DAY TWENTY-SEVEN – Friday, March 24, 2023
Mark 9:42-50
I was recently gifted a copy of the Good News Bible which belonged to a family member who was downsizing some of her things. I was very flattered that she thought of me as a worthy keeper of this book. It was published in 1976, so although it is older than me, it isn’t necessarily an antique. It’s paper cover is softly worn and feels comfortable in my hands. The family member that gave it to me has been an important influence and resource in my spiritual learning. I turned to this book to help me interpret Mark 9:42-50 and reflect on the question: What is Jesus trying to teach us in this passage?
Jesus teaches to remove what is causing one to sin. It’s important to think of the times that these teachings were being delivered. They were much simpler compared to today, when individuals did not have many “things,” so the gateway to sin was literally a person’s hands, feet or eyes. Although this passage might invoke scary mental imagery, it ends with what I believe is the true message Jesus was trying to spread: “live in peace with one another.”
Racheal Manns
Mark 9:42-50
I was recently gifted a copy of the Good News Bible which belonged to a family member who was downsizing some of her things. I was very flattered that she thought of me as a worthy keeper of this book. It was published in 1976, so although it is older than me, it isn’t necessarily an antique. It’s paper cover is softly worn and feels comfortable in my hands. The family member that gave it to me has been an important influence and resource in my spiritual learning. I turned to this book to help me interpret Mark 9:42-50 and reflect on the question: What is Jesus trying to teach us in this passage?
Jesus teaches to remove what is causing one to sin. It’s important to think of the times that these teachings were being delivered. They were much simpler compared to today, when individuals did not have many “things,” so the gateway to sin was literally a person’s hands, feet or eyes. Although this passage might invoke scary mental imagery, it ends with what I believe is the true message Jesus was trying to spread: “live in peace with one another.”
Racheal Manns
