(PRT) Pastor Rick’s Translation

v. 29  And Jesus explained to them, this sort leaves only by prayer. v. 30-31 They left from there and passed through Galilee; but he didn’t want anyone to know they were there, because he was teaching his disciples. He explained plainly to them: “The Son of Man will be delivered into the power of men who will kill him; but after he is put to death, he will rise to life. v. 32 But they did not comprehend this message, and were afraid to ask him about it. v. 33-34 And he arrived at the house in Capernaum, and Jesus asked them: “What were you arguing about on our way here?” But they had nothing to say about one another since, along the road, they had been debating who out of all of them was the greatest. v. 35 Then he sat down and called the Twelve to gather around, and said to them: “If anyone longs to be first, he will choose to take last place and begin serving everyone else.” v. 36-37 And he took a child’s hand, and bringing him into the middle of the disciples, embraced him. Then Jesus taught them this: “Whoever chooses to take a little child’s hand and receives him in my name,  receives me. And anyone who chooses not to receive me, also choose to not receive the one who sent me.” v. 38 And John said to him: “Teacher, we saw someone driving out evil spirits in your name; but he is not walking with us; so we excluded and blocked him because he was not with us.” v. 39-40 Then Jesus commanded them: “Do not exclude and block him for no one will do powerful works in my name and, in the next breath, disparage me. For whoever is not against us is for us. v. 41 “Whoever chooses to give you a cup in my name filled with water to drink because you belong to Christ, with certainty, I tell you that he will in no way lose his reward.”

Study Notes:

v. 29  And Jesus explained to them, this sort leaves only by prayer

v. 30-31 They left from there and passed through Galilee; but he didn’t want anyone to know they were there, because he was teaching his disciples. He explained plainly to them: “The Son of Man will be delivered into the power of men who will kill him; but after he is put to death, he will rise to life.

He explained as a regular point of his teaching the kerygma.

v. 32 But they did not comprehend this message, and were afraid to ask him about it.

This message is radically different from what they expected from the Messiah. One of the reasons for regular teaching on this is so they will get it. They thought it “the Kingdom” would be set up soon and that’s a reason to jockey for the best positions when it happens.

v. 33-34 And he arrived at the house in Capernaum, and Jesus asked them: “What were you arguing about on our way here?” But they had nothing to say about one another since, along the road, they had been debating who out of all of them was the greatest.

They arrived after a quiet journey (the disciples were steamed at one another and embarrassed by their self-centeredness.

v. 35 Then he sat down and called the Twelve to gather around, and said to them: “If anyone longs to be first, he will choose to take last place and begin serving everyone else.”

v. 36-37 And he took a child’s hand, and bringing him into the middle of the disciples, embraced him. Then Jesus taught them this: “Whoever chooses to take a little child’s hand and receives him in my name,  receives me. And anyone who chooses not to receive me, also choose to not receive the one who sent me.”

Look how much teaching Jesus does without words. He sits down. He invites the twelve to join him. He sees a child and takes him by the hand and stands him right in the middle. He embraces this child. Then he talks.

In my name… the first in this passage. We embrace the forgotten and the weak in Jesus’ name.

v. 38 And John said to him: “Teacher, we saw someone driving out evil spirits in your name; but he is not walking with us; so we excluded and blocked him because he was not with us.”

Who would be using Jesus’ name to dispel darkness? This would be someone who knows the owner of this name.

v. 39-40 Then Jesus commanded them: “Do not exclude and block him for no one will do powerful works in my name and, in the next breath, disparage me. For whoever is not against us is for us.

Don’t prevent or forbid them. It’s my name and my Kingdom being expanded.

v. 41 “Whoever chooses to give you a cup in my name filled with water to drink because you belong to Christ, with certainty, I tell you that he will in no way lose his reward.”

Receiving God’s grace takes a willingness, too.