OIA 21-.29-22.21; 9.30-41

Observations

• Who: Jesus, the twelve, a child, John, someone casting our demons in Jesus’ name; Christ;
• When: sometime after the boy’s healing
• Where: passing through Galilee, apparently on the way south from Caesarea Philippi;
• What: Second announcement of Jesus’ death and resurrection; the twelve arguing about who is the greatest; Jesus teaching and illustrating the first must be last;
• Connections: Son of Man; second announcement of three; child may link back to the healed boy;
• Contrasts: first/last; greatest/servant of all; greatest/child; the twelve/an outsider.
• Responses to Jesus:
• Questions

Interpretation

• Jesus’ second announcement of his death and resurrection is a bit different from his first: this time he is to be ‘delivered into the hands of men…’ Who is doing this ‘delivering’? It is God himself who delivers Jesus to his death and subsequent resurrection. The Greek work here is paraditotai, Strong’s #3860; this is the same work used in 1.14 – John was delivered into prison; this is the same word translated as ‘betray’ in reference to Judas. The point here is that God is the active agent in delivering Jesus into the hands of men; this is not a random or senseless death, rather one God is intentionally visiting on his beloved, and obedient son.
• Note that Jesus is specifically addressing the 12; my take on this section is just this – that Jesus is focusing on the 12, on driving home the core values of his kingdom, on servant hood and kingdom leadership. Jesus is on his final journey to Jerusalem; he knows it, and is emphatically teaching the 12 all he can before his passion. Part of the structure this section is Question/Answer; watch for this as we work through this section. The good news is, in contrast to the feeding of the 5000, the twelve are again asking: they are exercising the secret of the kingdom: they are responding.
• The Twelve are beginning to listen to Jesus’ announcement: and their response is to argue about who is the greatest, who will take over the movement if Jesus is in fact killed. Jesus then announces the theme of his training for the 12 in the coming chapters: The first shall be last shall be first. Power in Jesus’ practice and in his kingdom is wielded by servanthood. What a contrast to all our experience, from kindergarten on through business and government, even in our own households!
• Welcoming the child and outsider are illustrations of Jesus’ theme of servanthood. Both are examples to contradict the disciples’ perception of how power works in the kingdom – the least and the outsiders are welcomed. Jesus goes so far as to identify himself with both of these ‘least’: welcoming the child, wrapping them in our arms, is like receiving Jesus; and even an insignificant gift – a cup of water, not to mention spiritual warfare – is noted and rewarded by the same Father who is delivering Jesus into the hands of men.
• Notice the link between these two examples: in my name. This is part of Jesus’ training for the 12 – you will be acting in my name.
• The emphasis in the child story is more on imitating Jesus than it is on becoming like a child. The lesson for the 12 is to welcome the least, the last, with open arms, with warmth, with gladness.

Application

• God is the agent behind Jesus’ coming death and resurrection: this unexpected plan is God’s idea, his intention, his means of vanquishing sin and death, and of securing resurrection. We should stand in awe of God’s redemptive plan, and of Jesus’ faithful obedience.