A HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS

WW. Christ’s Call For Humility In Relationships

(Matthew 18:6-14; Mark 9:38-50; Luke 9:49-50)

I. Introduction

A. After Jesus had critiqued His disciples for arguing who of them would be the greatest in heaven, John tried to gain Christ’s approval by showing the disciples’ devotion to Christ by how they had rebuked another man.

B. However, what John thought was devotion to Christ was itself rooted in the pride Jesus had critiqued in them!

C. Christ’s call for humility in relationships in Matthew 18:6-14; Mark 9:38-50 and Luke 9:49-50 confronts this need in John and the other disciples, and we study this instruction for our insight, application and edification:

II. Christ’s Call For Humility In Relationships, Matthew 18:6-14; Mark 9:38-50 and Luke 9:49-50.

A. Following Jesus’ reproof of His disciples for trying to argue who among them was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, John “sought to divert the Lord from His rebuke and gain His approval by showing his devotion to Christ. John said that the Twelve had encountered a man who was casting out demons and using Jesus’ name to do it. They commanded him to stop casting out demons in His name because he was not in Jesus’ company.” (Mark 9:38; J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ, 1991, p. 265)

B. Jesus responded by first correcting this errant action by the Twelve, Mark 9:39-41:

1. Using the negative particle me with the present imperative koluete from the root koluo, “hinder, restrain” (U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 161; The Analyt. Grk. Lex. (Zon.), 1972, p. 244), Jesus replied, “stop hindering, restraining” such a man, for there was no man who could perform a miracle like casting demons out in Christ’s name who could in the next moment say anything bad about Jesus, Mark 9:39.

2. Whether this man was a follower of John who believed John’s word about Jesus or whether he had believed in Jesus under some other circumstances, he certainly was a believer of some sort who needed to be treated as a believer who by faith was being blessed of God to perform exorcisms. (Pentecost, loc. cit.)

3. Thus, the Twelve were to view anyone who was not against Jesus and His disciples as being on their side (Mark 9:40), and whoever performed the smallest favor like giving the disciples a cup of water to drink in Christ’s name for their belonging to Christ would be rewarded by God, Mark 9:41.

C. Christ then critiqued the disciples’ pride that led to their errant rebuke of the weak believer, Mark 9:42-48:

1. Jesus referred to the innocent man the disciples had rebuked as an offended “little one,” a spiritual child, a believer who was immature in his faith but was still a believer, Mark 9:42a; Pentecost, op. cit., p. 265-266.

2. Thus, if one spiritually offended an immature believer, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung about his neck and he be cast into the sea, Mark 9:42b. “By this He severely warned the Twelve to show how serious He deemed giving offense to be,” Ibid., p. 266.

3. Jesus then told His disciples to deal with the “problem that produced the offense. When Christ said they should cut off their hand or foot, or pluck out their eye, He was not teaching self-mutilation, for one could cut off two hands and two feet and pluck out two eyes and still have the root problem of pride within (vv. 43-47).” (Ibid.) The Twelve were to remove the problem of their pride that they not give offense.

4. “If one is characterized by pride rather than humility and . . . consistently acts in pride so as to offend those who believe in Christ, he is demonstrating that he does not belong to Christ and . . . would consequently ‘be thrown into hell’ (v. 47). Christ was not threatening the Twelve with the loss of their salvation or telling them that one offense will consign them to hell. But if such an attitude should characterize them then they would not belong to Him . . . Christ’s humility characterizes the believer,” Ibid.

D. Another reason believers should not have a superior attitude toward immature believers is that their angels always behold the Father’s face in heaven, Matthew 18:10; Ibid. Immature believers are just as important to God as mature believers, so the mature should not be proud so as to mistreat the immature and anger the Lord!

E. In conclusion, Jesus directed His disciples to have “salt” in themselves, a reference to being at peace with other believers by being humble so as not to offend fellow immature believers, Mark 9:49-50. (Ibid., p. 267)

F. [Significantly, John who sought Jesus’ approval by telling Him of the disciples’ proud rebuke of the weaker believer learned his lesson from this event: throughout his Gospel, he repeatedly humbly referred to himself as “that other disciple” or the “disciple whom Jesus loved” (cf. John 13:23; 18:15; 21:7, 20-24)!]

Lesson: Jesus told His disciples to avoid harboring a proud, superior attitude toward weaker, immature believers.

Application: May we relate to other believers, including the weak and immature, not with pride, but with humility.