“Whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40)
Mark 9:38-50 (Year B: 18th Sunday after Trinity)
Encountering differences among those with whom we interact...
This passage welds together two stories: one about an exorcist ‘who was not one of us’ and whom the disciples thought of as competing with Jesus; the other about the need for discipline and sacrifice in the following of Jesus. In a way, both stories form two sides of the one coin.
In our lives we encounter many people who are different by reason of temperament, religion, politics, ethnic background or other characteristics. And dare one say theology, too. The world and human life would be very boring were it to be otherwise. However, when it comes to religion we can be especially fussy about whom we associate with and who we admit to the club. Moreover, religion – contrary to its root meaning in Latin, religare – to bind together – can and does become a source of animosity and division. One of the big surprises of the 21st century is that religion is very back in global political discourse contrary to the predictions of many thinkers and sages. It is back with a vengeance and not always in ways that many of us would want or have ever expected. Witness the rise of particular fundamentalisms across the globe. Witness the rise of a certain type of self-righteous, compassion-less and doctrinaire Christianity that imposes its views on others and condemns and excludes those within the Christian family for allegedly unbiblical or non-orthodox (I believe the term is heterodox!) teaching.
Confronted with an exorcist who was doing the same works, so it seemed, as Jesus was doing, the disciples wondered what to do about the outsider. There are those who ‘do not follow us’ but seem to share many of our values and even some of our ideas and goals. What should be our response? Without hesitation or qualification we should work with others for the common good on those issues and concerns that connect to us regardless of their religion or outlook. Clearly, there are some people and causes we should never work with no matter how incidental a few areas of commonality may arise. This goes without explanation and it does not need to be spelt out further, here.
The role of witness...
In the course of my work (my day job!) I encounter a wide range of persons who have no time for organised religion or things associated with religion. Yet, I collaborate and associate with many of these on projects of practical application especially in the area of research and knowledge. I sense that the shared values on social progress are sufficient reason to work with others towards shared goals. Christians need to come out of the closet not by preaching God at people on the street corner or at the coffee break but by being active, engaged, concerned and cooperative in efforts to tackle injustice and make for a better world. In this way a spark of the light that is within us will shine out and, perhaps, others might be drawn to ask ‘Why?’. Every journey in faith starts with a simple question, a conversation and a listening ear. What a privilege for us prepared to rise to the challenge!
Climate change and environmental concerns are a good example...
Take the area of climate change and the environment. The 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si, of Pope Francis has identified a major moral challenge which should unite movements, governments and peoples at global level. Yet, we find not a few Christians denying climate change – in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence. For them, the fact that persons or movements they do not like are championing the cause of the environment is enough reason to be sceptical or negative or indifferent. Moreover, there are powerful commercial and national interests at work to disrupt and oppose international agreement on carbon emissions. Here is an area where those ‘who are not against us are for us’.
Many are very concerned about the precious gift of life from the first stage of human life and rightly so. If only the same concerns were extended as passionately and as systemically to every stage of human life as we continue to thrash the planet and leave a world that will be scarcely habitable for future generations.
In welcoming others of different persuasions and backgrounds we welcome Christ in our neighbour. Without realising it we may end up ‘entertaining angels’ (Hebrews 13:2). Every act of kindness no matter how small counts especially when the person next to us is passing through trials. The ‘cup of water’, referred to in this Gospel passage, may be some act of kindness or practical act of help that we can give someone.
But how can we do this if we are imprisoned by our doubts and our attachments to this or that idea, comfort or material possession? This is where radical discipleship comes in. The words attributed to Jesus in Mark certainly strike us hard:
if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. (verses 45-46)
This is a good example of not taking every line of scripture absolutely literally but, rather, understanding the underlying point being made and situating it alongside the whole of the scriptures! The point is that whatever part of our thinking or behaviour leads us down paths that are destructive and harmful then we should not hesitate to cut these off. An example might refer to patterns of behaviour where people stay up or work until a late hour only to get up extra early the following morning to try and beat the traffic or get more work in. The result might be a systematic tiredness that the person is not even so much aware of any more. And the result of tiredness is, very often, irritability, poor judgment, rash statements and actions and worse still accidents on the road or elsewhere. And the point is? Setting out to deprive ourselves of sleep is not only a bad idea but, quite possibly an example of an ‘occasion of sin’. We need our sleep and rest because we have a duty of care to our bodies, our minds and our relationships. Of course, a young parent of a new born baby (or a teenager!) might object by saying ‘one has no choice the matter’. Indeed. And the same might be said of those who are homeless or those who simply cannot sleep for one reason or another. Let it be said that where we have the opportunity to get adequate rest we ought to avail of it and get our priorities right! And that is only one example. Cutting of a leg here or a hand there might mean closing down TV and internet for an hour before going to bed or just planning in an hour of restful walking in the countryside alone or with another some Sunday afternoon.
The role of witness...
Returning to the main story, there is much to lead us astray including in appropriate behaviour and thinking that spoils many a committed relationship. However, we need to open our God-given eyes (assuming we can see at all) and use our hands and feet (assuming we have such faculties) to do good; to avoid evil and to live life to the full the way God intended it to be lived. This brings us back to where the story started – there are many in the world that we need to work with and not against. Losing some of our own preciousness and insecurity is part of the radical call of Jesus found in the gospels and here in Mark.
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Further reading: notes and questions, verse by verse (Mark 9:38-50)
Preliminaries
Three topics are brought together in this selection from Mark: a challenge to closed mentalities, the importance of every act of kindness and thoughtfulness and the ever present threat of serious threat in the church. All of this has salience at this time across the Christian Church and Churches. We see the devastating impact of the abuse of children (why is the demeaning term ‘minors’ still in use?). it has devastated so many lives and, because of inaction and cover-up, has undermined the teaching credibility of the whole universal Church. By infecting one part of the Christian family, especially, we are all impacted by the loss of trust, credibility and affection.
38-40: challenging closed minds
‘John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us.’The idea that someone from another denomination or tribe could act virtuously or even be a channel of God’s grace makes for uncomfortable hearing for some. Not only that, but it may happen that spiritual healing arises from ‘unauthorised’ persons or situations. The key question is whether or not people are healed and truly set free. It is so easy to fall into the fallacy of the self-referential church full of its own correctness, superiority and uniqueness. The ‘one true church’ syndrome has exacted so much harm to the Body of Christ. And, with it, the mentality of excluding those not authorised or approved to participate fully in the mission to serve this world and one another. It is a deep-rooted malaise. We must be ever vigilant and every ready to confront such mentalities even at the cost of much hostility and misunderstanding.
41 the importance of even just one kind act
‘For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.’We may despair, at times, about the state of the world and the church. However, right now, in this place and at this time there is someone right beside you. Now is the time to listen, to observe, to speak (having listened and seen carefully) and to act. It may be a small thing or not so small. At least I can do this or say that. Anything is better than nothing. Positive acts of kindness is infinitely better than negative.
42-48 Radical and firm in the face of scandal
‘If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.’
Scandals are never far at any time in the world of church. However, this century has opened up a huge chasm. The churches were already in deep trouble. The scandals engendered by the various mind-sets facilitated the carrying out of great evil.
This passage, clearly, comprises statements and counsels not to be taken literally but no less seriously. If only persons in authority had acted to root out, expose and exclude profound evil reported to them! Rather, the voices of the little ones and the voices of dissenters and those accused (incorrectly) as disloyal were excluded. Again and again, Jesus speaks of the ‘Kingdom of God’ as a reality that is very close but towards which we are striving as ‘yet to come’. ‘Church’ should enable us to enter the kingdom of heaven together. However, Jesus did not preach church. Rather, he preached kingdom. We ought never to forget this.
The ‘gehenna’ or ‘hell’ mentioned in verse 47 calls to mind the gê-ben-hinnom or ‘Valley of the Son of Hinnom’ (Joshua 15:8), a ravine south of Jerusalem, where human sacrifices were once offered to Molech. The image of burning fires symbolised it as a place of torment and evil. It could be a scene from Schindler’s List (and which closed with the wonderful scene of those who were saved placing stones on the grave of one, Oskar Schindler, on the southern slopes of Mount Zion).
49-50 The quality of discipleship
‘For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.’
Some versions of the Bible translate verse 49 as follow: ‘For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.’ (King James Version).
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