As we begin the second half of Mark, the gospel writer records the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Peter's rash words are met with the correcting words from heaven. These words from the mouth of the Father set forth the supremacy of Jesus Christ. This is something that is good for us to keep in mind. Every era has its "poster boys" as it were. The OT had its prophets (Moses, Elijah, etc.). The NT had its apostles (Peter, Paul, etc.). I could continue to list giants of the faith from the early church fathers to the reformers to the present day. While God has given His people great men through whom He has wrought mighty things, no one compares to Jesus Christ! He is supreme! We must be careful how much "stock" we put in the frail human vessels that God chooses to use in great ways.
When Jesus was talking with the man whose son was possessed by a demon, the man cried out, "I believe; help my unbelief!" (9:24). This man had the right perspective. If anyone was going to help this man believe it was going to be Jesus Christ. Likewise, we too must come to Christ if our faith would be strengthened.
9:42-50 lays out Jesus' plan for dealing with sin in the life of a believer. His plan is one that is characterized by radical amputation! What have you done to resist sin's power in your own life? What have you amputated recently? When our desire for holiness surpasses our desires for anything else, radical things happen in order to maintain such holiness!
The rich young man in chapter 10 was the typical self-righteous Jew. He thought that he had done everything necessary to keep the Law because he had done externally and by letter what the Law demanded. In typical form, Jesus goes to the heart. He points out that this man had an idol of the heart and therefore had broken the very first of the Ten Commandments. He had a higher love and worship for his things than he had for God. We too must guard our hearts from idols and understand that true obedience to God is first of all heart obedience!
When James and John asked Jesus to sit beside Him in His glory, it caused quite a stir among the disciples (pride always does!). Jesus gave His disciples a lesson in Kingdom living. He started by pointing out that His way is not like the way of the surrounding world ("It shall not be so among you."). The world promotes the self-assured, climb-over-anyone type of people. Jesus says that the ones promoted in His Kingdom serve! They are servants and even bond-slaves. The greatest servant of all was Jesus Christ, and He is the greatest in the Kingdom!
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