MARK 9 33-50

 a paraphrased ‘enter the story

🍃🕊️reading & study 🕊️🍃

   08/31 - GospeL Verses

33 - Then Jesus and the twelve went home to Capernaum. When they were in the house he asked the disciples, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 They didn’t say anything, because they’d been arguing with one another about who was the greater. 35 So he sat down and called them round, and he said, “If you would be first, you must be last of all, and a servant of all.”

     36 And then he called a small child over to them, and taking him in his arms, he said, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me. And whoever receives me, receives not me, but he who sent me.”

     38 John (who also wrote a gospel account/testimony/testament and 1,2 and 3 John) said, “Rabbi/teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he’s not with us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him. For anyone who does a mighty work in my name will not be soon able to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who’s not against us is for us. 41 Truly I tell you, whoever may give you a cup of water because you follow me, will by no means lose their reward!

     42 “But whoever guides one of these little ones into error, it would be better for them if a great millstone were hung around their neck and they be thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It’s better for you to enter [eiserchomai - enter, go into, come into, go through] life crippled than with two hands away into gehenna fire {‘fiery’ trials and troubles} not quenched.” {Entropy (imperfection) which doesn’t quit so naturally ends in death, but can include much dissolution, thus suffering/‘hell’ on the way.}  45 “And if your foot leads you to crime, cut it off! It’s better for you to enter [eiserchomai - from eis - to or into, point reached, and erchomai -  to come, go] {go through?} life lame than with two feet to be thrown into gehenna” (valley dump where criminal’s bodies were thrown so the fires were kept burning, considered a great psychological insult). 47 “And if your eye causes you to do wrong, tear it out! It’s better for you to enter/be in the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into gehenna, 48 ‘where the worm {of decomposition} does not die and the fire is not quenched’ [sbennumi - extinguished, quenched, suppressed, thwarted, put out]. 49 For - everyone - will be salted with fire.” {God’s wrath is cause and effect/consequences/results. Plus greaT sin will ultimately result in deep heart and gut wrenching remorse. Imagine having been a heartless despot, serial killer, child sex trafficker.. What sort of correction [kolasin] works best? Inner. Inner judgment, inner condemnation.. beating self up “with many stripes?” until realizing Christ Crucified, strong enough to appease every psyche and conscience.}

     50 “Salt is good. But if salt loses its saltiness, how will it be made salty again? Have salt within yourselves! And - be at peace - with one another.”

     {Salt preserves from corruption/rot/entropy. We could say, life as we presently know it - imperfection, thus fading away, is the ‘parable’ of the decomposing ‘apple’ and its worm that doesn’t quit - which iS the decomposing. A slow motion gehenna ‘burning’ away, that at times flares up into fiery judgments and wars. Corruption, decomposing and degrading does not quit until it is dust. “Dust thou art” dust to dust, God’s wrath. But if there had been no option to stray in Eden, creation would have to be an ant farm. So this unavoidable, all important contrast is experienced, and let to run its course, one and done. Humanity and creation will be “sealed”/saturated with God’s Spirit/Presence. “Sealed” (‘herd’ immunity) from straying/imperfection which is an abyss of potential ..versus Ant Farm?

     How do you create genuinely able to think and reason beings, aNd, keep paradise/perfection intact? God is Life and “is perfect” mt.5:48, the ‘end’ result cannot be anything less than the best one possible. God is surely(?) 100% unfettered Genius. And Love! THE utter Perfection. Which shaLL - and hAs to - rule. Since God is Life, nothing besides Perfect can ever work or endure. He is making all perfect. He iS Life, and “is perfect”.}

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🗝️ [  ] - word/language insights, usually from biblehub dot com - peering through translator partial unbelief; cross references, etc.

      {  } - thots

Tomorrows verses - Mark 10:1-9

My own studies, had to paraphrase to post..

Start the day with a Psalm (jan 1-20, feb-20’s, mar-30’s, apr-40’s, etc. dec-120-150)