Better to enter the Kingdom

Earlier this week, at our prayer meeting, one of our friends shared his disappointment and confusion for the angry language in this week’s Gospel Mark 9: 38-48:

And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.

I thought, if he is disturbed by the language maybe some of my newsletter friends are as well.

This passage, from Mark 9:43-48, reflects the strong moral teachings of Jesus within the context of first-century Jewish culture. At the time, many Jewish teachers used hyperbolic language to emphasize the importance of moral and spiritual purity. The idea of cutting off a body part as a metaphor for avoiding sin draws from this rhetorical style, using shocking imagery to stress the seriousness of sin and its consequences.

The repeated imagery of cutting off a hand, foot, or tearing out an eye uses exaggerated speech to emphasize the importance of avoiding sin at all costs. Such language, common in the Gospels, is not meant to be interpreted literally but to drive home the point that sin has severe consequences, and believers must take extreme measures to avoid it.

Today, the literal interpretation is not emphasized. Instead, the message encourages believers to reflect on the parts of their lives or habits that lead them into temptation or sin and consider what needs to be ‘cut off’ for spiritual well-being. This passage challenges us to prioritize spiritual integrity, even at personal cost.

I believe contemporary examples can be things like toxic relationships, addiction and substance abuse, materialism and greed, unhealthy use of technology, bitterness and resentment.

I remember advising a company taxi driver who often collected me, at the airport, when I visited a foreign territory, in my corporate days, to ‘cut off’ an inappropriate relationship he had developed. Each time I would visit, I would inquire the status. I saw, as an outsider, that on each of my visits, he had descended a little lower. Finally one day, I missed him. On asking of his whereabouts, I learnt he was in jail, as a result of the relationship. I believe he failed to ‘cut it off’ and suffered the consequences Jesus spoke about.

Friends, I am inviting you to join me on my upcoming Zoom retreat. It takes place over 3 weeks starting the 15th October. There is a weekly two hour Zoom meeting each Tuesday evening at 7pm. This is followed by private work in your workbook and one-on-one meetings with me at your convenience. Please click on the link below to find out more.