationship with God through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. In all our arguing we get lost. People encountering the church get tired of arguments of rightness and power and leave. The demand for using or not using particular words or phrases can be cloaked as concern but is a weaponized argument of who’s the greatest (who gets to control the narrative). We fail to listen to Jesus in his words and actions. In some ways it reflects a functional atheism. We can begin to think and act as if God is not able to work in the lives of others unless all the “right” words are said and all the steps to reconciliation are made in the “right” order. So, we argue.

Life with God is messy, and Jesus seems very comfortable with the messy. The healing of the boy ends with the disciples asking a question: “Why could we not cast it out? His answer: “This kind can come out only through prayer.” (9:28,29). This failure was not from getting the words wrong or some steps of healing out of order. What is needed for lifegiving presence of Christ to flow through us is this breathing in and out the life of God as a people who listen to Jesus, who humbly walk by the Holy Spirit, who live a life of prayer. 

In this Mark passage Jesus fleshes out this concept by bringing the child into their midst, holding the child in the crook of his arm and saying: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (9:37a). This life with God is not in getting all the words right or steps in order, it is found in receiving the welcome of Christ. We are all pilgrims and any who want to join the journey are to be welcomed. We must remember that Jesus invited the disciples to follow. It was in the following that they were transformed. The disciples (and we) seem to forget that we are but one member of this motley parade of people who respond to this invitation. We are all being transformed and therefore there is no pecking order. This arises again when the disciples report to Jesus: “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” (9:40).  There is a lot to unpack there but note this perceived outsider is not only not one of them, but they say the problem is he is not following “us”. Where did this hierarchy of “us” come in to following Jesus? 

I find myself being challenged by this chapter as it calls me to be a welcoming follower of Jesus inviting others to come along. What a breath of air if God’s people would drop the arguments and join the commitment to extend a Christ centered hospitality knowing we too had to be welcomed. We don’t all have to agree on everything even those practices we hold dear (the multiple versions of denominations speak to that truth). As Jesus presents the child, he in essence takes each disciple and the others they meet along the way into the crook of his arms and says welcome this one, this one is mine and you are to receive them as you walk this path ahead.  Therefore, we are each placed into the crook of Jesus arm, and he looks about to those who claim to be Christ followers and says, welcome this one too. 

We can be a community of grace which forgives in the name of Christ, loves in the name of Christ and encourages people to grow in the name of Christ. Like the early disciples this includes formational practices of hearing (reading) God’s word, receiving the life of Christ, lives of prayer, breaking bread and community discernment regarding how love sacrificially.  The journey includes reflecting on what we see, hear and it’s possible meaning. I don’t need to dictate all the words or steps that others need to take. Let us find a way to join the motley parade of walking with Jesus in ways that glorify God and show we are a people who see Jesus, the Beloved and listen to him.  In the meantime, may we, as the closing words of Chapter nine say: “be at peace with one another” (9:50b).