Mark 9:30-37

This passage is found in the Revised Common Lectionary Year B (Most recently: Sept 22, 2024) 
 
Summary:  "Serving others" sounds like an exciting idea in high school - volunteering is "in" these days.  But serving others is actually quite difficult.  Jesus even ups the ante by commanding that we should be servant to all!  Here is what I find beautiful and hopeful in this passage:  Jesus follows this command to serve everyone by touching one particular person.  A reminder that service to world means service to individuals, often the very individuals the world forgets.

Key Words:
διακονος:  ("servant", 9:35)  The meaning of this word has come under great fire in the last generation.  Some background:  In post-Vatican II Catholicism and post-Holocaust Protestantism, there reemerged a strong desire and need for the church to serve the needy. (Not that this had ever gone away totally!)  This lead to surge in the interest of what it meant to "serve" under various forms, offices and theology related to "διακονος."  διακονος came into English as "deacon"; this office, often started or renewed in Western churches, came to embody the need for the church to serve the poor, especially those outside of its walls.  Often this idea of serving others became discussed and conceived of as a ministry born of the Word, perhaps sustained by the Word, but not tied to proclamation of the Word.  A generation or two later, some, including the previous Pope, have become concerned that we have replaced the ministry of the Word with charity.  If you research "Collins diakonia" you can read all about it.  Within the Lutheran context a rather pointed and academic article is here: http://www.ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/donfriedministry.pdf

The word διακονος does have a variety of meanings, from "waiter" as in someone who waits on tables, but also someone who acts as an agent on behalf of someone.  In Mark's Gospel the word describes angels and women who attend to Jesus.  In this way, Mark's usage attests to the idea of service to the needy, but the service always involves Jesus.

Without being overly argumentative, you can assert this: διακονος did not simply mean service to the poor but also service on behalf of Christ.  This week's passage shows a beautiful example of what διακονος might entail:  bringing the least in society to the arms of Jesus.  I think this is a challenge for any congregation and ministry -- how do we serve the needy, not just as a service agency, but in a way that leads them to Christ's embrace?

παιδιον ("child", 9:36, 37)  The word here can mean "kid" but can also mean "child" (as in my kid) or "slave."  In our culture, we have seen this passage almost exclusively in light of the idea of "my child," a precious offspring of someone.  We live in the era of "intense parenting" in which parents devote great resources to raising their children, often in smaller families.  However, the social context of the Gospels ought not to be lost -- children did not have great social status and were not the focus of parental energy.  In this sense, Jesus is acting toward the "least", namely, the people without voice, vote, income or status.

εναγκαλισμενος ("hug", 9:36 and 10:16)  This word is only used twice in the whole New Testament, both times in Mark!, when Jesus takes children into his arm.  This is also a reminder of what it means to welcome someone in the name of Christ, to bring them close enough that you can see their beauty, but also their warts, stinky breath and dirty fingernails.

Less important, but interesting

ηγνοουν ("be unaware", from αγνοεω, 9:31)  This word is literally: agnoeoo, which comes into English as "agnostic."  The disciples were agnostic toward the Word.  A reminder that Jesus words about death and resurrection have always been puzzling.

Grammar:  "αν"
This word is nearly impossible to translate.  It sort of means "if" but not really.  It is best just to learn all the ways in which it is used (ie, consult a grammar aid when you come to it).  In verse 37, it is used with ος, which always gets translated "Whoever."  This might not make sense, but this combination is a bit like:  "Who, who?,..." to make a "whoever."