Mark 9:30 After leaving that place, they went on through the Galil. Yeshua didn’t want anyone to know, 31 because he was teaching his talmidim. He told them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men who will put him to death; but after he has been killed, three days later he will rise.” 32 But they didn’t understand what he meant, and they were afraid to ask him.
33 They arrived at K’far-Nachum. When Yeshua was inside the house, he asked them, “What were you discussing as we were traveling?” 34 But they kept quiet; because on the way, they had been arguing with each other about who was the greatest. 35 He sat down, summoned the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.” 36 He took a child and stood him among them. Then he put his arms around him and said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the One who sent me.” (Complete Jewish Bible).
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In the first part of today's reading we see one of the hallmarks of foolishness. As the disciples travel with Jesus, he says something they don't understand. Rather than seek wisdom from Christ himself, they are afraid to ask. We, too, often don't understand what's going on, and rather than seek wisdom from a mentor, from the person we didn't understand or even from the Bible, we become afraid. We are afraid of looking foolish--and thus we become foolish.
We need sources of wisdom in our daily life in order to know whom and what to trust. This is increasingly hard in an increasingly complex and divided society. It's too easy to get caught in an echo chamber in which we hear only ourselves. As the church, we are a place that offers wisdom from Jesus, who declares himself to be "the truth" (John 14:6). Let's do what the disciples were afraid to do, and look to Jesus for God's truth and wisdom.
Dear Lord, guide us in ways of wisdom and help us to not be afraid to ask for help and wisdom when we need it. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Peter Clark, '16
Pastor, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Aurora, Ill.
Mark 9:30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it;31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again."
32 But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
33 Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?"
34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.
35 He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all."
36 Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them,
37 "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me." (New Revised Standard Version).
The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
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